With the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship season shaping up to be one of the most competitive in recent history, BMW M Motorsport is evaluating the possibility of expanding its Hypercar presence at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. As RACER.com recently reported, BMW has not ruled out adding a third M Hybrid V8 to the grid, but financial and logistical considerations will ultimately determine whether Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing makes the trip to France.
For years, RLL has been BMW’s go-to operation in IMSA and a long standing partner in different championships, but the team has never taken its factory-supported efforts to Le Mans. However, following an impressive showing at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, where BMW demonstrated significant progress with its LMDh challenger, the possibility of a third Le Mans entry is back on the table. “The more cars we have, the better it is, but we have to be realistic,” BMW M Motorsport boss Andreas Roos told RACER. “It’s always nice to have more cars on the grid, but you have to get it financed.”
Roos emphasized that while BMW continuously evaluates expansion opportunities, a third M Hybrid V8 would require significant investment. Unlike Porsche, Ferrari, and Cadillac—who have already committed to additional cars at Le Mans—BMW is still in the early stages of its Hypercar journey, making any expansion a strategic decision rather than a given.
RLL’s Breakthrough at Daytona Raises Expectations
BMW’s latest Hypercar campaign is showing signs of maturing into a genuine contender. At the 2025 Rolex 24 at Daytona, RLL’s #25 BMW M Hybrid V8 secured pole position and set the fastest lap of the race. While victory ultimately eluded them due to a string of setbacks—including a costly penalty and an overnight incident—the performance jump from last year was clear. Both RLL cars #24 and #25 completed the grueling 24-hour race without major mechanical issues. Racer.com also points to the introduction of BMW’s first “Joker” update which improved braking performance, for example.
BMW’s possible expansion comes just a year after its highly anticipated return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2024. That race marked BMW’s first top-class entry at La Sarthe in decades, but it was a rough debut for the Bavarian marque. The #20 BMW Art Car, designed by contemporary artist Julie Mehretu, only managed 92 laps before crashing heavily during the night, dashing any hopes of a competitive result.
In a symbolic farewell, BMW brought the car back onto the track with just 30 minutes remaining, purely for a photoshoot session and to wave goodbye—an unusual but memorable moment that ensured the Art Car still had a presence in the race’s closing moments.
Even if BMW commits to a third M Hybrid V8, gaining approval from the ACO will be no easy task. As RACER.com highlighted, the 2025 Le Mans grid is already nearing full capacity. With only 62 available slots and 47 already taken by full-season WEC teams and auto-invite recipients from ELMS, IMSA, and the Asian Le Mans Series, the case for an additional entry won’t be easy. With the first iteration of the 2025 Le Mans entry list expected next week, BMW’s future at the iconic La Sarthe could soon become clearer.
[Source: Racer]
