24h Le Mans
The BMW M Hybrid V8 continued its upward trajectory in 2025 without ever managing to convert its potential into victories. After a season marked by podium promises and frustration, best illustrated at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Bavarian brand is introducing a new aero package as it seeks to step up a gear in 2026.
BMW M Team WRT’s 2025 campaign marked a key step in the manufacturer’s Hypercar project. For the BMW M Hybrid V8’s second year in the FIA World Endurance Championship, the firm once again finished in fifth place in the Hypercar manufacturers’ standings but with a clearly more competitive car that showed on numerous occasions that it was capable of taking on the frontrunners.
At the start of the season, the Head of BMW M Motorsport, Andreas Roos, clearly set out the roadmap for the forthcoming campaign: “We aim to build on the clear upward trend from the second half of the 2024 season and be in a position to consistently compete for podium places with our BMW M Hybrid V8. This applies to the entire season, but especially for the major highlight at Le Mans.” Despite failing to chalk up a maiden FIA WEC victory, the BMW M Hybrid V8 did record two remarkable results. The #15 car driven by Dries Vanthoor, Raffaele Marciello and Kevin Magnussen finished fourth at the Qatar 1812 km. Then, Rene Rast, Robin Frijns and Sheldon Van Der Linde achieved second place at the 6 Hours of Imola in the #20 car.
Two solid races to set out the intentions for the season, but which were followed by some missed opportunities. “We will now carefully analyse everything and come back stronger next year,” Roos promises.
Onlookers remarked how much quicker the BMWs were than in 2024, as illustrated by their presence in the Le Mans Hyperpole. In terms of pure pace, the German hypercar rivalled with Porsche, Cadillac and Toyota. But the French endurance classic is an unforgiving race. In the final hours, the #20 was held up by a cooling issue on its hybrid system while the #15 encountered engine trouble. The #20 finished the race in P17, while the #15 was relegated to P31.
Vincent Vosse, Team WRT Team Principal, said: "It’s a disappointing end to the weekend. It looked quite good. I’m feeling very sorry for all the guys who have put so much effort in the preparation for this race in the last twelve months. But this is what motorsport is made of. That’s why we like it."
To boost the BMW M Hybrid V8 for the 2026 season, the manufacturer has overhauled the car’s aero package. The most visible changes concern the front end which will feature a smaller grille, a revised splitter and redesigned headlamps to improve the air flow and optimise cooling. It is hoped that the car’s performance will be more consistent across all circuits as a result. Roos is optimistic: “After optimising the brakes for the current [2025] season, it is now time for an aerodynamically improved version of the car. With these updates, we are responding to the insights gained from our previous race outings. Following the tests we’ve already conducted, we are confident that the changes to the BMW M Hybrid V8 will allow us to compete more consistently at the front on all types of tracks, taking another step toward the top.”
The driver lineups, on the other hand, will remain unchanged. “We are very happy with their performances and there is no reason to make any major changes,” Roos continued. “At each race, our drivers gain valuable experience with the BMW M Hybrid V8, which is essential for the continued progress of our programme.”
With two seasons of FIA WEC experience under its belt, a better understanding of the Hypercar, methodical work on its weaker points and improved aerodynamics, BMW M Team WRT is clearly a serious outsider for 2026.
The performance now just needs to match the potential. An elusive maiden FIA WEC victory is surely just a matter of time while a 24 Hours of Le Mans podium remains a realistic target.
