BMW Motorsport has finally tasted victory in its LMDh programme, securing a stunning 1-2 finish at the IMSA SportsCar Championship event in Indianapolis, marking their first win since joining the hypercar class. The success didn’t stop there; just a week earlier, BMW clinched its first podium in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) at Fuji Speedway, signaling a turning point for the German automaker’s ambitious endurance racing campaign.
The dual achievements were celebrated by BMW’s Head of Motorsport, Andreas Roos, who hailed the recent results as an “incredibly successful week.” Reflecting on the back-to-back podiums, Roos praised the hard work and perseverance of the teams involved. “This has been an incredibly successful week for our LMDh programme with the first podium in the FIA WEC and the first 1-2 finish in the IMSA series,” Roos said. “Congratulations to BMW M Team RLL, which, despite the difficult season so far, has continued to push together with our BMW M Motorsport engineers, making this great success possible.”
BMW’s recent triumphs come through two different partnerships: Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in IMSA and W Racing Team in WEC, each crucial to the brand’s LMDh programme. At Fuji Speedway, BMW’s #15 M Hybrid V8 earned its first podium, driven by Dries Vanthoor, Raffaele Marciello, and Marco Wittmann, finishing a strong second in Japan. Meanwhile, in the stateside Battle on the Bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the #25 BMW, piloted by Nick Yelloly, fended off tough competition from Porsche’s #6 Penske 963 to secure the win, with the #24 BMW close behind, securing the 1-2 formation finish.
Heavy rain initially disrupted the Indianapolis race, but as the track dried, BMW’s strategy and pace came to the forefront. Nick Yelloly’s defensive driving under pressure in the final hours was key to keeping Porsche at bay, culminating in a commanding victory for BMW M Team RLL, driven by Philipp Eng and Jesse Krohn.
Roos emphasized the importance of these victories, highlighting that they represent the realization of the car’s potential, which had often gone unfulfilled earlier in the season. “I am very pleased that we have now managed to convert the potential that our BMW M Hybrid V8 has shown frequently this season into corresponding top results twice in a row. This is the deserved reward and a great motivation for everyone involved in our LMDh project.”
BMW’s back-to-back successes are a clear sign that their LMDh programme is finally hitting its stride, with a promising future on the horizon as they continue to challenge established giants like Porsche and Cadillac.
