BMW M Team WRT to Expand Prototype Program for 2026 Season
BMW M Team WRT has officially confirmed its expansion into top-class prototype racing, set to debut the redesigned BMW M Hybrid V8 in both the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) starting in 2026.
Taking over from Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL), which ends its 17-year relationship with BMW after the 2025 season, WRT will field two M Hybrid V8 entries in IMSA. This marks WRT’s first full-season commitment in IMSA, following prior one-off appearances in the 2019 and 2020 Rolex 24 At Daytona.
Team principal Vincent Vosse expressed enthusiasm for the new venture: “I have never made it a secret that we are very interested in competing in the IMSA series. This wish is now becoming a reality… Our team has gained a lot of experience worldwide over the past ten years, and we feel ready for this challenge.”
To prepare for the upcoming season, WRT is establishing a U.S. headquarters in Charlotte and is actively hiring engineers and mechanics.
Andreas Roos from BMW stated, “I am very pleased that we are expanding our collaboration with BMW M Team WRT to include the IMSA series. This aligns with our philosophy of focusing on the Hypercar program… Together, we are pooling our strengths to achieve even greater success in both the FIA WEC and the IMSA series.”
The announcement follows earlier reports confirming the end of the BMW-RLL partnership, which was anticipated after the consolidation of BMW M’s prototype driver roster this season. Further details, including driver line-ups for 2026, will be disclosed later. The new BMW M Hybrid V8 is expected to be showcased during an IMSA sanctioned test at Daytona International Speedway in November.
