WRT Returns to Defend Title at Suzuka 1000km
Team WRT has confirmed its participation in the 49th Suzuka 1000km, aiming to defend its title with two BMW M4 GT3 EVOs. Initially absent from the provisional entry list, the Belgian team will field cars driven by a lineup of notable talent.
Key drivers include Kelvin van der Linde, a 2019 Suzuka winner, who will race the #32 BMW alongside Raffaele Marciello and Charles Weerts, the latter being the defending Intercontinental GT Challenge (IGTC) Drivers’ Champion. Marciello previously secured victory at Suzuka in 2018 with Mercedes-AMG before joining BMW in 2024.
In the #31 BMW, Augusto Farfus, the 2019 pole sitter, will team up with BMW Junior Team graduates Dan Harper and Max Hesse. Currently, Farfus and van der Linde are separated by just two points in the IGTC Drivers’ Championship standings. Both drivers have notched shared victories in the Bathurst 12 Hour and the Nürburgring 24 Hours this season.
The addition of WRT increases BMW’s representation at Suzuka to three entries, with Team KRC also participating. BMW leads the IGTC Manufacturers’ Championship, 14 points ahead of defending champions Porsche.
Historically, BMW’s most recent overall victory at the Suzuka 1000km came in 1982 with a Group 5 BMW M1, although the Z4 GT3 claimed a GT300 class win in 2014.
As the countdown to the race continues, WRT’s commitment reinforces its competitive edge in this prestigious endurance event.
