In a media event held at the iconic Spa circuit in Belgium, the BMW M Team WRT has officially unveiled its driver roster for the 2024 racing season, featuring a mix of established names and promising talents set to compete in the BMW M4 GT3. This announcement comes ahead of the team’s participation in two prestigious championships: the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) and the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS (GTWC).
Leading the team’s charge in both the FIA WEC and GTWC will be BMW M works driver Maxime Martin from Belgium and the motorsport icon Valentino Rossi from Italy. Rossi, transitioning from a legendary motorcycle racing career, continues to make significant strides in four-wheeled motorsport alongside Martin. In the FIA WEC’s LMGT3 class, the lineup is further bolstered by Sean Gelael from Indonesia, Ahmad Al-Harthy from Oman, and Darren Leung from Great Britain. Gelael, an accomplished racer and BMW M Ambassador for Indonesia, along with Leung, will share the cockpit of the BMW M Team WRT #31 BMW M4 GT3 with BMW M factory driver Augusto Farfus from Brazil, highlighting the team’s diverse international talent pool.
The #46 BMW M4 GT3 will see Valentino Rossi, awarded a Silver rating, teaming up with Maxime Martin and Ahmad Al-Harthy, showcasing a formidable trio aiming for top honors in the LMGT3 category. The FIA WEC regulations necessitate a varied driver lineup, ensuring that each LMGT3 car includes a Platinum or Gold status driver, a Silver, and a Bronze-rated driver, fostering a competitive and inclusive racing environment.
Turning to the GT World Challenge Europe, the Belgian duo of Dries Vanthoor and Charles Weerts is set to contest the entire season, eyeing the championship title with determination. Their campaign in both the Sprint Cup and the Endurance Cup is strengthened by the addition of Sheldon van der Linde from South Africa for endurance races, including the marquee 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps.
The endurance team is further enriched by the inclusion of Raffaele Marciello from Switzerland, Jens Klingmann from Germany, and Sam de Haan from Great Britain, bringing depth and versatility to the BMW M Team WRT’s challenge across different classes of the GTWC.
