BMW M Motorsport faces tough challenges at FIA WEC Spa 2025

BMW M Motorsport showed strong pace at FIA WEC Spa 2025 but suffered brake issues, penalties, and DNFs. Full focus now shifts to 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, known as the "Ardennes rollercoaster," delivered a tense and unpredictable weekend for BMW M Motorsport. The third round of the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship — the “6 Hours of Spa” — was a home race for BMW M Team WRT, but early hopes soon gave way to frustration. Despite impressive performances from both BMW M Hybrid V8s, the final results fell short of expectations.

The #20 crew, driven by Robin Frijns and René Rast, was firmly in podium contention until just thirty minutes before the checkered flag. A slow puncture initially slowed the car down, but the real blow came with a brake issue that forced the team to retire the vehicle for safety reasons. Post-race, it was revealed that BMW had implemented its first “Evo Joker” of the season to upgrade the brake-by-wire system — a move that now warrants closer analysis.

Meanwhile, the #15 BMW, piloted by Kevin Magnussen and Raffaele Marciello, got off to a flying start — jumping from 11th into the top five. However, two drive-through penalties, one for contact and another for leaving the track, severely compromised their race. Despite decent pace, the car could only manage tenth at the finish. The drivers admitted the potential was there, but costly mistakes made the difference.

In the LMGT3 class, it wasn’t a better story. The #46 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, with Valentino Rossi, Ahmad Al Harthy, and Kelvin van der Linde, finished ninth after a penalty and a strategic gamble that ultimately didn’t pay off. The #31 car, driven by Augusto Farfus, Timur Boguslavskiy, and Yasser Shahin, retired early due to suspension damage caused by contact in the second hour of the race.

Further complicating matters was the absence of Dries Vanthoor and Sheldon van der Linde, who were competing in the IMSA round at Laguna Seca, forcing BMW M Team WRT to adapt its lineup — a change that may have affected the team’s overall rhythm and consistency.

Despite the setbacks, the team remains focused. Data collected at Spa will feed directly into preparations for the season’s marquee event — the 24 Hours of Le Mans. All efforts now shift toward that challenge, and there’s even talk that BMW may enter a third car to bolster their shot at glory.

Source: bmwgroup.com