Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Motorsport
Motorsport
Sport
Gary Watkins

WRT completes first test with BMW LMDh for WEC 2024 programme

The Belgian squad, which will compete in the WEC as BMW M Team WRT, completed its first circuit test with the car at Aragon last week, following a roll-out at the end of May. 

WRT’s first M Hybrid V8 was driven at the Spanish circuit by BMW factory drivers Jesse Krohn, Sheldon van der Linde and Dries Vanthoor. 

No mileage figure completed by the car over the course of three days of running has been specified by BMW. 

WRT boss Vincent Vosse described the test at Aragon “as a milestone for the team”. 

“It is a big step and a step that we all have worked very hard for,” he said. 

“The guys did an excellent job building and preparing the car. 

“The roll-out went well and then we had the days of testing without any issues and good feedback.”

BMW M Team WRT (Photo by: BMW)

Andreas Roos, head of BMW M Motorsport, called the Aragon test a “a very good start to our WEC preparation programme”. 

“The BMW M Hybrid V8 ran smoothly during the first test drives and provided our engineers and the team with the opportunity to gain a wealth of insights right from the start,” he explained. 

The roll-out was completed at the proving ground at BMW’s Dingolfing plant to the north east of Munich with Nick Yelloly at the wheel. 

The Briton and his full-time team-mates in the Rahal-run IMSA SportsCar Championship BMW team were not available for the test because they were racing at the Watkins Glen round of the North American series last weekend in which M Hybrid scored its first win with Yelloly and Connor De Phillippi driving. 

BMW’s statement explained that “as many BMW M works drivers as possible will be in the cockpit” as WRT continues the build-up to its WEC debut in the Hypercar class at Qatar at the start of March next year. 

Further functionality tests were then completed last weekend after the Aragon test at an undisclosed venue by Dan Harper and Max Hesse. 

No drivers have so far been announced for the WRT’s assault on the top class of the WEC. 

Vosse has deferred questions about his line-up to BMW.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.