BMW M Motorsport is preserving all eight of its Hypercar works drivers for the 2026 season, masking each the FIA World Endurance Championship and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The names keep the identical, however the construction across the program adjustments subsequent yr as BMW M Team WRT replaces Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in IMSA and the up to date BMW M Hybrid V8 makes its race debut.
The returning drivers are Philipp Eng, Robin Frijns, Kevin Magnussen, Raffaele Marciello, René Rast, Sheldon van der Linde, Dries Vanthoor, and Marco Wittmann. Vanthoor and van der Linde proceed as full-season drivers in each championships, whereas Eng and Wittmann stay assigned to the IMSA effort — now beneath WRT’s administration.
Up to date BMW M Hybrid V8 Set for 2026
BMW’s 2026 Hypercar season begins with a revised model of the M Hybrid V8. Almost half the bodywork has been redesigned, together with a narrower entrance finish, reworked facet sections, new lighting, and an aerodynamic package deal developed with Dallara to enhance stability and cooling. Early exams at Daytona confirmed a extra predictable steadiness and improved drivability, particularly in visitors. The automotive may even run on a brand new era of Michelin endurance tires, which required extra setup work throughout testing.
WRT Begins Its First IMSA Season With BMW
2026 marks a serious shift on the IMSA facet as BMW M Staff WRT takes over operations of the M Hybrid V8 program in North America. The Belgian crew already runs BMW’s WEC effort and now oversees each championships, ending BMW’s lengthy partnership with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in IMSA. The Daytona take a look at for the up to date M Hybrid V8 was WRT’s first time managing the IMSA operation.
No Modifications to WEC Lineups
BMW is preserving the identical FIA WEC driver pairings utilized in 2025.
FIA WEC – #15 BMW M Hybrid V8
- Kevin Magnussen
- Raffaele Marciello
- Dries Vanthoor
FIA WEC – #20 BMW M Hybrid V8
- Robin Frijns
- René Rast
- Sheldon van der Linde
IMSA Lineups Adjusted Beneath WRT
With WRT taking on in IMSA, BMW is making small changes to its pairing construction for 2026.
IMSA – #24 BMW M Hybrid V8
- Sheldon van der Linde (full season)
- Dries Vanthoor (full season)
- Robin Frijns (endurance races)
- René Rast (Daytona 24)
IMSA – #25 BMW M Hybrid V8
- Philipp Eng (full season)
- Marco Wittmann (full season)
- Kevin Magnussen (endurance races)
- Raffaele Marciello (Daytona 24)
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