BMW M Motorsport Aims for Historic Victory at 100th Anniversary of Spa24

As the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps celebrates its 100th anniversary, BMW M Motorsport embarks on a mission to defend its title and extend its record of 25 victories. ROWE Racing and BMW M Team WRT, two dominant teams in the endurance racing scene, are set to compete in the Pro category with four BMW M4 GT3s, each sporting special anniversary designs.

Historic Success and Present Aspirations

BMW M Motorsport has a storied history at Spa-Francorchamps, with 25 wins over the past century. This year’s event sees ROWE Racing’s #98 BMW M4 GT3, driven by last year’s champions Philipp Eng, Marco Wittmann, and Nick Yelloly, aiming to repeat their victory. BMW M Team WRT, celebrating its home race in the Ardennes, seeks to break a long winless streak with standout drivers like Sheldon van der Linde and Valentino Rossi.

Credit: BMW Motorsport

Teams and Lineups

ROWE Racing will field two cars in the Pro category. The #98, with Eng, Wittmann, and Yelloly, is focused on a back-to-back win. The #998, driven by Augusto Farfus, Dan Harper, and Max Hesse, brings momentum from a victory in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup season opener.

BMW M Team WRT also presents two cars in the Pro category. The #32 features Sheldon van der Linde, Dries Vanthoor, and Charles Weerts, while the #46 car, with Raffaele Marciello, Maxime Martin, and Valentino Rossi, aims to secure a podium finish.

In the Bronze category, WRT’s #30 BMW M4 GT3 and Century Motorsport’s #991 BMW M4 GT3 will compete with seasoned drivers, including Jens Klingmann and Connor De Phillippi.

Leadership and Driver Insights

Credit: BMW Motorsport

Andreas Roos, Head of BMW M Motorsport, emphasized the importance of the event: “The goal for this race is clear: to repeat last year’s victory. With defending champion ROWE Racing and BMW M Team WRT, we have an extremely strong line-up. All four crews have the potential to win the race – and we at BMW M Motorsport thus have many irons in the fire.”

ROWE Racing’s Team Principal, Hans-Peter Naundorf, expressed pride in their past achievements: “To finish at the front again would be a dream, but that is incredibly difficult in this high-calibre field. We are happy to take on this challenge.”

Vincent Vosse, Team Principal of BMW M Team WRT, highlighted the personal significance of the race: “To win again in 2011 and 2014 as a team was magic. Since then we have always been fighting at the front. We want to win again.”

Drivers echoed these sentiments, with Nick Yelloly and Max Hesse of ROWE Racing confident in their preparations and teamwork. Yelloly stated, “We achieved the victory last year, and I see no reason why we shouldn’t be able to do it again. Philipp, Marco, and I get along very well on and off the track, have a similar mindset, and complement each other excellently.”

Credit: BMW Motorsport

Max Hesse added, “Expectations are high. We have a good starting position for the 24h Spa-Francorchamps with last year’s victory for ROWE Racing and our opening win this season in Le Castellet. Our goal is to collect as many points as possible in the fight for the Endurance Cup title and hopefully drive onto the podium.”

Charles Weerts of BMW M Team WRT noted, “With the line-up that BMW M Motorsport and BMW M Team WRT are bringing to the start, the goal can only be victory. Last year a BMW M4 GT3 won. We want to repeat that, but, of course, we prefer it to be with our car.”

Maxime Martin expressed his personal connection to the race: “The 24h Spa-Francorchamps is a very special race for me. On the one hand, it’s my home race, and on the other hand, my family has played an important role in the 100-year history of the event. With my driving colleagues Raffaele and Valentino, we have a very strong package, and I hope we can have a say in the fight for the podium or even the victory.”