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BMW M Motorsport is keeping its foot firmly in with stability for 2026, confirming that the same eight BMW M works drivers will continue to handle the quartet of BMW M Hybrid V8s in both the FIA World Endurance Championship and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. In an era when programmes are often shuffled from season to season, BMW has opted for continuity in the cockpits while updating the car and reshaping its North American operation – a clear sign of confidence in a proven core squad.
The driver roster reads like a greatest hits line-up from recent BMW campaigns: Philipp Eng, Robin Frijns, Kevin Magnussen, Raffaele Marciello, René Rast, Sheldon van der Linde, Dries Vanthoor and Marco Wittmann all return. Vanthoor and van der Linde will again be double-duty specialists, contesting full seasons in both WEC and IMSA, while Eng and Wittmann stay anchored in North America as regulars. From 2026, BMW M Team WRT takes over IMSA running duties from BMW M Team RLL, meaning the Belgian outfit will operate the M Hybrid V8 on both sides of the Atlantic.
In the FIA WEC, the two-car structure remains untouched. The #15 BMW M Hybrid V8 will continue to be shared by Magnussen, Marciello and Vanthoor, while Frijns, Rast and van der Linde keep hold of the #20 cockpit. In IMSA, the faces stay the same, but the pairings are shuffled. Vanthoor and van der Linde will now be the regular combination in the #24 car, with Frijns and Rast joining them for the longer endurance rounds. The #25 machine pairs Eng and Wittmann across the full season, backed up by Magnussen and Marciello when the calendar stretches into the big-distance classics.
Head of BMW M Motorsport Andreas Roos has made it clear that this measured approach is intentional. With an updated M Hybrid V8 arriving and a new team structure bedding in for IMSA, the last thing BMW wanted was upheaval behind the wheel. Instead, the brand is banking on the same eight drivers to carry forward the momentum built up as they have learned the car, the hybrid system and the nuances of Hypercar and GTP racing. The message is straightforward: let the engineers refine the machinery, let WRT grow into its expanded role, and let a tightly knit group of drivers keep pushing the LMDh project towards more silverware in 2026.
