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BMW M Team WRT keeps its momentum rolling with the BMW M Hybrid V8. On the tight street circuit of Detroit, the #25 machine driven by Philipp Eng and Marco Wittmann powered home to a fine second place in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. It was back-to-back silverware for the pairing, following their third spot at Laguna Seca, and the squad’s third strong result in mere weeks after the celebrated one-two at Spa-Francorchamps in the FIA World Endurance Championship.
The race itself was a tactical battle. Starting fourth, Wittmann initially slipped down the order, but a clever late and shorter pit stop hauled the crew right back into contention. From there, Eng took the wheel, grabbed second and defended it with composure all the way to the chequered flag. Wittmann had nursed his energy carefully to set up an overcut, and the team executed the undercut to perfection during the stops, vaulting the car ahead of its rivals at the crucial moment.
It was a tougher afternoon for the sister #24 car of Sheldon van der Linde and Dries Vanthoor. The duo showed genuine pace and ran as high as third before their day unravelled. A forced early stop caused by low tyre pressure, followed by two drive-through penalties for contact on the narrow barriers-lined layout, dropped them well down the field. They eventually crossed the line in ninth, a frustrating return given their earlier promise.
In the GTD PRO class, Connor De Phillippi and Neil Verhagen guided the Paul Miller Racing #1 BMW M4 GT3 EVO to fourth. They came agonisingly close to the rostrum in a chaotic closing stint, banking valuable championship points even if the podium narrowly slipped away. Team Principal Vincent Vosse praised the flawless #25 effort while admitting the #24’s early stop and traffic troubles proved costly on such an unforgiving track.
Attention now turns swiftly to the season’s centrepiece. With the engines barely cooled, the crews are already eyeing the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans in June, where the BMW M Hybrid V8 will face its sternest test yet. Strong form and growing confidence make WRT a team to watch as the calendar builds towards its biggest weekend.
