BMW Confirms WRT as New GTP Partner Team

BMW has confirmed that Team WRT will take over as the service provider for its IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTP program starting in 2026.

The Vincent Vosse-led squad, which currently also fields two BMW M Hybrid V8s in the FIA World Endurance Championship, will contest the full WeatherTech Championship season and will have its first on-track outing in November’s IMSA-sanctioned test at Daytona International Speedway.

WRT’s North American operations will be run from a base in Charlotte that is currently being established. Vosse previously confirmed to Sportscar365 that it has rented shop space from the Haas Formula 1 team.

“I am very pleased that we are expanding our excellent collaboration with BMW M Team WRT to include the IMSA series starting next season,” said BMW M Motorsport boss Andreas Roos.

“This aligns with our philosophy of focusing and specialising in the Hypercar programme. We applied this approach when assembling the driver crews for the BMW M Hybrid V8, and now we are taking the same path with the operational team.

“Together with BMW M Team WRT, we are pooling our strengths to achieve even greater success in both the FIA WEC and the IMSA series.

“I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank BMW M Team RLL for their outstanding efforts over the past three years in our GTP programme and for their loyalty to our brand over 17 years.”

BMW confirmed back in July that it would part ways with Rahal Letterman Lanigan, bringing an end to a partnership that spanned 17 years and that originated in the American Le Mans Series.

WRT, for its part, steps into full-time WeatherTech Championship competition after only a small handful of one-off appearance in the series in the past.

It mostly recently competed in the Rolex 24 at Daytona in 2020, finishing third in the GTD class with an Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo entered under the WRT Speedstar Audi Sport banner.

“I have never made it a secret that we are very interested in competing in the IMSA series,” said team principal Vosse.

“This wish is now becoming a reality. In the past, we have participated in the GT category at the 24 Hours of Daytona, but we have never contested the full season.

“We are facing a great challenge, but our team has gained a lot of experience worldwide over the past ten years, and we feel ready for this challenge.

“We know the BMW M Hybrid V8, we know the drivers – and we can’t wait to get started. Many thanks to BMW M Motorsport for the trust and this fantastic opportunity.”

BMW will head into the 2026 season with an updated version of its LMDh challenger, revealing a significant aero update last month that features a revised front end.