BMW Running Updated LMDh, GT3 Cars in Daytona Test

Photo: Mike Levitt/IMSA

BMW is running updated versions of both its M Hybrid V8 LMDh car and M4 GT3 EVO in this weekend’s IMSA-sanctioned test at Daytona International Speedway, with the goal of accumulating data and mileage ahead of the 2025 seasons.

The Munich brand has rolled out with updates to the drivability and brakes on its LMDh car according to BMW M Motorsport director Andreas Roos, who admitted it’s not yet been determined if the changes will result in the usage of an Evo joker.

“There’s always updates on the car but not every update needs a joker,” he told Sportscar365.

“For sure we always try to improve and update the car, even in software control strategies, or setups or whatsoever.

“We’re constantly improving the car and try to make it better.

“As far as I saw, the lap times look good at the sanctioned test but you never know what everybody is doing because in the end you concentrate on your own, you have your test program.

“We were focusing a lot on our test points and had a quite intense test program of what we wanted to go through, especially to work on long runs and long run performance.”

When asked if the updates will warrant the first of five permitted jokers being used on the car through it initial homologation cycle, Roos said “let’s see.”

He added: “We are still under discussion if it’s a joker or not, so I can’t tell you. They are on the car but if it’s a joker, we don’t know.”

Roos, who has called for increased transparency from the governing bodies in relation to LMDh and LMH manufacturers using joker updates, said the updates on the Dallara-chassied prototype have been through testing for the last two or three months.

He confirmed they were recently on Team WRT’s BMW that took part in a post-FIA World Endurance Championship test in Bahrain following the Michelin tire test.

Roos said the FIA and ACO’s proposed new rule that would ban in-season joker updates did not have an influence on BMW’s decision to roll out the changes in time for January’s WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season-opening Rolex 24 at Daytona.

“No, because at the end we wanted to bring the updates on the car from the first race on because Daytona, for us, is already a very important race where we want to have the car in the best shape and in the best window,” he explained.

“It was independent of any decision from the [governing bodies].”

Should BMW’s updates officially warrant a joker, they would join Porsche, which is making suspension-related updates to its 963 for the second consecutive year, as LMDh manufacturers with confirmed jokers.

Fellow LMDh manufacturers Acura, Alpine, Cadillac and Lamborghini have not officially declared any joker usage to date.

A quartet of drivers – Philipp Eng, Robin Frijns, Marco Wittmann and Max Hesse – are turning laps in the pair of Team RLL-run BMWs this weekend, although Roos declined to confirm the team’s driver lineups for the 2025 seasons.

“The plan is to definitely announce them still this year,” he said. “This would be the goal but we’re all set on our side.”

He hinted that BMW could follow Cadillac and Porsche in having at least one driver take part in full seasons in both championships, owing to only a single clash between the WEC and IMSA GTP schedule next year.

Paul Miller Racing to Debut BMW M4 GT3 EVO

BMW customer squad Paul Miller Racing is giving the brand’s new-for-2025 M4 GT3 EVO its public debut this weekend, as the first team to do so globally according to Roos.

Factory drivers Madison Snow and Neil Verhagen have been tapped for testing duties this weekend, with GTD Pro/GTD cars set to begin its test this morning.

“This was the plan from the beginning because we wanted to run the EVO package from next year on,” he explained.

“The sanctioned test is the first ‘level ground’ where everybody sees where it is, and it also helps the sanctioning bodies to see where the cars are.

“It’s the first official running from a team with the EVO car.

“We are always looking forward to have a new car out. The M4 GT3, like we run it at the moment, has been already a very successful car.

“It’s not a complete new car, it’s an update, so we hope everything runs well and goes in the right direction.”

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John