Yelloly Parts Ways With BMW

Nick Yelloly will depart the BMW factory roster, bringing an end to a six-year tenure that included overall victories in the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa and Nürburgring 24.

The British racer first signed on as a factory driver with the German brand in 2019, driving in the China GT Championship before going on to win the N24 with ROWE Racing the following year.

He was selected to be part of BMW M Team RLL’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTP program, partnering with Connor De Phillippi, and secured the car’s first podium finish in the 2023 Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.

Further milestones followed when Yelloly and De Phillippi were declared the winner of the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen that June before he won the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa alongside Marco Wittmann and Philipp Eng a week later.

BMW outlined in a statement that the 33-year-old has opted to “take on new challenges starting in 2025,” with Yelloly expected to be part of Meyer Shank Racing’s two-car Acura GTP effort.

“Nick Yelloly is a great professional who has achieved a lot with BMW M Motorsport,” said BMW M Motorsport director Andreas Roos.

“On behalf of the entire BMW family, I thank him for six wonderful years with plenty of reasons to celebrate.

“Personally, I will always remember that one week with back-to-back victories at Watkins Glen and Spa-Francorchamps.

“Nick Yelloly has everything a manufacturer could wish for in a racing driver. He is extremely talented, a great guy on a personal level, and you can always rely on him.

“Therefore, I am sure that he will be successful in his new job as well. I wish him all the best for his future and look forward to further encounters at racetracks around the world.”

A BMW spokesperson confirmed to Sportscar365 that Yelloly will not be part of ROWE Racing’s lineup for next month’s Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup lineup at Jeddah, meaning that his BMW tenure came to an end at last weekend’s Motul Petit Le Mans.

“I am incredibly grateful for everything BMW M Motorsport has done for me,” Yelloly said.

“They were the first to give me a chance as a works driver back in 2019, and together we celebrated many great successes. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as a BMW M works driver and wish BMW M Motorsport all the best for the future.”