Customer BMW LMDh Cars Unlikely Despite “Discussions”

Photo: Fabrizio Boldoni/DPPI

The prospects of seeing a BMW M Hybrid V8 in the hands of a customer team for next year is “unlikely” at the moment according to BMW M Motorsport director Andreas Roos, who confirmed “some discussions” but nothing nothing “on the table” where he’d “sign it tomorrow.”

The German manufacturer, which has long evaluated the idea of selling its LMDh-based prototype to privateers, has not ruled out the option in the future although Roos indicated it would have to be the right overall package.

It comes amid an expected reduced GTP grid in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship next year following the withdrawal of Acura’s factory program.

“It’s also a bit like it was in the last year,” Roos told Sportscar365 last weekend in Le Mans. “There’s some discussions going on. We’ve been approached, in terms of potential Asian Le Mans, also IMSA [customers].

“But I have to say there’s nothing on the table where I would say tomorrow we sign it.”

Roos admitted he’s slightly apprehensive in the idea of customer M Hybrid V8s due to the Dallara-chassied car’s complexity.

“This, I also have to be honest,” he said. “For a manufacturer, and I can only talk for BMW, it’s also not that easy just to switch on a customer racing program on the Hypercar side.

“I think we have a huge customer racing program on the GT side but on the Hypercar side, it’s not that easy because in the end you also have to have the full infrastructure and everything.

“It’s a bit easier if you would integrate a customer car into your existing structure. That’s much easier. But if you’re outside of your structure, you suddenly also need a certain amount of people supporting it on top.

“You need the spare parts support and all of this. You also have to see for yourself how much extra effort it is and how much this distracts you from the factory cars.

“There you also have to see how much it’s a benefit.

“I would be happy in the end to see more BMWs running and maybe at one stage we’ll manage to have one or another customer car.”

When asked if a team capable of operating a LMDh car came to the table wanting a car, Roos said he’d consider it but said the “whole package has to fit.”

He added: “The cars are very complex and complicated. It’s also that it’s not just a turnkey thing and you just go off and do some races.

Despite discussions, Roos has effectively ruled out seeing a car for the 2026-27 Asian Le Mans Series season, which will be open to Hypercars for the first time, as well as the 2027 WeatherTech Championship season.

“I would say right now at the moment it’s unlikely,” he said. “I don’t want to rule it out completely but also seeing the time where we are already, I would say the chances are not very high.”

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