WRT Locks In BMW LMGT3 Lineup

Team WRT has revealed the remaining four names that will make up its LMGT3 driver lineup in the FIA World Endurance Championship, with Ahmad Al Harthy notably making his debut with the Belgian powerhouse squad.

Only two names had been previously announced for BMW’s first season racing GT machinery in WEC since 2019, with Augusto Farfus and Valentino Rossi confirmed when the full season entry list was released last November.

On Friday, the Vincent Vosse-led team confirmed that Sean Gelael, Darren Leung, Ahmad Al Harthy and Maxime Martin will fill the remaining vacant slots in WRT’s roster.

Bronze-rated Leung and former LMP2 racer Gelael will partner up with Farfus aboard the No. 31 BMW M4 GT3, while Al Harthy and Martin have been paired with Valentino Rossi behind the wheel of the No. 46 machine.

Leung, the reigning British GT champion is set for his WEC debut but has been gaining endurance experience behind the wheel of the M4 GT3 with a program in the Asian Le Mans Series as well as teaming with Gelael at the recent Hankook 24H Dubai.

He also joined the team on a one-off Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup outing in Bronze Cup last year.

Gelael, meanwhile, has raced with WRT since 2022, primarily in WEC’s LMP2 class but also took an overall podium with WRT at Dubai in 2023.

“I am very honored and extremely humbled to be chosen to represent BMW and WRT in the 2024 FIA WEC,” said Leung.

“I am looking forward to working with two very talented and experienced teammates, Augusto and Sean. I’m excited to have them with me for my first season in the FIA WEC. I have been flat-out preparing and will be until the final round, not letting a single day go to waste. Let’s have it!”

In the No. 46 car, front-running Bronze driver Al Harthy is set for his first appearance with WRT after making his WEC debut with TF Sport last year.

The Omani driver finished fifth in the GTE-Am standings with two class podiums to his name, including at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Al Harthy has spent most of his career competing in Aston Martin machinery with the Tom Ferrier-led squad but was left looking at options after TF Sport moved into a new alliance with Corvette Racing ahead of the LMGT3 debut season.

He previously told Sportscar365 that he was open to remaining with TF even amidst its brand switch, although the British team instead revealed Tom van Rompuy and Hiroshi Koizumi as the Bronze-rated drivers for its two-car Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R effort.

“I am extremely delighted to be part of an amazing team such as WRT, at such an exciting time for the WEC,” Al Harthy said.

“I look forward to working closely with my teammates and achieving great results with them. I have worked with Maxime in the past and he’ll definitely help me improve my driving.

“And sharing the seat with a legend such as Vale, who would have said that a kid from Oman watching MotoGP on TV would end up racing with such an iconic sportsman? I’m pleased to be working with the entire WRT family.”

Martin, meanwhile, is set to continue his partnership with Rossi that was previously established in GTWC Europe Sprint and Endurance Cup competition.

“The 2024 season will be a milestone in the history of Team WRT,” Vosse said.

“As we embark on this exciting journey, many thoughts are coming to my mind. Contesting the WEC and Le Mans for overall honors has always been our objective, as a team and mine personally.

“Now the dream comes true. To be participating with a Hypercar, in what is probably the most competitive era of endurance racing, to defend the colors of a mythical brand as BMW, is already an achievement in itself, but of course, we want to be successful in this new challenge.

“The entire team has prepared for months for that and we all will give everything to succeed. It won’t be easy, we know, but we have an extraordinary team, incredible driver line-ups, a great car and the support of BMW M Motorsport, where we have found many old friends and made new ones.

“In GT, we had a positive start to our cooperation with BMW last year. We took up the challenges, we won races, long-distance and sprint ones, and we collected some memorable moments like those lived in Misano.

“But we want more! We want to improve, to win more races, to be champions again. I think we have what it takes, including stellar line-ups, and we’ll go for it. Now is the time, to show we know what to do, with the determination and the passion we have always had.”