BMW Shifting to Local Team Approach for IGTC

Photo: Gruppe C Photography/SRO

BMW is shifting its focus more towards a local team approach in Intercontinental GT Challenge according to its motorsport boss Andreas Roos, who said it fits better within the “spirit of the championship.”

The defending manufacturer champions will head into the final two rounds of the season without factory-supported Team WRT BMW M4 GT3 EVOs for the first time since 2022, with BMW not having a Pro class entry in this weekend’s Suzuka 1000km.

There are, however, four customer cars entered across the Bronze and Pro-Am classes, including a privateer WRT entry for Anthony McIntosh, Parker Thompson and Dan Harper, two BMWs for Taiwanese squad Team KRC and a single entry for BMW M Team Studie.

Roos confirmed that WRT, which operates BMW’s factory LMDh programs, will not be present at the Indianapolis 8 Hour presented by AWS, although at least one Pro class entry is expected from Turner Motorsport in the race that doubles as the GT World Challenge America powered by AWS season finale.

When asked about BMW’s long-term approach to the globe-trotting GT3 series, Roos expects to continue to have a presence, but not necessarily with factory-backed teams in all races.

Its involvement in the key European enduros, the Nürburgring 24 and CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa, are likely to remain unchanged with continued Pro efforts.

“When we talk about 2027, for sure it’s a bit early, but generally, when you look at the last years, not only this year, we were always somehow running in the Intercontinental GT Challenge,” he told Sportscar365. “We were always there in the competitive races.

“They are really some of the most important races for us, like Bathurst or Spa or Nürburgring, which I like a lot.

“This was always the discussion I had with Stephane Ratel, that at the end, the IGTC must be the championship where the biggest and greatest GT3 races are combined, and I still think that’s the case.”

While BMW appears to be shifting towards a local team approach, other GT3 manufacturers such as Porsche have been utilizing the same strategy, and even won the manufacturers’ championship in 2024.

“The spirit of this championship is not just bringing factory supported cars from your home base to there, but it’s also to use the local teams that are there, and maybe provide them with a driver [or two] from our side,” said Roos.

“We never could do it in Bathurst because in Australia, we don’t have any GT3 car running there so that’s why we always shipped cars over.

“In the end, the idea behind behind it, as it’s a worldwide championship on different continents, that you use also your local teams and local partners you have there.

“This is something that we’re clearly looking [more] into and is something that we’re doing now this year for Suzuka and Indy and then we have to see how we continue in the future.”

Roos Envisions Continued Bathurst Presence Despite No Local Teams

With BMW not currently having a GT3 customer presence in Australia, although KRC made the trip to Mount Panorama this year alongside the two WRT works-supported entries, Roos indicated they will likely continue to be on the grid at the Meguiar’s Bathurst 12 Hour.

“For sure Bathurst is always on our list,” said Roos. “I can’t confirm it right now but when you look back we’ve been there since 2023 with the M4 GT3.

“Since then we have always been there and have had strong cars that could fight for a good result.

“Bathurst is a good race for us. Also the Australian market, they support the race a lot. We even launched some [production] cars. We launched the M3 Touring CS there two years ago.

“For us, Bathurst is a very important race and a race we love, and also our race drivers, they love to race there.”

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