BMW is scaling back its factory programme in the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship, contesting only the Michelin Endurance Cup rounds n 2021.
The pair of BMW Team RLL M8 GTEs will therefore only contest the upcoming Rolex 24 at Daytona, Twelve Hours of Sebring, Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen and Petit Le Mans.
The announcement means that GTLM is now down to just three full-season entries, with Corvette Racing’s two cars joined only by a WeatherTech Racing-entered Porsche 911 RSR-19, racing with factory backing. Porsche ended its full GTLM works programme at the end of 2020.
BMW debuted the M8 GTE at Daytona in 2018, scoring its first two wins later that season at Virginia International Raceway and Laguna Seca. In 2019, the team scored only one victory, but it was the first of their two class wins in the Rolex 24 at Daytona.
In 2020, it scored another two wins amidst Corvette’s dominance, including a second consecutive class win at Daytona.
The driver line-up for BMW’s Rolex 24 title defence was also announced ahead of the Roar Before the 24 test week. 2020 winners John Edwards, Jesse Krohn and Augusto Farfus are joined at Daytona by Marco Wittmann, but will contest the other four races as a trio aboard the #24 BMW M8 GTE.
Meanwhile, Bruno Spengler, Connor de Phillippi and Philipp Eng team up aboard the #25 BMW M8 GTE, with Timo Glock joining at Daytona.
