In a race full of drama, strategy and nail bying surfaces, BMW M Team WRT delivered an outstanding performance in Imola in the second round of the FIA World Endurance Championship 2025. A great racing strategy led the BMW M-Hybrid-V8 #20 from the 13th on the raster to a spectacular second place, while No. 46 BMW M4 GT3 Evo just missed the victory in LMGT3 and decided on second place.
Hypercar heroic deeds: From the damage to podium
The Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari was a chaotic and fascinating “6 hours of Imola”, in which racing grains and Pitwall -Precision shaped the result. The #20 BMW M Hybrid V8, powered by Robin Frijns, René Rast and Sheldon van der Linde, rose early. A collision with a rest that was considered a racing incident damaged the rear wing of the car heavily. The WRT crew carried out a complete replacement for the rear section during the pit stop during the record time and minimized the setback.
Despite the incident, BMW’s pace improved steadily, and a courageous decision to briefly made during the penultimate stop paid off. Van der Linde suspended a number of qualification speed rounds to create a buffer so that the team can regain the position of others during the last stops. At the finish line, the strategy increased to P2, only 8.4 seconds behind the winner #51 Ferrari 499p by James Calado, Antonio Giovinazzi and Alessandro Pier Guidi.
The second entry by BMW, the No. 15 m Hybrid V8, shared by Kevin Magnussen, Raffaele Marciello and Dries Vanthoor, started very well from third place in the grid. It kept this position up to the last hour, but a decline in the performance faded into sixth place through the checkered flag.
LMGT3: Rossis Heartbreaker, van der Linde’s indictment
In the LMGT3 category, BMW was again in the middle of the effect. The #46 BMW M4 GT3 Evo, who was piloted by Ahmad Al Harthy, Valentino Rossi and Kelvin van der Linde, started from Pole and led to significant parts of the race. Al Harthy delivered a flawless opening stay, and Rossi blended in front of his home quantity with a confident, aggressive driving. An attempt to overtake Ferrari #21 led to contact and a costly stop-go penalty for WRT.
Van der Linde unimpressed started a breathtaking comeback in the final phase. In a last stint he chased the leading No. 92 Manthey Ema Porsche and put Richard Lietz under pressure to the finish line. The edge? Only 0.3 seconds – one of the closest surfaces in the history of WEC LMGT3. In the meantime, sister No. 31 BMW M4 GT3 Evo, who achieved a podium in Qatar, had a frustrating race that was characterized by incidents and punishments and finally took 12th place.
Ferrari victorious on home soil, Alpine completes the podium
While BMW celebrated a highly competitive podium, it was Ferrari’s day at home. The #51 AF Corse Ferrari 499p has won its first victory since Le Mans 2023 and, thanks to sharp strategy and strong tire management, has held late challenges in the past few hours. Alpine, who headed the A424 with Jules Gounon, Mick Schumacher and Frédéric Makowiecki, finished third.
