BMW returned to the podium for 24 hours on the 2025 Nürburgring in 2025, with Rowe Racing demanding a hard -fought and emotional victory in one of the most demanding endurance races in the world. The triumph was the 21st overall victory of BMW in the Eifel and its first since 2020 – again with Rowe Racing at the top.
The #98 BMW M4 GT3 Evo, which was shared by the factory drivers Sheldon van der Linde, Augusto Farfus, Raffaele Marciello and Jesse Krohn, overheat a 17th starting position, a long Red flag and a fierce battle with Manthey EMAS #911 Porsche to enjoy the shine in the green hell.
From setback to the show stopper
The weekend started on a shaky soil for the Rowe Racing Squad. After the BMW No. 98 missed in the top qualification session, it was relegated to the ninth row of the network. But all doubts were quickly dispelled. At the start of the race, Augusto Farfus started an inspired opening stay and catapulted into the top ten in the first round under clear sky and dry conditions.
Just ninety minutes after the race started, an unexpected power failure in the paddock caused a red flag. The interruption stretched over two hours and forced teams, strategies and serenity to calibrate equally.
When the race was resumed, Sheldon van der Linde wasted time. In a master class of precision and aggression, he rose in just two rounds from ninth to third place and gave the sound for a certain load through the field. The team’s progress was not. Throughout the night, Marciello and Krohn kept the position of the car on the podium and carried out clean stations and at the same time avoided traffic and anger.
The morning thrust
When the sun broke through the foggy morning over the Nordschleife, the BMW #98 was in a chase. A deficit of over two minutes against the race director slowly evaporated thanks to relentless pace and flawless teamwork. With three and a half remaining hours, Farfus took the lead for the first time and lit the hopes of a long-awaited BMW victory.
Then came the turn: The Porsche #911, which was leading at that time, was hit with a time penalty. Although it first crossed the finish line, the later appeal of the Manthey EMA team was rejected. The punishment stood. The victory belonged to BMW and Rowe Racing after 24 exhausting hours.
A victory years in the creation
For Sheldon van der Linde, the result was his third overall victory at the Nürburgring 24 and for his first with BMW. Previously, he won with Audi machines in 2017 and 2022. The triumph was also something special for Farfus, whose first victory at the Nordschleife already came in 2010 – 15 years ago. For both Marciello and for Krohn, this was her first career win in the legendary race.
“This is a victory that we fought for every single hour,” said van der Linde. “The team gave us a perfect car and every stay was important. It is an honor to win at a race for BMW that means so much.”
BMW, already the most successful manufacturer in Nürburgring 24h, has expanded its record with this 21st overall victory. It was also a history of salvation for Rowe Racing that had not won the M6 GT3 since her triumph from 2020.
BMW M2 Racing dominates the SP 3T class
BMW’s success was not limited to the overall classification. The latest customer racing car of the brand-das BMW M2 race inheritance in SP 3T was a dominant class victory. Piloted by the work drivers Jens Klingmann, Charles Weerts, Ugo de Wilde and Motorsport journalist Michael Bräuten, No. 310, has proven his standing conditions under the toughest conditions.
It served as a perfect end test before the customer rollout of the M2 racing begins and signaled a strong promise for the Bras root engine sports program from BMW.
Seven victories in the class on the field
In total, BMW M Motorsport and its customer teams have collected seven victories at this year’s 24 -hour -Nürburgring class:
- SP10: #67 BMW M4 GT4 EVO – AV race from Black Falcon
- SP3T: #310 BMW M2 Racing – BMW M Works and Media Team
- BMW M240i: #650 BMW M240i Rennsport -Adrenalin Motorsport -Team Mainhattan -wheels
- VT2 RWD: #500 BMW 330i -Adrenaline Motorsport -Team Mainhattan -wheels
- Class for BMW 325i: #700 BMW 325i Rent2Drive racing
- SP3: #277 BMW 318ti – Ravenol Motorsport from MDM Racing
