BMW M Motorsport left Spa-Francorchamps with a class win and a handful of podiums, but without the overall result the manufacturer had targeted. It was, in the words of BMW M Motorsport head Andreas Roos, a weekend of mixed feelings.
Gold Cup Glory for ROWE Racing
The clearest success came from the #998 ROWE Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO, driven by Ugo de Wilde, Tim Tramnitz and Jens Klingmann. The trio won the Gold Cup class by a six-lap margin, finishing 11th overall. That winning margin is emphatic by any measure.
Tramnitz made the result all the more remarkable, this was his first-ever 24-hour race and only his third GT event. The car started from 24th on the grid, climbed as high as eighth overall, and held its class lead throughout despite an unfortunate Safety Car period late in the race.
Overall Ambitions Undone by Pace and Bad Luck
BMW arrived at Spa as record winners of the event, and the expectation was a genuine fight for the outright win. That did not happen. A difficult qualifying session left the M4 GT3 EVOs buried in the field before the race had even begun.
The #46 Team WRT entry of Dan Harper, Max Hesse and Valentino Rossi was the highest-finishing BMW overall in sixth place. The car even led during the early morning hours thanks to sharp strategy, but lacked the outright pace to sustain that position in dry conditions. Starting from 20th, sixth place represents a genuine recovery drive — just not the one BMW wanted.
The #98 ROWE Racing car of Farfus, Dennis and Marciello suffered two tyre punctures through no fault of their own, dropping them from contention. They recovered to ninth. The #32 Team WRT entry — another pre-race favourite — sustained bodywork damage at the start, fought back from 42nd place to ninth, then retired with a mechanical issue just before the finish. Classified 12th overall.
Extreme heat added another layer of difficulty across the entire field. That all BMW entries bar the two retirements reached the finish in those conditions is worth noting.
Silver and Bronze Cup Podiums Round Out the Weekend
Beyond the Gold Cup win, BMW collected further class podiums. Team WRT’s #30 entry finished second in the Silver Cup, just 11 seconds from class victory after starting 14th. The result was clean — no penalties, no damage stops, and a well-executed strategy.
Paradine Competition’s #991 BMW M4 GT3 EVO secured second in the Bronze Cup, with a four-driver crew of Kellett, Leung, Pittard and Fourie. Paradine’s second entry, the #992, was eliminated on the opening lap after a multi-car incident.
A Promising Car That Couldn’t Quite Deliver
Roos acknowledged that all the ingredients for an overall challenge were present, strong drivers, capable teams, and a car with a proven endurance record. The performance simply wasn’t there when it mattered most in the Pro category.
For BMW M Motorsport, the Gold Cup win and the supporting class podiums offer genuine positives. But a manufacturer that counts itself among Spa’s record winners will not be satisfied with sixth overall. The focus now shifts to what comes next in the season.
Source: BMW Group
