How a philosophy shift brought BMW to new heights in 2026
Heading into the 2026 season, BMW was under immense pressure. After three years of limited success, the update package for the M Hybrid V8 really needed to deliver. In IMSA, the challenge was compounded by a late-notice team switch from RLL to WRT. Now, after a full season with the updated LMDh car, it is clear that the hard work has paid off. With the revised Evo package, BMW deliberately ...…
In the 2026 season, BMW's philosophy shift led to significant improvements in their M Hybrid V8 car. After three years of limited success, the updated LMDh car faced challenges due to a late team switch from RLL to WRT in IMSA. The focus of the team shifted from improving the car's drivability to addressing durability issues. Marco Wittmann, the team's driver, noted that while the car was sometimes difficult to drive initially, the improvements in drivability paid off in the race results.
BMW's team, WRT, had to build up its North American operations quickly, and they did a fantastic job, managing to get on the podium at the first IMSA race in Daytona. However, the team struggled with one car being faster than the other, often leaving them with divided success. Despite setbacks, Wittmann described the year as "cool," praising the improvements in driving standards and the spice added by frequent full-course cautions and safety car restarts. As preparations for the 2027 season begin, WRT aims to maintain its momentum in IMSA.
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