Rossi stays with BMW in '25 WEC; Sesks signs limited WRC deal
Hoy a las 05:32 AM
Valentino Rossi stays with BMW M Motorsport in LMGT3 for 2025 WEC season, as Martins Sesks signs with M-Sport for six WRC races.
BMW, LMGT3 –
Just a few weeks after announcing the Hypercar line-up, the GT drivers who will represent BMW M Motorsport in 2025 in the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IMSA series) have been confirmed. Valentino Rossi (ITA) will enter his second year in the LMGT3 category of the FIA WEC with the #46 BMW M4 GT3 EVO. He will share the cockpit with newcomer Kelvin van der Linde (RSA) and Ahmad Al Harthy (OMA).
In the #31 The Bend Team WRT BMW M4 GT3 EVO, BMW M works driver Augusto Farfus (BRA) will be joined by two new partners, Timur Boguslavskiy and Yasser Shahin. In the IMSA series, Paul Miller Racing will compete with two BMW M4 GT3 EVOs and an all-works driver line-up in the GTD PRO class. Turner Motorsport will also rely on works driver support in the GTD category.
Team WRT enters the 2025 FIA WEC season with the goal of competing for victory in the LMGT3 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (FRA) and the world championship title. Once again, nine-time motorcycle world champion Valentino Rossi is part of the team. He will share the cockpit of the #46 BMW M4 GT3 EVO with Kelvin van der Linde and Ahmad Al Harthy. While Al Harthy was Rossi’s teammate in 2024, van der Linde joins as a new BMW M works driver.
In the #31 The Bend Team WRT BMW M4 GT3 EVO, there are two changes. Augusto Farfus – who finished second at Le Mans and fourth in the championship standings in 2024 – remains on board and will share the cockpit with newcomers Timur Boguslavskiy and Yasser Shahin. Boguslavskiy has an impressive history in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS, where he competed alongside current BMW M works driver Raffaele Marciello (SUI) and was crowned champion in 2020 and 2023.
Shahin competed in the 2024 FIA WEC season for Team Manthey EMA, finishing second in the championship standings. Along the way, he triumphed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (BEL). In 2021 and 2022, Shahin won the title in the GT World Challenge Australia. In 2024, he won the Bathurst 12 Hour (AUS) in the Pro-Am class.
IMSA series: Ten BMW M works drivers in three BMW M4 GT3 EVOs.
The IMSA series season traditionally begins at the end of January with a season highlight, the 24 Hours of Daytona (USA). A total of ten BMW M works drivers will take the wheel of three BMW M4 GT3 EVOs for the Paul Miller Racing and Turner Motorsport teams, five of whom will compete throughout the entire IMSA season. Paul Miller Racing will field two cars in the GTD PRO class. In the #1 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, the two Americans, Madison Snow and Neil Verhagen, will compete for the entire season.
They will be supported by Connor De Phillippi (USA) and Kelvin van der Linde (RSA) at endurance races. The South African will make his racing debut as a BMW M works driver at the 24h Daytona. In the #48 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, Dan Harper (GBR) and Max Hesse (GER) will enter their first IMSA season. Additional drivers at endurance races are Jesse Krohn (FIN) and Augusto Farfus (BRA).
Turner Motorsport will field the #96 BMW M4 GT3 EVO in the GTD category. BMW M works driver Robby Foley (USA) will once again compete for the entire season alongside Patrick Gallagher (USA). Jake Walker (USA) will support the team at endurance races. The fourth driver at Daytona is BMW M works driver Jens Klingmann (GER).
Andreas Roos (Head of BMW M Motorsport): "As with our Hypercar works programmes, we can look forward to great BMW M Motorsport driver line-ups in the GT3 customer racing programmes of the FIA WEC and IMSA series in 2025. I congratulate Team WRT on once again securing some of the best Silver and Bronze drivers for the cockpits of our two new BMW M4 GT3 EVOs. They will hopefully create many great moments alongside our three works drivers.
In the IMSA series, Paul Miller Racing is going all out with two BMW M4 GT3 EVOs in the GTD PRO class, supported by a high-class selection of works drivers. The reunion of the former BMW Junior Team with Dan Harper, Max Hesse, and Neil Verhagen in one championship and team is a great bonus that underlines the extreme success of the relaunch of the legendary BMW M Motorsport talent promotion programme."
Björn Lellmann (Head of Customer Racing at BMW M Motorsport): "In the 2025 season, the BMW M4 GT3 EVO makes its debut, and the FIA WEC and IMSA series are two of the most prestigious arenas for the car. Accordingly, our determination to achieve immediate success and demonstrate what the car is capable of is great. The strong driver line-ups of the WRT, Paul Miller Racing, and Turner Motorsport teams provide the optimal conditions for this.
“Looking at the IMSA series, I am thrilled with how Paul Miller Racing is approaching the new season. With the team’s experience, the new car, and the driver line-up, the focus can only be on targeting the title in the GTD PRO class. Turner Motorsport was in contention for the GTD championship for a long time in 2024. I am convinced that Will Turner’s experienced team will play a great role again in the upcoming season. I can hardly wait for the first races."
Valentino Rossi: "Very happy to continue my experience in the FIA WEC, as last year was a strong debut season. We had some good races including two podiums and we want to try to be stronger and faster. We will work hard together with BMW M Motorsport to improve our performance and be more competitive in every race. It's great to once again race at some fantastic tracks, that I know well from racing motorcycles, and this makes me enjoy racing in the FIA WEC. Le Mans is of course the most important one, we were unlucky last year, but we will fight for the podium in 2025!"
Driver line-ups overview:
FIA WEC:
#31 The Bend Team WRT BMW M4 GT3 EVO:
Augusto Farfus (Pro)
Timur Boguslavskiy (Silver)
Yasser Shahin (Bronze)
#46 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, Team WRT:
Kelvin van der Linde (Pro)
Valentino Rossi (Silver)
Ahmad Al Harthy (Bronze)
IMSA series:
#1 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, Paul Miller Racing, GTD PRO:
Madison Snow
Neil Verhagen
Connor De Phillippi (Endurance)
Kelvin van der Linde (Endurance)
#48 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, Paul Miller Racing, GTD PRO:
Dan Harper
Max Hesse
Jesse Krohn (Endurance)
Augusto Farfus (Endurance)
#96 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, Turner Motorsport, GTD:
Robby Foley
Patrick Gallagher
Jake Walker (Endurance)
Jens Klingmann (24h Daytona)
M-Sport, Martins Sesks –
M-Sport Ford World Rally Team is thrilled to announce that the Latvian pairing, Mārtiņš Sesks and Renārs Francis, will return to it's Rally1 ranks for a six-round season in the 2025 FIA World Rally Championship. With their first appearance of 2025 taking place on Rally Sweden next month, Sesks and Francis will make their highly anticipated return to M-Sport's Ford Puma Rally1 after their stunning debut performances last year.
Sesks, now 25 years old, made his Rally1 debut during the 2024 season, piloting the first competitive appearance of non-hybrid Rally1 machinery on Rally Poland, before upgrading to full-hybrid on his home Rally Latvia a month later. Capitalising on his experience from the European Rally Championship, Sesks amazed fans with his maiden appearance in Poland. Claiming the second-fastest time on Friday's opening stage, Sesks would keep close to the championship leaders throughout the weekend, and despite not having the added power of the hybrid system, he finished his first top-level event fifth overall.
Sesks' full-hybrid debut in Latvia was even more impressive. Claiming his maiden stage win on the third stage of the rally, the young star would spend most of the weekend fighting for the podium positions. Adding to his already impressive resume, featuring strong appearances in the Junior World Rally Championship and European Rally Championships, this upcoming partial season with M-Sport represents the next chapter of his career.
Competing on selected gravel events after Sweden, Sesks and Francis will make appearances in Portugal, Sardinia, Greece, Estonia and Finland alongside full-time teammates Munster and McErlean. Sesks becomes the latest addition to M-Sport's young driver line-up, representing the team's dedication to supporting the rally stars of the future.
Sesks makes this step up to Rally1 with support from M-Sport World Rally Team sponsor, SafetyCulture. Sesks' promising talent caught the eye of the Australia-based tech firm, and its involvement has played a key role in making this partial season happen. Sesks' 2025 plans were also teased in the final episode of the SafetyCulture-supported 'More than Machine' docuseries, which launched last week on YouTube.
Richard Millener, Team Principal, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team, said: "I think Martins made a lot of new fans in a very short space of time last season, and now to think that those two performances have allowed him to find a six event programme this year is fantastic. Obviously without the support of his own sponsors, and SafetyCulture, this year wouldn't be possible. A big thank you goes to all involved, as well as a mention to the WRC Promoter, who helped to raise the budget for the events last season.
“The culmination of all this support has come together to deliver what we see today. I am really excited to see what can be achieved by Mārtiņš and Renārs this year. Chile was a reminder that it won't all be plain sailing, but I know that the speed he has shown, plus his determination and character, will make him a fantastic addition to our 2025 line-up."
Luke Anear, Founder, SafetyCulture, said: “Mārtiņš is a natural talent. He has an X-factor in his driving and his approach to the sport is refreshing. He has demonstrated that he has the pace to beat the best in the world, so it's going to be exciting to see him at the top level again in 2025.”
Mārtiņš Sesks said: "We are very excited to continue our collaboration with the M-Sport Ford World Rally Team this year! We feel truly honored that our debut in the WRC's Rally1 league last year has fostered such trust from both M-Sport and SafetyCulture. Additionally, the genuine interest from both long-standing and new sponsors from Latvia in supporting our efforts is very thrilling! This opportunity provides us with immense motivation to further our journey in the WRC's Rally1 class.
“As we look ahead to the 2025 season, we anticipate many new challenges, but we are more motivated than ever and ready to learn, all while bringing joy to our fans. The chance to compete half of the 2025 WRC season promises to deliver invaluable experience for the years to come. Our goal is to add one more event with the Puma to our current list, the rally in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, we will be actively working throughout the season to secure the financial support necessary to make this goal a reality."
[The story is as per press release]
L'entrada Rossi stays with BMW in ’25 WEC; Sesks signs limited WRC deal ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.
