The M Hybrid V8 began its endurance racing journey in the 2023 IMSA season before joining the WEC a year later. BMW M Motorsport’s flagship model is competing in both championships in 2025 and will continue to do so “in the years to come.” The racing division of the German luxury brand made that commitment. However, the long-term participation in the Hypercar category won’t include BMW M Team RLL in the IMSA series.
At the end of the season, BMW M Motorsport and Bobby Rahal’s team will part ways after a 17-year partnership. Since joining forces, the two sides have achieved 24 victories and over 100 podium finishes. Notable highlights include back-to-back wins at the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2019 and 2020 with the M8 GTE in the GTLM class. Earlier, the M3 GT earned five GT-class titles during the 2010 and 2011 seasons.
It remains unclear who will replace BMW M Team RLL for 2026 and beyond to race the M Hybrid V8. However, an announcement is scheduled “at a later date.” Without disclosing specifics, BMW M Motorsport says it remains interested in continuing its collaboration with Bobby Rahal’s team. According to Andreas Roos, Head of BMW M Motorsport:
“Even though our joint IMSA racing program is ending, we are very interested in continuing to count on BMW M Team RLL as a strong partner in North America in other areas. Discussions in this regard are ongoing.”
The M Hybrid V8 has seen moderate success. It won the 6-hour race at Watkins Glen in its debut IMSA season in 2023. A year later, it earned a podium finish at the 6 Hours of Fuji in WEC. Across both series, the endurance race car has so far claimed four pole positions and three podiums in 2025.
Beyond competition, the M Hybrid V8 also served as the 20th official BMW Art Car, designed by Ethiopian-born artist Julie Mehretu. It’s unfortunate that WEC and IMSA regulations don’t require a road-going homologation special. Had that been the case, enthusiasts might have finally received the BMW supercar they’ve been dreaming of for decades.
Source: BMW
