Belgian racing powerhouse brings BMW's factory GTP program — including ex-F1 star Kevin Magnussen — to Sebring.
Dries Vanthoor drives the #24 BMW M Hybrid at Sebring, while his brother Laurens Vanthoor drives the #6 Porsche 963 for rival team Porsche Penske. This sibling rivalry — at rival manufacturers — is one of the compelling storylines of the 2026 race.
Two BMW M Hybrid V8 prototypes competing in GTP class
W Racing Team (WRT) was founded in 2010 in Belgium and rapidly became one of Europe's most decorated GT racing outfits. Based in Baudour, Belgium, they have won the Spa 24 Hours multiple times and scored a celebrated LMP2 class win at Le Mans in 2021 — a result that helped pave the way to their current factory GTP role.
BMW selected WRT to run their factory IMSA and WEC GTP program, giving the Belgian team a massive step up in stature. WRT brings meticulous preparation and deep GT car expertise, while BMW provides the car, engines, and full factory engineering support.
The partnership between the manufacturer and the team operator is a common model in top-level endurance racing — the manufacturer wants professionals managing day-to-day race operations, while retaining overall technical and marketing control.
The BMW M Hybrid V8 debuted in 2023, marking BMW's return to factory prototype racing after years away. The car uses a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine (related to the engine in the BMW M4 GTS road car) combined with a hybrid energy recovery system, meeting the LMDh power regulations.
The "M Hybrid" name deliberately connects to BMW's M performance division and hints at BMW's broader electrification strategy. The bodywork is aggressively styled with BMW's current design language — kidney grille elements integrated into the aerodynamic nose.
Kevin Magnussen spent a decade in Formula 1, becoming one of the paddock's most recognizable personalities — known for his aggressive racecraft, memorable radio messages, and unyielding wheel-to-wheel battles. After his F1 chapter with Haas ended in 2024, Magnussen joined BMW M Team WRT full-time, bringing his raw pace and international profile to IMSA.
American racing fans were already familiar with Magnussen from his F1 days, and his aggressive, no-nonsense style translates well to prototype racing's demanding physical and technical requirements. His arrival boosted viewership interest in IMSA's GTP class significantly.
Kevin Magnussen made 184 Formula 1 starts across stints with McLaren, Renault, and Haas. He scored multiple podiums and was known as one of the hardest racers in F1. In IMSA he brings that same intensity, now channeled into endurance racing's unique mix of strategy, team coordination, and raw speed. His 2025 debut season showed he adapted quickly.
WRT's LMP2 class victory at Le Mans in 2021 — with drivers Robin Frijns, Ferdinand Habsburg, and Charles Milesi — was a landmark achievement that demonstrated the team could handle the world's most demanding endurance race. That result helped convince BMW to trust them with the factory GTP program.