BMW announced its comeback to the World Endurance Championship where it would compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Daytona under LMDh standards.
BMW M CEO Markus Flasch shared a poster on his verified Instagram account depicting a possible return in the endurance race. The post has a picture of the iconic 1999 BMW V12 LMR along with the words: “We are back, Daytona 2023.”
BMW’s participation in these new chapter of endurance racing has been speculated for months now, and these words prove that the rumors were true. BMW has already confirmed last year that it would withdraw from Formula E at the end of the 2020/21 season. That left the door open for future involvement in other races and now we know the German manufacturer chose to opt the WEC and IMSA SportsCar Championship.
BMW will have to build a racer from scratch, adhering to LMDh regulations that limit the maximum output to 670 HP. The LMDh prototype will most likely feature a 50 kW motor along with an internal combustion engine. BMW can choose among the four constructors and design a body as per its own requirements.
“BMW is back on the big motorsport stage. In entering the LMDh class, BMW M Motorsport is fulfilling the prerequisites to challenge for overall victory at the most iconic endurance races in the world from 2023,” Flasch stated on the return of the Bavarian brand to WEC.
Currently, Toyota, Ferrari, Alpine, Peugeot, ByKolles and Glickenhaus compete in the WEC under the LMH regulations, whereas Audi, Porsche and Acura have now guaranteed their participation under the LMDh rulebook.
BMW had already competed in Le Mans, winning the race in 1999 with the BMW V12 LMR. The Bavarian brand achieved this feat in 1995, albeit as an engine supplier for the McLaren F1 GTR. If everything goes according to plan, BMW will formally confirm its participation in the LMDh program and make a remarkable comeback. BMW has plenty of time until 2023 to prepare for the big day every fan has been waiting for.
