BMW M Motorsport Narrowly Misses Spa 24h Podium After Track Limits Penalty

After a historic Nürburgring triumph, BMW’s push for an additional 24-hour endurance victory comes up simply brief in Spa. The 2025 CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps has come to an in depth—and whereas BMW M Motorsport arrived within the Ardennes with excessive hopes and momentum, the ultimate outcome left the staff with combined feelings. Following their sensational overall win at the Nürburgring only one week earlier, BMW’s manufacturing facility squads from ROWE Racing and Group WRT didn’t rating a podium in Spa. Their goals unraveled within the closing phases of an thrilling race.

BMW’s Third 24-Hour Race in Three Weeks

The #98 ROWE Racing BMW, that includes Nürburgring-winning drivers Augusto Farfus, Jesse Krohn, and Raffaele Marciello, had one of the dramatic weekends of all. They climbed into the lead throughout a superbly timed yellow flag section and remained in rivalry for a top-three end for many of the night time. Within the closing hour, a sequence of monitor limits infractions resulted in a 30-second post-race penalty for Marciello, demoting the automotive from third to fifth place. Regardless of this, Farfus emerged from Spa with an essential comfort: he now leads the Intercontinental GT Problem (IGTC) drivers’ standings outright.

The #998 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, sporting the eye-catching “GEN M” livery, additionally appeared destined for a powerful end. Piloted by Philipp Eng, Dan Harper, and Max Hesse, the automotive ran throughout the high three for a lot of the occasion. However a poorly timed yellow flag interval value them useful monitor place, and a suspension failure close to the top pressured an premature retirement. They got here within the twenty ninth place.

For Belgian outfit Group WRT, Spa was a house race—and a hard-fought one. The #32 BMW M4 GT3 EVO of Ugo de Wilde, Charles Weerts, and Kelvin van der Linde completed a good seventh, adopted carefully by the #31 automotive of Sheldon van der Linde, Dries Vanthoor, and Marco Wittmann in eighth. Technical setbacks and mid-race repairs value the #31 crew a lap, however their resilience salvaged stable factors.

Additional down the order, the high-profile #46 entry made headlines with Kevin Magnussen’s GT3 debut. The previous F1 driver joined forces with motorsport legend Valentino Rossi and seasoned professional René Rast. Whereas not in podium rivalry, their Eleventh-place end was a reputable exhibiting for a first-time trio.

Silver-Class Success for Century Motorsport

Whereas the factory-backed vehicles fell wanting the highest three, BMW nonetheless claimed a podium within the Silver class. The #42 BMW M4 GT3 EVO from Century Motorsport, pushed by Jarrod Waberski, Will Moore, and Mex Jansen, clinched third in school—bringing residence silverware for the British staff in a crowded 74-car subject.

Lamborghini finally stole the highlight at Spa, claiming a long-awaited first total victory within the occasion’s GT3 period due to Grasser Racing Group’s Mirko Bortolotti, Jordan Pepper, and Luca Engstler. Porsche adopted carefully, ending BMW’s current Intercontinental GT Problem profitable streak. The Ferrari manufacturing facility effort secured third after BMW’s penalty, with Alessandro Pier Guidi, Alessio Rovera, and Vincent Abril capitalizing late within the race.