Automobile giant BMW have confirmed that they will make their comeback in the top level of sports car racing in the World Endurance Championship at Le Mans from the year 2024. BMW would be featuring their new hypercar that is all set to race in the LMDh (Le Mans Daytona hybrid) class.
BMW’s last appearance at the 24 Hours of Le Mans was in 1999 when the BMW V12 LMR won the overall race. The new car, showcased as the BMW M Hybrid V8 was first revealed in June 2022 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and was initially only confirmed for competing in the US IMSA sports championship. The BMW M Hybrid V8 had its first endurance test at the 24 Hours of Daytona, securing sixth and ninth place overall with their two prototypes.
The BMW M Hybrid V8 is equipped with the P66/3 Engine which produces about 640 hp allowing it to reach high speeds with a chassis built in collaboration with the Italian race car manufacturer Dallara. They are one of the four manufacturers licensed by the FIA to build a chassis qualified to race in the LMDh class.
Franciscus Van Meel, CEO of BMW M GmbH, said that the decision to run the BMW M Hybrid V8 in the IMSA series in 2023, and WEC, and Le Mans from 2024 is a milestone for them. The hybrid engine is a hint from BMW M about their plans for a purely electric future.
Story: Kanishk Mehta and Yash Sinha
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