BMW Motorsport Confident in WEC Rookie Lineup for Le Mans 24 Hours
As the 2023 WEC calendar approaches its pinnacle event, the Le Mans 24 Hours on 15-16 June, BMW Motorsport boss Andreas Roos is optimistic about the credentials of newcomers Raffaele Marciello, Marco Wittmann, and Sheldon van der Linde. Despite their lack of experience in the endurance classic, Roos believes the WRT-run programme boasts the “perfect combination” of youth and experience.
In an exclusive interview with Autosport, Roos highlighted the impressive résumés of the rookie trio, citing Marciello and Wittmann’s Spa 24 Hours victories and van der Linde’s twice-second-place finishes in the Nurburgring 24 Hours, as well as his DTM championship title. Wittmann, like Marciello, has proven his mettle in the DTM. This wealth of experience in 24-hour racing will, according to Roos, negate their lack of Le Mans know-how.
“We have very experienced drivers who have done Le Mans already, even with LMP1 cars; we have young, fast drivers who proved already to be able to win 24-hour races, I think we have the perfect combination of young guns but also our experienced drivers,” Roos explained.
WRT boss Vincent Vosse concurs, downplaying the significance of Le Mans inexperience. “Le Mans, of course, it’s different than any other track, but you should not take Le Mans as a difficult track,” Vosse said. “It’s not technical, it’s not difficult. [It’s] always nice to have experience in Le Mans, but [it’s] not the end of the world not knowing the track.”
The three Le Mans newcomers will join forces with experienced BMW Hypercar drivers Robin Frijns, Dries Vanthoor, and Rene Rast, who have collectively amassed five previous starts and two class wins. Van der Linde will partner with Rast and Frijns in the #20 M Hybrid V8 LMDh, which secured BMW’s best WEC result to date with sixth place at Imola. Wittmann and Marciello will team up with Vanthoor in the sister #15 car.
Van der Linde expressed gratitude to BMW for providing opportunities to drivers without Le Mans experience, acknowledging that many manufacturers prioritize veteran drivers. “It’s very exciting, just to have the chance from BMW to take us without experience I think is already hats off to them,” he said.
Meanwhile, Frijns, who secured a class win on his Le Mans debut in 2021, believes the mix of experienced and rookie drivers “shouldn’t be” a talking point. The Dutchman, who has been a mainstay of WRT’s GT3 programme since 2015, was previously denied Le Mans opportunities due to his lack of experience but proved his prowess with a win on debut.
“I had some contact with teams [saying] that I want to do Le Mans and everybody came back to me, ‘yeah, but you don’t know Le Mans so we don’t take you as a rookie’,” Frijns recalled. “But then I went there in 2021 and I won it directly. So for me, if as a driver you’re quick, you’re quick, it doesn’t matter where you go.”
With the FIA WEC 2024 season on the horizon, BMW Motorsport’s confidence in its rookie lineup bodes well for their chances in the prestigious endurance race. As the WEC calendar unfolds, fans can expect a thrilling display of skill and strategy from the BMW M Hybrid V8 LMDh teams.
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