BMW and IMSA: The Victory and the Frustration

The 10-hour endurance battle at Road Atlanta delivered a fittingly dramatic close to the 2025 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for BMW M Motorsport—a euphoric victory in GTD PRO tempered by a gut-wrenching near-miss in GTP. While Paul Miller Racing’s #48 BMW M4 GT3 EVO (pictured) claimed a dominant win, BMW M Team RLL’s farewell race with the M Hybrid V8 ended in bitter frustration.

Paul Miller Racing’s Unrivaled Dominance

Dan Harper, Max Hesse, and Connor De Phillippi turned the #48 BMW M4 GT3 EVO into a fortress on wheels. Harper, starting from pole for the second straight year, set the tone early, with the car commanding the lead for the bulk of the race and fending off challengers with ease. The trio crossed the line with a decisive margin, not only securing the GTD PRO victory but also clinching the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup for Harper and Hesse in their debut full-season campaign.

#48: Paul Miller Racing, BMW M4 GT3 EVO, GTD PRO: Dan Harper, Max Hesse, Connor De Phillippi, Podium. 2025 Petit Le Mans LAT image for IMSA

The day proved tougher for the team’s #1 sister entry, which suffered an early technical gremlin and limped to ninth. Meanwhile, Turner Motorsport’s #96 BMW M4 GT3—piloted by Robby Foley, Patrick Gallagher, and Jake Walker—fought valiantly to eighth in GTD.

This BMW triumph highlighted the razor-thin margins in GTD PRO. Corvette Racing/Pratt & Miller’s Z06 GT3.R machines locked down the podium spots behind, with Nicky Catsburg, Tommy Milner, and Nico Varrone in second, and Alexander Sims, Antonio Garcia, and Daniel Juncadella in third. That result was just enough for Sims and Garcia to snatch the season-long GTD PRO crown.

A Poignant Send-Off for BMW M Team RLL

For BMW M Team RLL, Petit Le Mans wasn’t just a race—it was the curtain call on a storied 17-year alliance with BMW M Motorsport, one that yielded 25 wins and over 100 podiums. Sadly, the #24 BMW M Hybrid V8—driven by Philipp Eng, Dries Vanthoor, and Kevin Magnussen—couldn’t script a storybook finish. Holding a strong fourth with only 10 minutes remaining, disaster struck in the form of a right-rear puncture, forcing an untimely pit stop that relegated them to ninth.

#24: BMW M Team RLL, BMW M Hybrid V8, GTP: Philipp Eng, Dries Vanthoor, Kevin Magnussen. 2025 Petit Le Mans LAT Image for IMSA

The #25 car fared no better, with Sheldon van der Linde, Marco Wittmann, and Robin Frijns settling for 11th after two drive-through penalties eroded their hard-earned positions.

As one chapter closes, another revs to life. Starting in 2026, BMW M Team WRT steps in to helm the GTP Hybrid program, leveraging its proven prowess with the M4 GT3 in GT racing to carry the BMW banner forward.