BMW has revealed Team WRT’s LMGT3 driver line-ups for the 2025 FIA WEC season, which includes the return of MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi to drive the #46 BMW M4 GT3 EVO.
For WRT’s second campaign in the WEC’s LMGT3 class, there are two changes to the line-up for the #31 car, which will run under The Bend Team WRT banner. It will be driven by factory ace Augusto Farfus, former AKKODIS ASP driver Timur Boguslavskiy and Yasser Shahin, who joins the team after winning Le Mans and finishing second in the 2024 LMGT3 standings with Manthey.
The news of this line-up shuffle comes after previous #31 drivers Darren Leung and Sean Gelael were confirmed at United Autosports for 2025.
The second car meanwhile, was originally listed as #32 on the first provisional entry but instead will sport the iconic #46 again with Rossi having confirmed his return. The Italian, who told reporters in Bahrain he would compete in either WEC or World Challenge in 2025 and decide in the off-season, has chosen the World Championship.
“Very happy to continue my experience in the FIA WEC, as last year was a strong debut season,” he said in this morning’s announcement. “We had some good races including two podiums and we want to try to be stronger and faster. We will work hard together with BMW M Motorsport to improve our performance and be more competitive in every race.
“It’s great to once again race at some fantastic tracks, that I know well from racing motorcycles, and this makes me enjoy racing in the FIA WEC. Le Mans is of course the most important one, we were unlucky last year, but we will fight for the podium in 2025!”
He will compete alongside new BMW factory driver Kelvin van der Linde, who like Boguslavskiy moves to WRT from AKKODIS ASP, and Bronze-rated Ahmad Al Harthy.
Andreas Roos, the head of BMW M Motorsport, added: “As with our Hypercar works programmes, we can look forward to great BMW M Motorsport driver line-ups in the GT3 customer racing programmes of the FIA WEC and IMSA series in 2025.
“I congratulate Team WRT on once again securing some of the best Silver and Bronze drivers for the cockpits of our two new BMW M4 GT3 EVOs. They will hopefully create many great moments alongside our three works drivers.”
