BMW M Team WRT Clinches Team Championship in Thrilling Jeddah Finale

BMW M Team WRT Clinches Team Championship in Thrilling Jeddah Finale

December 1, 2024 Catherine Williams - Chief Editor Sports

Jeddah Race Recap: Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Finale

The 6-hour Endurance Cup race in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, concluded the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS season. BMW M Team WRT finished just shy of a podium, with the #32 BMW M4 GT3 crossing the line in fourth and the #46 in fifth. Despite missing out on a podium finish, BMW M Team WRT claimed the team championship title. In the Bronze Cup, the #30 BMW M4 GT3 secured second place after overcoming a difficult qualifying session.

Race Highlights

Sheldon van der Linde, Dries Vanthoor, and Charles Weerts started 24th in the #32 BMW M4 GT3. The team used an effective strategy to climb to third place with 20 minutes remaining. However, a safety car restart led to a chaotic finish. Vanthoor faced radiator issues caused by debris, pushing the team down the standings. Ultimately, Vanthoor and Weerts finished the season in second place in the drivers’ standings, just 2.5 points behind the leaders.

In the #46 BMW M4 GT3, Maxime Martin, Valentino Rossi, and Raffaele Marciello started from 23rd place and briefly led during the race. Despite strong efforts, they finished fifth after a tense concluding segment.

The ROWE Racing #998 BMW M4 GT3, driven by Augusto Farfus, Max Hesse, and Dan Harper, qualified 11th. They had a promising race but suffered a significant crash during a full course yellow period, which ended their competition early.

Bronze Cup Update

In the Bronze Cup, Jens Klingmann, Ahmad Al Harthy, and Sam De Haan in the #30 BMW M4 GT3 rose from eighth place to finish second. The Paradine Competition #991 BMW M4 GT3 had to retire after one hour due to a technical issue, ending a strong qualifying effort.

GT4 European Series Results

At the GT4 European Series finale in Jeddah, BMW M Motorsport teams also experienced success. Ricardo van der Ende and Benjamin Lessenes finished second overall and in the Silver class in their #17 BMW M4 GT4. Pedro Carvalho Ebrahim won the “Rookie of the Year” award. Antoni de Barn and Jean-Mathieu Leandri finished second in the Am category.

Team and Driver Reactions

Andreas Roos, Head of BMW M Motorsport, praised the exciting season and the strategic decisions made during the race. Vincent Vosse, Team Principal of BMW M Team WRT, expressed disappointment over losing podium positions but celebrated the overall team championship win.

Drivers Charles Weerts and Valentino Rossi reflected positively on their strong finishes despite missing out on podiums. Jens Klingmann acknowledged the difficult nature of the track and noted the team’s successful season overall.

Conclusion

The Jeddah finale showcased thrilling racing, strategic battles, and a fierce competition among teams. BMW M Motorsport concluded the season with achievements in both the GT World Challenge and GT4 European Series.