BMW's art car revealed, third 499P to stay for 2025, and the big Spa 24h entry list
The 20th Munich art car comes to life, #83 AF Corse set for another year in Hypercar and the 67 cars for the Spa 24h published – OE Founder Tim Fullbrook updates.
If you’ve been too busy clearing your diary for the month of June, or making your final travel arrangements for Nurburgring, Le Mans, or Spa 24 hour races, then here’s the key stories you need to know about from this week…
BMW unveil art car Hypercar for Le Mans
BMW lifted the covers on their 20th Art Car as the German marque prepares for its return to the 24H Le Mans.
The #20 BMW M Team WRT M Hybrid V8 will carry a special design by Julie Mehretu, which was unveiled earlier this week in Paris.
“I don’t think of this car as something you would exhibit,” Mehretu described, “I am thinking of it as something that will race at Le Mans. It’s a performative painting.
“It is only completed once the race is over.”
Take a look at a full gallery here, and why not check out some recent art cars at Le Mans.
Third Le Mans Proton Mustang livery and line-up confirmed
Proton Competition have published the line-up for the third Ford Mustang that will race in LMGT3 at the 24H Le Mans, and a new yellow livery.
The #44 previously had team owner Christian Ried listed as the only driver, but an updated announcement from the German team sees John Hartshorne replace Ried as the required Bronze driver. It’s widely accepted Ried was a place-holder for the entry.
The ELMS podium-finisher is joined by regular TF Sport teammate Ben Tuck, and Ford factory driver Chris Mies.
Proton will have four cars on the Le Mans grid this year, the #44 joining running their triplet of WEC full-season entrants in the #99 Porsche 963 in Hypercar and the #77 and #88 Mustangs in LMGT3.
Third Ferrari Hypercar set to continue for 2025 WEC season
The #83 AF Corse Ferrari 499P is set to continue its presence in the WEC Hypercar class beyond the 2024 season, according to an interview with Ferrari’s head of Endurance Racing.
Antonello Coletta cited the value of having a third 499P LMH for collecting data and helping the development of the Le Mans-winning car as a primary reason for wanting to continue.
The AF Corse car is also expected to run with an unchanged driver lineup, with young Ferrari factory stars Yifei Ye and Robert Shwartzman alongside WEC LMP2 champion Robert Kubica.
Coletta also alluded to the fact that the 499P would only feature in WEC Hypercar competition in 2025, and would not be expanding the programme to IMSA GTP competition.
67-car entry list for centenary Spa 24 Hours
The 2024 Spa 24 Hours will see a 67-car field tackle the all-GT3 endurance class, which celebrates its 100th anniversary.
The official entry list is headlined by 24-car PRO class, featuring the reigning winners the #98 ROWE Racing BMW M4 GT3 of Nick Yelloly, Marco Wittmann and Philipp Eng.
Ford also joins the list of manufacturers, taking the total to nine as Proton enter the 24 Hour with the Mustang GT3. It marks the first entry for the American marque since VDS Racing Adventures ran an FR500 GT3.
IMSA Detroit entry list confirms additional cars
IMSA will race in downtown Detroit for the first time in a week, with the WeatherTech Championship confirming the 21 cars from the GTP and GTD PRO classes that will tackle the new street circuit.
Similar to their additional car at Long Beach, Vasser Sullivan will enter a second RC F; the #15 driven by GTD regulars Parker Thompson and Frankie Montecalvo. However, unlike the first street race of the season, reigning GTD PRO champions Ben Barnicoat and Jack Hawksworth go without being split up as they continue their title defence.
Bent Viscaal also returns for a second race in the #5 Proton Competition Porsche 963, the Dutchman racing alongside Gimmi Bruni at the Laguna Seca round as the privateer team finished tenth.
Conquest Racing will also chart their debut in the GTD PRO class, as Ferrari factory Daniel Serra links up with GTD regular Alberto Costa Balboa in the #35 296 GT3.
Racing this weekend…
🇬🇧 British GT - Donington Park: The fourth race of the 2024 season is the second three-hour race of the season, and the first visit to Donington Park. The #59 Garage 59 McLaren leapt to the top of the GT3 standings after winning at a rain-affected Silverstone 500, but with three different winners in the first three races it’s anyone’s call who will win this weekend.
Streams: Qualifying | Race (3 Hours)
🇩🇪 ADAC GT4 Germany - Lausitzring: OE-Associated Driver Moh Ritson is in action once again this weekend for the second ADAC GT4 round. After an incredible climb through the field in Race 2 at Oschesleben, Moh has a point to prove in the #48 FK Performance BMW M4 GT4.
However, practice and qualifying saw a bundle of mechanical failures, and a heroic charge from P22 to P14 in the opening two laps of Race 1 on Saturday was undone by a further issue.
So it’s all-or-nothing for Race 2, as Moh tries to recreate that same form from the Oschesleben. Cheer him on as he carries the OE logo!
Streams: Qualifying (German only) | Race 2 (60 mins)
