BMW M2 Racing at the Nürburgring 24 Hours

The 2025 Nürburgring 24 Hours will see the new BMW M2 Racing take on its toughest challenge yet. BMW M Motorsport is putting its latest entry-level race car through a full day and night of punishment on the world’s most unforgiving circuit, with the eyes of the motorsport world watching. With a team of factory drivers, including Ugo de Wilde, Jens Klingmann, and Charles Weerts, joined by journalist Michael Bräutigam, this is more than a marketing exercise. It is BMW’s public exam for a car that hundreds of privateers may drive from 2026.

Why Nürburgring, Why Now?

The Nürburgring 24 Hours is not just any race. It’s a crucible. The decision to run the new M2 Racing here is about credibility. BMW M Motorsport is determined to show that the car is more than a track-day toy. It wants to prove to potential buyers—amateur and pro alike—that this is a real endurance machine, built to withstand everything the Nordschleife can throw at it.

• BMW M2 Racing has already covered more than 30,000 kilometres in testing, but this is its first true public trial in race conditions.
• FK Performance Motorsport is running the car in the SP3T class.
• The aim: expose the car to everything the Green Hell has to offer before it lands in customer hands.

The Line-up: Talent and Transparency

The driver roster is high-profile and deliberate.

• Jens Klingmann has been involved in M2 Racing's development from day one. “We've completed a long and intensive testing and development phase and have covered a lot of kilometres," he said. Now we're especially looking forward to putting the car through its paces once more in race conditions, to ensure we can hand over a perfectly developed BMW M2 Racing to our customers” .
• Ugo de Wilde just earned his Nordschleife permit and is making his 24-hour race debut. He said, "I can't wait to discover the 24–hour race and to compete there with the brand new BMW M2 Racing. It's really exciting; I've heard really good comments from Charles and the other drivers who had the opportunity to test it already.”
• Charles Weerts stepped down from a GT3 drive for this assignment. Last year, he finished third overall with the BMW M4 GT3. Now he is back to help finalise the M2: "This year we come back with a different approach and different goals. I am very much looking forward to see how this car will handle in the ‘Green Hell’ and can’t wait to be there again.”

Having a motorsport journalist, Michael Bräutigam, sharing the car is a clever move. It gives the project a public face and shows BMW has nothing to hide.

Is This the Right Strategy?

Views in the paddock and grandstands are mixed.

• For some, an "entry-level” race car isn't what they want to see headlining the BMW attack. The big teams and factory cars are the main attraction.
• The message is clear for customer teams and privateers: if the BMW M2 Racing survives the 24-hour marathon, it's fit for purpose. It's not a PR stunt, it's a shop window, warts and all.
• Running a new model in public like this is high risk but high reward for the brand. Any issues will be there for all to see. But if the car is quick and reliable, the marketing writes itself.

What Will We Learn?

• Can the M2 Racing handle 24 hours of constant use, changeable weather, and real-world chaos?
• Will the data gathered in the race help BMW deliver a more robust car to customers?
• Is this public testing model the future for all manufacturers looking to sell customer racing cars?

My Opinion

BMW has made the right call. The Nürburgring 24 Hours is where a car proves its mettle, not just its speed. Running the M2 Racing here is honest and, frankly, the only way to convince a new generation of customer teams that the car is worthy of their investment.

It won't be the most glamorous BMW on the grid. However, for privateers looking for an accessible, proven way into endurance racing, the M2 Racing could be a game-changer. By going public, BMW shows confidence and transparency. If the car delivers, it will earn respect that no press release or social media campaign could ever match.

If you want to see the future of customer racing, watch the BMW M2 Racing at the 2025 Nürburgring 24 Hours.