BMW announces Le Mans return

It was announced on Thursday (10/6/21) that BMW it will return to all new Hypercars class that will replace LMP1 class in 2023 with a full-factory assault on the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race and the FIA World Endurance Championship.

Though the manufacturer has had a sporadic involvement in sportscar racing in recent times, this announcement will see it go head-to-head with factory rivals Peugeot, Toyota, Audi, Porsche and Ferrari and with privateers Glickenhaus and ByKolles also set to join in the growing Hypercars category of Le Mans and WEC when the cars will introduce at the start of the 2021 WEC season.

BMW has previous experience racing at Le Mans, including winning the race outright in 1999. BMW's last Le Mans outing as a manufacturer came in 2019 (M6s in GTE class).

Overall, it will be a very tough challenge ahead for BMW in 2023, challenging the likes of rivals Peugeot, Toyota, Audi, Porsche and Ferrari in technology and imagination.