BMW set to split with RLL in IMSA after 2025

BMW will end its long-standing partnership with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing at the conclusion of the 2025 IMSA season, team co-owner Bobby Rahal has confirmed.

The German manufacturer has worked with RLL since 2009, collaborating on several factory GT programmes before stepping up to prototype racing with the BMW M Hybrid V8 in 2023.

However, amid limited success in the GTP class, the two parties have agreed to part ways.

Belgian squad WRT is expected to take over BMW’s IMSA LMDh effort from 2026. WRT already runs BMW’s works Hypercar entry in the FIA World Endurance Championship and also operates the M4 GT3 across various series and endurance events under the BMW M Team WRT banner.

BMW has yet to officially confirm the change.

“We are obviously disappointed that our racing relationship with BMW is coming to an end after so many years where we’ve had a lot of success with them,” Rahal told RACER.

“It was a privilege and an honor to represent BMW on the circuits of America and in Canada, and now it’s time to move onto new things.”

RLL remains keen to stay involved in IMSA’s top class and is in talks with other manufacturers about a future partnership.

“We're in discussions with several manufacturers for 2026 and beyond, and we have a turnkey team for a manufacturer to step into,” Rahal added.

“Based on our successful track record with BMW over these 17 years, that’s something to be proud of—and something where we want another manufacturer to partner with us and let us represent them at the highest level.

“Mike Lanigan and I have also talked about LMP2, which is a fantastic class, and Indy NXT as a series we could see ourselves racing in. I don’t know if NASCAR Trucks is where we see ourselves fitting in before IMSA or NXT, but never say never.”

BMW M Team RLL was established in 2009 and debuted with a pair of M3 GT2s in the American Le Mans Series. Over the years, the team scored multiple wins and championships across various GT categories.

But while the M Hybrid V8 growing in competitiveness in the last one year, as highlighted by four consecutive pole positions at the start of this season, the programme has so far yielded just two wins - one each in 2023 and ‘24.