WEC: BMW Team MTEK to enter GTE Pro in 2018

BMW has announced it will join forces with DTM team MTEK to return to endurance racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship's GTE Pro class in 2018.

The German manufacturer will entrust the development of its future car to the BMW Team MTEK outfit, which has competed in DTM since its return to the championship in 2013. MTEK will take a break in 2017 in order to start preparations for BMW's arrival in the World Endurance Championship and 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The three manufacturers officially present via private outfits in the DTM – Audi, BMW and Mercedes – reached an agreement to limit their entries to six cars instead of the current eight, which forced BMW to reconsider its partnerships and make some decisions. BMW chose MTEK given that the team's mechanics (based in Garching, Bavaria) won the trophy for best refueling stop this year, a strategic maneuver in the DTM.

"We competed in the DTM for the first time in 2013 with our new BMW Team MTEK – and we have learned a lot since then," team principal Ernest Knoors said. "This series has taught us a lot about professionalism and quality in all areas. Of course we are really looking forward to the new challenge that awaits us in the FIA WEC. The standard is extremely high there as well. 2017 will be a year of intensive preparation and then we will be able to compete with the other teams in the following year."

The news comes amid BMW Motorsport's announcement of a reorganization across all disciplines. BMW Team RMG and RBM will continue in DTM. BMW Team Schnitzer will return to GT racing in 2017.

"I am convinced that this is the best team structure to help us prepare for our new tasks," said BMW motorsport director Jens Marquardt. "We have always been sure that we wanted to continue the successful cooperation with all our teams. We had to adjust our structures due to the changes in the DTM, and new possibilities and areas of operation opened up for us in our newly reorganized motorsport program. The new structure is tailored perfectly to this. BMW Team Schnitzer made history in the DTM, winning the title at the first attempt after a 20-year break. Nobody had expected that. The team has always enjoyed close links to GT racing throughout its history, and has had some great results there. The GT fans can look forward to some excitement when we inject new life into this combination at the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring in 2017."