BMW has announced where its works drivers will be deployed this season. While Team WRT had already revealed its line-ups, further crews have now been announced for ROWE Racing.
The German squad's flagship #98 machine will be driven by Raffaele Marciello, Augusto Farfus and Jake Dennis, carrying a new livery (pictured above) which sees the team shift from its familiar black and yellow colours. The sister #998 features veteran works driver Jens Klingmann alongside youngsters Ugo de Wilde and Tim Tramnitz. The latter is set to make his GT racing debut this term after a successful apprenticeship in single-seaters.
In a statement, the Bavarian manufacturer said:
BMW M Motorsport will be chasing titles in the GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS in 2026 with a top-class line-up. The reigning champions, Kelvin van der Linde (RSA) and Charles Weerts (BEL), will once again compete for Team WRT. The duo, who triumphed in both the overall championship and the Sprint Cup last season, will drive the #32 BMW M4 GT3 EVO as they did in 2025. ROWE Racing will fight for titles in the Endurance Cup with six BMW M works drivers, and Valentino Rossi (ITA) will contest all ten rounds of the season for Team WRT.
The Italian, who triumphed as a guest starter at his home races at Misano (ITA) for the past three years, will share the #46 BMW M4 GT3 EVO in both the Sprint and Endurance Cup with Max Hesse (GER) in the Pro category. For the five endurance rounds, Dan Harper (GBR) will join the Italian-German duo. BMW M Motorsport newcomer Jordan Pepper (RSA) will support van der Linde and Weerts in the Endurance Cup races in the #32 car.
In the sprint races, Pepper will drive the #31 BMW M4 GT3 EVO. Alongside Amaury Cordeel (BEL), the South African will compete in the Pro Cup at Brands Hatch (GBR), Misano, Magny-Cours (FRA), Zandvoort (NED), and Barcelona (ESP) – completing the impressive line-up with which Team WRT launches its mission to defend the title. The Belgian squad won the team trophies in the Sprint Cup and overall standings in 2025.
With six BMW M works drivers and two cars, ROWE Racing is also fighting for titles in the Endurance Cup: Augusto Farfus (BRA), Raffaele Marciello (SUI), and Jake Dennis (GBR) will compete in the Pro Cup for the team from St. Ingbert (GER). Farfus and Marciello triumphed for ROWE Racing in last season’s three-hour race at the Nürburgring (GER) and finished on the podium at the season finale at Barcelona (ESP). The identity design of their #98 BMW M4 GT3 EVO will shine in the upcoming season – as already seen at the FIA GT World Cup in Macau (CHN) 2025 – in white, red, and black. Jens Klingmann (GER), Ugo de Wilde (BEL), and Tim Tramnitz (GER) – alongside Pepper, the second newcomer to the BMW M works driver line-up – will compete in the #998 BMW M4 GT3 EVO in the Gold Cup.
In other categories, Century Motorsport, Paradine Competition, and Team WRT will each field another BMW M4 GT3 EVO in the Endurance Cup, while Paradine Competition will enter two cars in the endurance races. In the sprint races, KPX Motorsport, Paradine Competition, and Team WRT will each enter a BMW M4 GT3 EVO.