BMW ends 27-year wait with stunning Spa masterclass

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BMW tore up the FIA WEC script on Saturday at Spa-Francorchamps. Starting only 10th and 11th on the Hypercar grid, BMW M Team WRT gambled big – and hit the jackpot with a sensational one-two finish in the 6 Hours of Spa, ending a 27-year wait for outright endurance racing glory.

The turning point? Pure strategy magic. The #20 BMW M Hybrid V8 short-fuelled early, vaulted René Rast into clean air, and never looked back.

Rast, Sheldon van der Linde and Robin Frijns then delivered a relentless performance as rivals tripped over themselves behind them through four safety car interruptions and a frantic final stint.

Meanwhile, the sister #15 BMW became a rolling roadblock. Kevin Magnussen fought like a man possessed, surviving contact, defending aggressively and holding off charging Ferraris and Toyotas to secure second place alongside Dries Vanthoor and Raffaele Marciello.

Ferrari threatened late on, but Antonio Fuoco could only salvage third after a costly wheel nut issue derailed the #50 crew’s challenge. Toyota narrowly missed the podium entirely as Kamui Kobayashi was ambushed by an inspired Tom Gamble, who secured Aston Martin Valkyrie’s best-ever WEC finish in fourth.

In the Belgian Ardennes, BMW didn’t just win – it outsmarted, outlasted and outmuscled its Hypercar rivals in one of the wildest endurance races of the modern era.

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.