BMW says M8 GTE development is "on target"
Development of the BMW's new FIA World Endurance Championship contender, the M8 GTE, is "on target", according to the German manufacturer's motorsport boss Jens Marquardt.








The new V8-powered car, which was officially unveiled at the Frankfurt motor show in traditional BMW Motorsport colours last week, has now undertaken multiple tests since its roll-out on July 1, Marquardt confirmed.
"We can say that we are on target at this point in terms of the objectives that we have set ourselves," he told Motorsport.com.
"It is a tight schedule, so there is not a lot of room for any delays, but everything is going according to plan.
"But I'm sure if you asked our engineers, they would say they would like another three months of development!"
The first race of the M8 GTE will be at the Daytona 24 Hours next January at he start of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, in which the new car will also compete.
Marquardt would not reveal how many miles the car has completed in the hands of the MTEK squad, which is heading development of the M8 ahead of a 2018/19 WEC campaign, but he revealed that the team had already undertaken "five or six tests".
Six of BMW's roster of GT drivers have so far driven the car, including former DTM champion Martin Tomczyk, Maxime Martin, Nicky Catsburg, Bruno Spengler and Phillipp Eng.
Marquardt, who attended last weekend's Austin WEC round, stressed that BMW is supportive of the changes to the series made in the wake of Porsche exiting the LMP1 class.
"The approach to have Le Mans at the end of he season is a good one," he said, referring to the WEC's new 'superseason' 2018/19 calendar.
"To only have one race before our Le Mans return next year will be a challenge, but the transition season was always going to be a compromise."

FIA WEC teams with Motorsport Network for sportscar fan survey
Rossiter replaces Lynn at G-Drive for Fuji

Latest news
Third-generation McRae to tackle Junior European Rally Championship
Max McRae will make the next step in his fledgling rallying career by taking on the Junior class in the European Rally Championship this season.
Kvyat and Bortolotti join Prema's expanded WEC line-up for 2023
Ex-Formula 1 driver Daniil Kvyat and factory Lamborghini racer Mirko Bortolotti have been named as part of Prema’s two-car line-up for the 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship season.
How Driver’s Eye camera became a Formula 1 TV gamechanger
Formula 1 broadcasting has undergone many major advancements in the past decade in a push to better inform fans and enrich their viewing experience.
Hazelwood reflects on maiden Gen3 test
Todd Hazelwood has walked away from a highly-scrutinised first team Gen3 test excited by the latest generation of Supercars hardware.
Why the WEC should make space for modern garagistes in 2023
OPINION: There is plenty of excitement over the glut of manufacturers tackling the Hypercar class of the FIA World Endurance Championship this season. The selection committee is set to face headaches over who it decides to admit and who gets turned away from the 2023 entry list, but history tells us that the smaller entrants have a place
Motorsport.com writers' most memorable moments of 2022
The season just gone was a memorable one for many of our staff writers, who are fortunate enough to cover motorsport around the world. Here are our picks of the best (and in some cases, most eventful) from 2022.
Is Qatar the price motorsport fans have to pay?
OPINION: Fresh from hosting a controversial 2022 football World Cup, Qatar has added its name to the 2024 World Endurance Championship calendar. Although questions may be asked about its presence on the calendar, is it simply the price to pay for having a healthy racing championship?
How Toyota defeated Alpine for the 2022 WEC title
Toyota #8 trio Brendon Hartley, Sebastien Buemi and Ryo Hirakawa outscored their rivals in the last season before the World Endurance Championship’s top class gets ultra-competitive. Here's how their Hypercar battle with Alpine and the remaining class tussles played out in LMP2, GTE Pro and GTE Am
The long road to convergence for sportscar racing's new golden age
The organisers of the World Endurance Championship and IMSA SportsCar Championship worked together to devise the popular new LMDh rule set. But to turn it from an idea into reality, some serious compromises were involved - both from the prospective LMDh entrants and those with existing Le Mans Hypercar projects...
How Porsche's Le Mans legend changed the game
The 956 set the bar at the dawn of Group C 40 years ago, and that mark only rose higher through the 1980s, both in the world championship and in the US. It and its successor, the longer-wheelbase 962, are arguably the greatest sportscars of all time.
Why BMW shouldn't be overlooked on its return to prototypes
OPINION: While the focus has been on the exciting prospect of Ferrari vs Porsche at the Le Mans 24 Hours next year, BMW’s factory return to endurance racing should not be ignored. It won't be at the French classic next year as it focuses efforts on the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, but could be a dark horse in 2024 when it returns to La Sarthe with the crack WRT squad.
The history lessons Peugeot should have learned on its return
The Peugeot 9X8 will make its FIA World Endurance Championship debut at Monza this weekend. The French manufacturer has gone radical and will be hoping it doesn’t need to overhaul its contender, as it did with its first Le Mans challenger…
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.