Sheldon van der Linde carries Spa momentum to Le Mans
It is hard to fathom the mood inside BMW M Team WRT right now. Fresh off a historic one-two finish at Spa-Francorchamps, the team is heading to the 24 Hours of Le Mans with their sights set on an outright podium finish—a feat the Bavarian brand has not achieved in the top class since 1999. With the #20 M Hybrid V8 of Sheldon van der Linde, René Rast, and Robin Frijns leading the charge ahead of their teammates in the #15 car, the momentum in the FIA World Endurance Championship is palpable.
This is the biggest race of the season, and the pressure is real. The M Hybrid V8 has struggled here in the past, never finishing higher than 17th, but the team is riding a massive wave of confidence. To mark the occasion, the #20 prototype will run a striking red, yellow, and white livery, a nod to a partnership with Shell that van der Linde feels brings a touch of magic back to the track.
At 27 years old, the South African is the first from his country to win an FIA WEC race, and he is clearly feeling the energy. As he put it, “Momentum is gold in motorsport, and that’s what we have right now.” Whether that intensity can carry them to the podium or into the fight for the win remains to be seen, but the machine certainly looks ready for the challenge of the night at La Sarthe.
