W Racing Team, also known as Team WRT or WRT, was founded in Belgium in August 2009 by former racing driver Vincent Vosse and entrepreneur Yves Weerts. One year later, the team took to the track for its first racing season, marking the beginning of a journey that would see WRT become one of the most successful organizations in international motorsport. Since 2016, the team has been led by co-CEO Team Vincent Vosse and Kathleen Schurmans.
Over the past 17 years, the organization has continuously expanded its activities, expertise, and global presence, establishing a reputation for excellence both on and off the track. Today, W Racing Team employs more than 200 people across its racing operations in Belgium and the United States, as well as its manufacturing division, bringing together a unique combination of racing, engineering, and operational expertise. Success on the track has been at the heart of WRT's development. Throughout its history, the team has secured 72 championship titles and victories in many of the world's most prestigious endurance races, such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 24 Hours of Spa, the Nürburgring 24 Hours, but also the Bathurst 12 Hour, the Suzuka 10 Hours, or the Indianapolis 8 Hour.
A major milestone came in 2023 with the beginning of WRT's partnership with BMW M Motorsport. The collaboration delivered immediate success, with victory in the very first race together, the 24 Hours of Dubai. Since then, the partnership has continued to strengthen, with WRT establishing itself as one of BMW M Motorsport's key global partners.
Since 2024, WRT has operated BMW's Hypercar program in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), fielding the BMW M Hybrid V8 against the world's leading manufacturers in the pinnacle category of endurance racing. Since 2026, WRT has also represented the German manufacturer in IMSA, America's premier endurance racing championship. Alongside its Hypercar program, the team runs BMW's factory-supported GT programs with professional drivers, while also competing in customer racing programs around the world.
WRT's growth in the Hypercar category has continued to accelerate. In 2026, the team secured its first-ever Hypercar victory with a landmark 1-2 finish at the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, before adding a second-place finish at the 24 Hours of Le Mans just one month later and another victory at the 6 Hours of São Paulo in early July.
Beyond its racing activities, WRT's Manufacturing division produces roll cages and chassis for renowned OEMs, further extending the organization's engineering expertise and capabilities beyond the racetrack.
As WRT continued to evolve, it became clear that the next step was not simply to compete internationally, but to establish a permanent presence in one of the world's most important motorsport markets.
The creation of WRT America in September 2025 marked the beginning of this new chapter. From its origins as a successful European racing organization, WRT has evolved into an international motorsport group with a permanent footprint on both sides of the Atlantic. This expansion further strengthens WRT's ability to support BMW M Motorsport, develop its global operations, and compete at the highest level of international motorsport.
"We build everything from scratch in 3 months' time"
-Kathleen Schurmans on the birth of WRT America
When BMW M Motorsport approached WRT in June 2025 about taking over its IMSA GTP program in North America, the brief was as simple as it was daunting: stand up a fully operational US organization in a matter of months.
“There was literally nothing in place in the US, no facility, no employees, no equipment," recalls co-CEO Kathleen Schurmans, who was closely involved in the project from day one. "We had to build an entire racing organization from scratch, while also preparing for the 24 Hours of Daytona and our other programs around the world. Following our first discussions with BMW in June, we only had a few months to create a company, set up operations in the US, recruit a team, and be ready to race in January 2026.”
Finding a home
Securing a base proved harder than expected. "The US market works differently from Europe, and we quickly learned that strong relationships with local partners were essential," Schurmans says.
The breakthrough came through motorsport connections. Kevin Magnussen, former F1 driver and one of WRT's Hypercar drivers, had a history with Haas, so Vincent Vosse reached out to ask if he could help open doors. "Kevin immediately understood what we were trying to achieve and was happy to support us," says Schurmans. In early September, WRT signed a lease with Haas F1 Team for roughly 20,000 square feet of workshop and office space in North Carolina, the future home of WRT America. The first employees walked through the doors on 9 September. "It's a great example of how strong relationships within motorsport can make a real difference."
Racing against the clock
What followed was a sprint: fitting out workshops, installing IT infrastructure, acquiring trucks and trailers, and building the governance, contractual and financial framework linking WRT Belgium, BMW M Motorsport and WRT America, all while recruiting in a tight, highly specialized labor market. "We had to move quickly while making sure we were bringing the right expertise into the organization," Schurmans notes.
By January 2026, barely six months after the company's creation, the team of 30 was in place, and WRT America was ready for its first race: the Rolex 24 at Daytona. A podium finish followed. "The fact that we went from zero to race-ready in under six months was already an achievement. Finishing on the podium at our first event as an organization made all the effort worthwhile."
Speed and adaptability
WRT America now employs around 30 full-time staff. Looking back, Schurmans points to two things that made it possible: early, honest engagement with the local environment, and the ability to move fast.
"You have to understand the local environment very early: banking, taxation, recruitment, immigration. You cannot simply replicate a European model in the US. But if you surround yourself with the right people and stay agile, remarkable things can happen in a very short time. At WRT, we're used to reacting quickly. Whether it's adjusting a race strategy in real time or building an organization from the ground up, it's part of our culture. Looking back, the creation of WRT America is a great example of what can happen when the right people come together with a clear goal and the determination to make it happen."
A mark of trust
For Schurmans, the achievement goes beyond logistics. "What makes me most proud is the confidence BMW M Motorsport placed in WRT. Since 2024, we've represented BMW at the highest level of endurance racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship, and being entrusted with the IMSA GTP program was a strong vote of confidence in our organization and our people. IMSA is the premier endurance championship in the United States and one of the most competitive environments in motorsport; the fact that BMW chose WRT to represent the brand in both WEC and IMSA is something we're extremely proud of and grateful for. It also came with real responsibility, which motivated all of us to make WRT America a success from day one."
The creation of WRT America is, in the end, a story of speed, trust, and international collaboration, proof that in motorsport, success is often decided long before the cars reach the track.
W Racing Team Opens WRT America