DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Following joint communication of IMSA and BMW M Motorsport with stakeholders, a collaborative decision has been made to shift the launch of the BMW M2 Racing (M2) class as part of the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge’s Airbnb Endurance Challenge to the second scheduled race of the season at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas.
The shift from the Sebring International Raceway event, March 6-8, to the May 8-10 COTA weekend occurs to ensure teams are ready for endurance racing with proper testing of the brand-new cars and drivers to IMSA. The Sebring race to start the Airbnb Endurance Challenge will proceed with solely Le Mans Prototype 3 (LMP3) competitors.
To set the stage for a strong launch, teams will benefit from a streamlined operating budget in the inaugural year, thanks to the removal of one endurance event from the schedule. This refined opening‑season calendar is a strategic, proactive move designed to build a sustainable, fiercely competitive, and thrilling championship for the long term.
Adding to the excitement, the top-three finishers in the BMW M2 Racing class championship standings will earn an exclusive GT4 test day at The BMW Performance Center at The Thermal Club—an invaluable opportunity to take the next step in their racing journey.
“By working closely with BMW and our stakeholders, we’ve identified that the second Airbnb Endurance Challenge Event at COTA provides the most stable and competitive environment for the introduction of the BMW M2 Racing into IMSA endurance racing,” said IMSA President John Doonan. “We appreciate BMW’s dedication to delivering a world-class racing product.”
When the M2 class races, it will compete alongside LMP3 cars in Airbnb Endurance Challenge rounds. These are two-hour, two-driver races.
The revised three-race schedule now features the race at COTA, VIRginia International Raceway on the weekend of June 19-21 and Road America on August 14-16. IMSA is evaluating the potential to make up the fourth event later in the season.
