René Rast (BMW M Team WRT): "Getting points!"

Three-time DTM champion and one of the fastest drivers in LMP2, René Rast returns to the top class in endurance racing, almost ten years after his first stint in LMP1 with Audi.

Unfortunately, this was a short-lived program for the Minden native, who will be one of the mainstays of BMW M Team WRT's Hypercar program this year, in addition to his DTM commitment.

The German talks to Endurance-Info about his impressions of the M Hybrid V8, his objectives and his agreement with WRT.

What can you tell us about the two days of the Prologue? What was the objective?

The aim was to learn. BMW is new to WEC, so the car isn't really new, but obviously we're new to the championship. So we had to gain experience, rack up the miles, learn as much as we could. It wasn't a question of pure speed, but we were focused on long stints, like the others. We succeeded, with many laps and no technical problems on either car. That's good for a start.

What do you think of the Losail track? It seems pretty hard to learn...

I've been in the simulator to prepare for the start of the season, and the other drivers are right. There are a lot of high-speed corners, especially from turn 12 to 15. And you can't see the exits. So it's quite complicated to know where you're going to come out. We saw a lot of warnings about the track limits at the Prologue. You go into the corner, and you're hoping to come out in the right place, because you can't see very well. It's quite difficult, with these rather long corners.

Is it going to be a bit of chaos in the race with the track limits?

I hope not. We'll make sure we behave well.

What about traffic management? Without a big braking zone, will it be complicated?

I think it will be easy, because we have a lot more power, especially on the straights. Of course, if you're stuck behind a GT in the fast corners, you lose a lot of time.

What about the tires? There doesn't seem to be too much degradation, but there does seem to be some graining. Did you learn anything new about managing this tire parameter?

Clearly, we tested both tire specifications. Both are different between medium and hard. There's graining for some cars, not for others. Some have degradation, others don't. You have to find the right set-up for the tire you choose. That's what we've been working on, and I think we've succeeded.

The Cadillac, which shares the same chassis, seemed better on the tires. Is it the same with the M Hybrid V8?

I don't know if we managed double stints on the first try. But the degradation seems lower than expected on this track, compared with other circuits.

How pleasant is this BMW M Hybrid V8 to drive? Does it really resemble a Class One (former common technical regulations between DTM and Super GT) as we've heard?

It kind of does. At least on this track. On other tracks, where you don't have as much grip as in Class One, it's different. It all depends on that factor. On tracks with less grip, there's a bit less fun. But in the end, it's always great to have these kinds of cars with lots of power and aero.

You've won so much in GT and LMP2. Now you're back in the top class...

It's really great. I didn't win with Audi in 2015, where it was a very short stint. But the car was so fast. Now I'm back. It's always the aim to be in the top class and win overall. It's a privilege to be back here with BMW after all these years.

What's more, you know Team WRT by heart...

It's an incredible team with incredible people. They know their stuff, and we have to make it work.

They've won so much. What's their strength?

Jota is also at a great level, for example. WRT is very well structured. They're not afraid to invest money in right places, which is important, because if you want to save money, motorsport is not the right place for that. They have the right people, the right equipment, and that's what it takes to succeed.

In addition to your Hypercar program, are you returning to the DTM. Will you be competing in other GT3 events?

I'm not sure. WEC and DTM are already a great program. I'll leave the rest to the youngsters!

I imagine that Le Mans is already in the back of your mind?

Of course it is. It's THE big race this year. We all want to win it. We may still be a little way off that goal, but let's hope that in one or two years' time, we'll be ready for overall victory.

In 2023, it was a bit tough for LMDh. In 2024, many say that BMW and Team WRT will be the benchmark for the LMDh. Is that your feeling? We probably have the best line-up on the grid, not counting WRT ...

The car already has a year's racing behind it in IMSA. So we have that experience, against Lamborghini, Alpine. Porsche also has a lot of experience, and seems to be at a better level than last year. I think they've got much better at the moment in LMDh. We need to get to that level.

What would be a good race for you with this car?

Getting points. The aim will be to finish in the top 10 without making any mistakes, without having any problems with the car, without any problems for the team. That would be great.