Sheldon van der Linde and Dries Vanthoor won overall and GTP for BMW M Team WRT in the No. 24 BMW M Hybrid V8, passing Earl Bamber’s No. 31 Cadillac with about 5½ minutes left and winning by 2.926 seconds — WRT’s first WeatherTech Championship victory in its debut season running BMW’s factory GTP program (IMS report).
How it was won
The 2-hour, 40-minute race on the 2.439-mile, 14-turn IMS road course turned on traffic and the final pit cycle. WRT’s stop under caution with 57 minutes left vaulted van der Linde to second behind Bamber. After a restart with 48 minutes remaining, the South African stalked the Cadillac through GT traffic, briefly went side-by-side in Turns 7–8, then dove inside at Turn 12 when Bamber moved left around a GTD Pro Mustang — a pass that stuck to the flag.
Bamber / Jack Aitken (Cadillac Whelen) finished second; Aitken leaves Indy with a 147-point GTP lead heading to Petit Le Mans (Sportscar365). Laurin Heinrich / Kevin Estre (Porsche Penske No. 6) were third.
Results snapshot
| Class | Winners | Car / notes |
|---|---|---|
| GTP / Overall | Sheldon van der Linde / Dries Vanthoor | No. 24 BMW M Team WRT; MOV 2.926s |
| LMP2 | Nick Boulle / Christian Rasmussen | No. 18 Era Motorsport ORECA; +15.004s |
| GTD Pro | Dennis Olsen / Ben Barker | No. 64 Ford Racing Mustang; last-lap duel |
| GTD | Patrick Gallagher / Robby Foley | No. 96 Turner Motorsport BMW; tribute livery |
Support races (Sunday): Porsche Carrera Cup — Aaron Jeansonne; Lamborghini Super Trofeo — Giano Taurino; Mazda MX-5 Cup — Nathan Nicholson (IMS).
Race facts: timed 2-hour, 40-minute WeatherTech feature on the IMS road course; GTP margin 2.926s. Timing: Alkamel unofficial PDF · series hub IMSA.com.
Purse
Individual IMSA prize shares were not published in the official sources reviewed.
History & significance
The Battle on the Bricks is IMSA’s Indianapolis road-course showcase on the Yard of Bricks campus. WRT’s breakthrough first WeatherTech win was BMW’s second overall victory at Indy after Team RLL won here in 2024 (NBC Sports), and it came in the penultimate round before the season finale.
What’s next
WeatherTech Championship closes with Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta on October 3, 2026. IMS also hosts the Indianapolis 8 Hour (Intercontinental GT Challenge) October 8–10, 2026 — IMS tickets.