Van der Linde hadn’t anticipated making his WEC debut in his career as early as he did.
Sheldon van der Linde expresses enthusiasm about entering WEC simultaneously with his brother Kelvin, describing it as an exceptionally exciting experience.
Sheldon van der Linde expressed his appreciation for moving up to the hypercar class in the FIA World Endurance Championship, considering it a significant privilege.
He highlighted the excitement of making his 24 Hours of Le Mans debut alongside his brother Kelvin. Recently confirmed as the inaugural driver for the No. 20 BMW M Hybrid V8 in the upcoming eight-race WEC season with Team WRT, Van der Linde sees this as a remarkable opportunity, marking BMW’s entry into the top class of WEC competition.
This venture extends his longstanding association with the Munich manufacturer, where he has previously competed in DTM, the Intercontinental GT Challenge, and the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe, powered by the AWS Endurance Cup.
Van der Linde, at 24, is poised to become one of the youngest drivers in WEC’s top class in the upcoming season, joining the ranks of Charles Milesi from Alpine, Oliver Rasmussen of Hertz Team JOTA, and Isotta Fraschini, who signed Alejandro Garcia, as the only competitors of younger age.
Expressing his thoughts to Sportscar365, Van der Linde said, “Obviously, it’s a huge privilege to be in Le Mans next year.
That was always my dream as a kid—to race in Le Mans one day. I didn’t think it would happen so soon, to be honest. I’m only 24 now, and I’ve pretty much driven every car that BMW has had in the last four years, which is a super cool feat and a privilege to obviously have that trust from them. But at the same time, it’s a big challenge.
I haven’t driven, I think, 80 percent of the tracks on the calendar. So it’s a lot to learn for me.”
Van der Linde will be alongside his older brother Kelvin on the WEC grid, with Kelvin joining Akkodis ASP Team’s Lexus LMGT3 effort. Kelvin will be racing alongside Timur Boguslavskiy and Arnold Robin, the reigning GTWC Europe Endurance Cup champion.
Describing his brother’s move to Lexus as “very unexpected,” the BMW driver expressed his appreciation for the idea of continuing their career paths together, following previous success in other major events and championships.
Sheldon remarked, “I had no idea that we would both be in Le Mans next year until he literally told me a few weeks ago when he got the call.
We obviously spoke about it, and it’s cool to have both of us in Le Mans at the same time. We’ve done pretty much every race together, all the big ones.”
Sheldon van der Linde expressed his excitement about moving up to the hypercar class of the FIA World Endurance Championship, considering it a tremendous privilege. He finds it particularly thrilling to make his 24 Hours of Le Mans debut alongside his brother Kelvin.
Recently confirmed as the lead driver for the No. 20 BMW M Hybrid V8 in the upcoming eight-race WEC season with Team WRT, Van der Linde reflects on the unique opportunity as BMW makes its top-class WEC debut.
The 24-year-old South African driver, set to become one of the youngest in the WEC’s top class, acknowledges the significance of participating in Le Mans. He recalls that racing at Le Mans was a childhood dream, and he didn’t anticipate it happening so soon at his age. Despite having driven various BMW cars over the past four years, he sees the challenge ahead, noting that he hasn’t experienced 80 percent of the tracks on the calendar.
Notably, Van der Linde will share the WEC grid with his older brother Kelvin, who surprised him with a move to Akkodis ASP Team’s Lexus LMGT3 effort. Sheldon describes the move as “very unexpected” but expresses his enthusiasm for continuing their careers together after their previous success in major events and championships.
Reflecting on their shared racing history, including events like the Nürburgring 24 and the upcoming Le Mans, Van der Linde appreciates the opportunity to race alongside his brother and anticipates the presence of Laurens and Dries Vanthoor, creating a unique familial atmosphere on the grid.
Despite stepping up to top-class WEC competition without prior European prototype experience, Van der Linde credits his participation in three rounds of the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup this season as crucial to his inclusion in the WEC lineup.
Racing with Connor De Phillippi and Nick Yelloly, he gained valuable race experience in the BMW car, including a second-place finish at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, which played a significant role in BMW’s decision to place him in the Hypercar class straight away.
Van der Linde expresses gratitude for the trust BMW has placed in him over the past three years, acknowledging that his IMSA experience contributed to this opportunity in WEC.
“At 24, being one of the youngest drivers in the Hypercar class is a significant honor, and I believe I’ll be among the youngest on the grid, alongside Dries. I’m eagerly anticipating this opportunity, and I genuinely hope to deliver a strong performance, rewarding BMW for placing their trust in me.”
