The BMW M4 GT4 is a track-only version of the famous BMW M4 model, produced and marketed since 2014. The first generation of the BMW M4 GT4 debuted at the 2017 24 Hours of Nürburgring and enjoyed much success in international and regional GT4 championships until its retirement at the end of 2022.
The second generation of this car was revealed in June 2022 as a significant upgrade for drivers and customer teams before the 2023 season. It is easy to distinguish between the two generations of the BMW M4 GT4 because they follow the bodywork designs of their road versions: the 2023 M4 GT4 uses the twin-kidney grille, while the previous M4 GT4 has a more classic BMW look.
Introducing the BMW M4 GT4 in iRacing
As of September 2023, you can only race the first generation of the BMW M4 GT4 in iRacing and Assetto Corsa Competizione. However, with how active BMW has been in sim racing recently – such as with the introduction of the BMW M Hybrid V8 to iRacing – the latest M4 GT4 will likely be licenced and added to one or several simulators soon.
The BMW M4 GT4 was released on iRacing in 2020 Season 3, in addition to the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport available since the 2020 Season 2 update. Nowadays, the lineup of the GT4 cars is more extensive and also includes the McLaren 570S GT4 (2021 Season 2), the Aston Martin Vantage GT4 (2022 Season 2) and the Mercedes-AMG GT4 (2022 Season 3). All GT4 cars cost 12.95 USD per car.
- If you need help picking up the GT4 car that suits your driving style the best, check out Coach Dave Academy’s overview of all GT4 cars in iRacing, which details their strengths and weaknesses.
Unlike the BMW M4 GT3 or the BMW M Hybrid V8, the BMW M4 GT4 does not get special treatment with the BMW M Sim Cup, and you will be limited to the championships available for other GT4s in iRacing.
The Basic Car Characteristics
The BMW M4 GT4 uses a twin-turbo 3.0-litre engine at the front of the car, producing 431 horsepower. This car is down 70 horsepower compared to the senior BMW M4 GT3 and has less aero downforce in high- and medium-speed corners. Therefore, the key to fast lap times is to maximise mechanical grip.
The typical setup problems for this car are understeer at the corner entry and poor rotation in the chicanes when a quick change of direction is needed. You can mitigate these issues with a high negative front toe, soft front suspension, high rake (for more turn-in grip) and high negative front and rear camber (for better grip at mid-corner).
The tricky part is to balance these changes with the rear stability because as you move more grip to the front, the car starts to oversteer. At the limit, the optimal setup window for this car is tiny: when setup is too safe, you may struggle because of corner entry understeer, but otherwise, you lose time because the rear slides too much.
- If you need more help getting the most out of the BMW M4 GT4, make sure to check out one of Coach Dave Academy’s Lap Guides, such as this one at Le Mans with Corentin Guinez.
You must balance front and rear anti-roll bar stiffness to get the most out of the car in sections with quick direction changes. These settings will vary depending on the circuit, but thankfully, the setup range for anti-roll bars in GT4 cars is small, and you can do it simply by trial and error.
The strong traits of the BMW M4 GT4 are straight-line speed and performance over curbs. The BMW can take a lot of curbs, but you should fine-tune the dampers to get the most out of it. With soft front suspension, this car tends to bounce after attacking curbs, so stiffening front and rear dampers (specifically rebound dampers) is typical.
Where You Can Race It
D licence
The entry-level series for this car is the GT4 Falken Tyre Challenge, which is limited to the GT4 cars and uses a fixed setup. This series is quite popular, with up to 3-5 splits racing throughout the day, and the strength of the field is beginner-friendly, so you can always find a session for a quick race.
The calendar includes a mix of European and North American circuits used in other GT3 and GT4 championships, such as Road America, Watkins Glen or Nurburgring. Therefore, you can get a good value buying these circuits if you plan to race primarily GT cars in iRacing. Only two circuits are a part of the base subscription, and 10 are DLCs, which cost 15.95 USD each.
Key facts about the GT4 Falken Tyre Challenge:
- Individual championship with a fixed setup
- Races appear every 2 hours and last 15 minutes
- Rolling start, single GT4 class (5 cars to choose from)
- All driving aids are allowed
- Up to 30 drivers on the grid
The second championship available to D license racers is the Nurburgring Endurance Championship. As an endurance, team-based, multiclass series, it is a considerable step up in difficulty compared to the GT4 Falken Tyre Challenge.
A team must include at least two drivers; the grid can contain as many as 60 team entries. 4-hour races follow a strict schedule and start only on Saturday (7:00 and 17:30 GMT) and Sunday (1:00 and 13:00 GMT).
As the name suggests, this championship uses only one circuit – the Nürburgring Combined Gesamtstrecke VLN. It costs 31.90 USD because you must buy Nürburgring Nordschleife and Nürburgring Grand Prix to race on it.
Key facts about the Nurburgring Endurance Championship:
- Team championship with an open setup
- Races start only on the weekends and last 4 hours
- Rolling start, five classes (GT3, Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, GT4, touring cars and Toyota GR86)
- All driving aids are allowed
- Up to 60 teams on the grid
C licence
The senior Falken Tyre championship for C licence drivers is called the Falken Tyre Sports Car Challenge. This multiclass series includes the LMP3 Ligier JS P320 and the five GT4 cars. The setup is open, and races are twice as long at 30 minutes instead of 15 in the GT4 Falken Tyre Challenge. The calendar is the same.
Key facts about the Falken Tyre Sports Car Challenge:
- Individual championship with an open setup
- Races appear every 2 hours and last 30 minutes
- Rolling start, multiclass (LMP3 prototype and GT4 cars)
- All driving aids are allowed
- Up to 40 drivers on the grid
One of the most popular regular championships with GT4 cars is the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge. You will share the track with touring cars, so GT4 is the fastest class in this championship. Races appear only on the weekends and last 2 hours, but there are no driver swaps. The calendar includes six circuits, all the same as in the GT4 Falken Tyre Challenge.
Key facts about the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge:
- Individual championship with an open setup
- Races start only on the weekends and last 2 hours
- Rolling start, multiclass (GT4 and touring cars)
- All driving aids are allowed
- Up to 40 drivers on the grid
If you want a team endurance championship, look at the Creventic Endurance Series. It features 12-hour endurance races with three classes: GT3 Cup Porsche 911, GT4 and touring cars. A team must include at least two drivers; the grid can contain as many as 55 team entries. Only one race remains on the 2023 calendar, at Virginia International Raceway on December 2.
Key facts about the Creventic Endurance Series:
- Team championship with an open setup
- Races follow a strict calendar and last 12 hours
- Rolling start, multiclass (GT3 Cup, GT4 and touring cars)
- All driving aids are disallowed
- Up to 55 teams on the grid
Final Thoughts
Although the BMW M4 GT4 is not a part of recent content in iRacing and the model is outdated, it is still a popular car among GT4s, capable of competitive lap times on most circuits. The BMW is the fastest GT4 on straights, takes curbs well as a front-engine car and has predictable handling.
If you need help with the car’s setup, watch this live setup session for the BMW M4 GT4 at Watkins Glen on the Coach Dave Academy YouTube channel. You can also book a session with one of our driver coaches for training tailored to your goals.
