- BMW will enter the Bleach-liveried M4 GT3 EVO in GT World Challenge Asia for 2026.
- The same car will also compete at Suzuka 1000KM within the Intercontinental GT Challenge.
- The project extends BMW’s gaming collab by linking Fortnite gameplay with real-world racing.
BMW’s Bleach-liveried M4 GT3 Evo is making the jump from gaming screens to competitive motorsport, entering GT World Challenge Asia in 2026 after its earlier Fortnite and Rocket League debut.
From pixels to pit lane
BMW is taking its cross-media experiment a step further. The M4 GT3 Evo, previously introduced in Fortnite and Rocket League, is now confirmed to race in the GT World Challenge Asia powered by AWS during the 2026 season.
The same car, complete with its anime-inspired livery, will also appear at the Suzuka 1000KM, part of the Intercontinental GT Challenge (IGTC).
The design draws directly from Bleach, referencing the outfit of main character Ichigo Kurosaki. It’s not just cosmetic, as BMW is extending the theme across driver suits and pit lane branding to maintain a consistent identity on and off track.
Full circle moment
“Bringing the BMW M4 GT3 Evo into Fortnite and Rocket League was the starting point of an exciting journey,” said Timo Brückner, Project Lead BMW M Automotive Gaming. “These platforms are global meeting points for a new generation of motorsport fans. Together with our partners at ‘Bleach’, Epic Games and Team Studie, we are now taking the next step by bringing the same car, in the same iconic design, back into real-world racing. Seeing this special BMW M4 GT3 Evo compete on track truly completes the circle between gaming, pop culture and motorsport.”
That “full circle” framing is key here. BMW isn’t treating the gaming debut as a one-off activation, but as the first phase of a broader programme linking digital and physical motorsport.
Asia-focused campaign
The car will be run by Team Studie, a long-standing BMW partner in the region. The 2026 GT World Challenge Asia calendar spans Sepang, Mandalika, Shanghai, Fuji, Okayama and Beijing, before the programme heads to Suzuka for the IGTC round in September .
“For Team Studie, it is an honour to bring this extraordinary project onto the racetrack,” said owner Bob Suzuki. “Working together with BMW M Motorsport and ‘Bleach’ on such a unique concept is something very special. The design is visually striking and instantly recognisable, and we are proud to represent this collaboration in GT World Challenge Asia and in the IGTC.”
The Production Committee of the animated TV series “Bleach” added:
“Seeing this design come to life on a real GT race car and compete in international motorsport together with BMW M and Team Studie is incredibly exciting. This collaboration shows how anime culture can connect with completely new audiences around the world.”
BMW’s broader aim is clear: fans can drive the same car virtually while following it in real-world competition. It’s a coordinated crossover, one that suggests future GT programmes may be as much about screens as circuits.
