BMW in motorsport

The BMW brand is represented in international motorsport since 1929 and compete in different racing series of motor sport. The focus of activities of the automaker was at times in Formula 1, where the Munich were represented with its own team. In addition, BMW is involved in the FIA ​​World Touring Car Championship ( WTCC) and in endurance racing. In addition, the company operates the Formula BMW as an entry level class in Formula racing and precursor to Formula 3

In the motorcycle Sport BMW has traditionally held in different racing classes, since 2009 in the Superbike World Championship.

  • 2.1 Formula 1 2.1.1 First Turbo World Champion as an engine supplier
  • 2.1.2 return after 12 year break

Motor sport

Touring car racing

German Touring Car Championship ( DTM )

Already at the first race of the German Touring Car Championship 1984 in Zolder, Belgium BMW race car were of the type 635 CSi, 528i and 323i at the start. All vehicles have been used by small teams and individuals. Among other things, Hans -Joachim Stuck, Volker Strycek and Prince Leopold of Bavaria drove in the first DTM race in history for Munich. The race became a triple triumph for BMW; it won Harald Grohs before Udo Schneider and Volker Strycek. At the end of the season was Volker Strycek German Touring Car Champion. This success was repeated in 1987 with BMW Eric van de Poele and 1989 with Roberto Ravaglia. Between 1984 and 1990, the prestigious brand of BMW Championship secured throughout. At the end of the 1994 season, BMW rose from the factory in the DTM series and did not return until the end of the series back in 1996 also.

When in 2000 the "new" DTM ( German Touring Car Masters ) was launched, BMW worked though with the regulations, but increased because of the Formula 1 commitments not included in the DTM. Since then, there have been speculations about the involvement of Munich, BMW as the BMW Sauber team sold the end of 2009 to Peter Sauber, the rumors grew louder. In April 2010, the Board confirmed the re-entry into the DTM for the DTM season in 2012. Immediately after re-entry into the DTM in 2012, BMW won with Bruno Spengler Cup and the brand title.

Formula racing

Formula 1

First turbo world champion as an engine supplier

BMW rose in 1982 as an engine supplier of the Brabham team for the first time in the premier class of motorsport. Paul Rosche designed from a four -cylinder engine block, a reduced size to 1.5 liters four-valve engine. A special fuel mixture and exhaust gas turbocharger, the engine developed initially about 650 hp. Later, it was up to 1400 hp.

In the first year won the Welmeister 1981, Nelson Piquet, on 13 June 1982 the Canadian Grand Prix with the Munich aggregate. The following year, BMW succeeded with the British team in the first world title of a turbo engine.

The success curve flattened but quickly: BMW Brabham supplied until 1987 with engines, but not to play in the fight for the world championship again seriously a role. Besides Brabham also ATS, Arrows and Benetton were at times with BMW engines. After the official withdrawal of the BMW engines were running in 1988 under the name of the U.S. company Megatron, which was prepared at Heini Mader Racing in Switzerland for racing engines. In the period 1982-1987 reached BMW -powered vehicles a total of nine victories, 13 pole positions and 14 fastest laps.

Return after 12 year break

In 2000, BMW initially returned as an engine supplier (BMW E41 / 4 ) of the Williams team back into Formula 1. With the drivers Ralf Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya get some success - the World Cup was not won until the end of the partnership with the British success team in 2005, however. Montoya in 2003 was close to it, but lost in the final sprint of the season to connect to the eventual World Champion Michael Schumacher. It dated from this period, however, ten wins and each first 17 ​​starting positions and fastest laps.

For the failed summit BMW Williams made ​​mainly responsible. While the BMW unit recognized as one of the most powerful engines in the field each year, it did not succeed to the English team to design a world- championship -capable chassis. The lack of voice of the automotive group in the vehicle design eventually led to the conclusion BMW to run as its own team and not only to build the engine for the first time. The increasingly crowded by the factory increased involvement of major automobile manufacturers in the outsider role Sauber team offered for sale. BMW took over in the fall of 2005, the majority of the Swiss racing team and kicked off the 2006 season as an independent team under the name BMW Sauber F1. However, BMW announced on 29 July 2009 announced its withdrawal from Formula 1 at the end of the current racing season.

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