BMW's 2010 Motorsport program

[Wouter Melissen]

Withdrawn from Formula 1, BMW will refocus on the GT2 version of the M3, a GT3 version of the Z4 and a downsized WTCC effort. The big news is that BMW plans to run the M3 GT2/GTR in all three major 24-Hours races, including Le Mans. At Spa and the Nurburgring the car is capable of taking the overall victory while at Le Mans, it will face very tough opposition in the GT2 class from the Porsches, Ferraris and Corvettes. All this is still subject of the FIA and ACO approval of the car, which is still not entirely compliant with their stricter regulations.

The full release:

Having bid farewell to Formula One, BMW will intensify its involvement in GT and touring car racing in the forthcoming year. The company released details of its 2010 motorsport programme on Saturday at the BMW Sports Trophy Award Ceremony in Munich (DE). The BMW M3 GT2 will see action in selected GT races, primarily the 24-hour classics. The BMW drivers will fight for victories in the FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) and the American Le Mans Series (ALMS), and will be setting their sights on the titles. BMW will continue its successful promotion of young talent in the Formula BMW Europe and Formula BMW Pacific series, which feature on the same bill as Formula One races. Customer racing also remains an important component for BMW Motorsport: a BMW Z4, which complies with GT3 regulations, will be added to the range of products for private teams.

BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen says: “I am pleased that we are able to offer our fans an attractive motorsport programme in the first year since our withdrawal from Formula One. In production car racing, BMW has enjoyed countless triumphs throughout the course of its long racing history – whether with close-to-production touring cars or imposing GT sports cars. We want to follow on from this success in 2010, in both the World Touring Car Championship and the ALMS. In addition, our programme will include works entries at 24-hour classics for the first time since 2005. Promoting junior racing drivers remains an important pillar of our activities: Formula BMW Europe is once again a permanent feature in the general Formula One programme, and we will also be supporting talented youngsters in Formula BMW Pacific as they take their first steps in single-seater racing. Furthermore, we will also expand our customer racing programme, and will be offering a new car in the form of a BMW Z4 that complies with GT3 regulations. In general, we are well positioned to demonstrate the performance of our cars to our customers around the world in 2010.”

BMW will be represented at numerous GT events by its long-term test and development team Schnitzer Motorsport. The focus of this commitment is on the classic 24-hour races. As well as the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring (DE), it is also planned for the BMW M3 GT2 to start in Le Mans (FR) and Spa-Francorchamps (BE). BMW Motorsport is currently in positive discussions with organisers and governing bodies regarding the approval of the car.

In addition, and as preparation for these classics, the programme also includes race starts in the VLN Endurance Championship at the Nürburgring and in the Le Mans Series (LMS). Jörg Müller (DE) and Dirk Werner (DE), who joins the 2010 BMW works drivers line-up, will be the regular drivers for the GT races. Works drivers Andy Priaulx (GB), Augusto Farfus (BR) and Dirk Müller (DE) will also be involved with the GT programme. Uwe Alzen (DE) and Dirk Adorf (DE) complete the strong squad for the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring.

As last year, the BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team, under the flag of BMW of North America, will send two BMW M3 GT2 cars into battle for the GT2 title in the ALMS. In 2009 Bobby Rahal’s (US) team celebrated a one-two result at Road America (US) and finished on the podium seven times. Next year the driving quartet will once again consist of Dirk Müller, Tommy Milner (US), Bill Auberlen (US) and Joey Hand (US).

BMW will be lining up in a different format to previous years in the World Touring Car Championship. Priaulx and Farfus will be battling for points and victories as team-mates. Bart Mampaey’s (BE) RBM team will be responsible for the two BMW 320si WTCCs. While Priaulx won three World Championship titles between 2005 and 2007, Farfus was the most successful BMW driver last season with six victories and third place overall. The two drivers have a combined total of 27 victories so far in the World Touring Car Championship.

In past years, Formula BMW has proven to be the ideal springboard into the world of Formula One for many drivers. Last season alone, five former BMW drivers lined up in this series – and with great success. Nico Rosberg (DE), Timo Glock (DE), Adrian Sutil (DE) and Sébastien Buemi (CH) all scored World Championship points. Sebastian Vettel (DE) even celebrated four Grand Prix victories and finished the season as runner-up in the Drivers’ Championship, behind Jenson Button (GB). Nicolas Hülkenberg (DE) and Bruno Senna (BR) will join the quintet in 2010 as regular F1 drivers. A number of other Formula BMW graduates can also hope to get a taste of Formula One as test and reserve drivers.

[cmcpokey]

so i guess there is a thin silver lining. hopefully they will also make a return to prototypes.

[2ndclasscitizen]

Plus they've got this:





Hopefully they'll continue to improve in 2010.

[faksta]

This means that BMW is becoming an ordinary backmarker of a racing scene, doesn't it? Whatever they will be able to achieve, having GT2 as a top effort doesn't bring much credits, especially when during previous season you raced in F1.

[Matra et Alpine]

Corvette have done OK with only a GT2/3 effort in Le Mans and endurance

There is less techincal interest in F1 these days than there once used to be.
Thanks to rules to reduce costs and make it "safer" and "more competitive".

Citroen do a helluva lot better on recogition with the man in the street due to WRC efforts, results and the closer link in the mind to the real cars. The BTCC, ETCC adn to a lesser extent WTCC.

I'd rather see a great BMW team in touring cars than a mediocre team in F1 ... adn they can do the former with a fraction of the cost of the latter. Salloon, GT2/3 racing and rallying ALSO has the big plus that privateers can PURCHASE and compete in similar cars .. thus dramatically increasing brand exposure.

I'm just glad the F1 failure didnt' drag them down and out of motorsport completely.

[LTSmash]

This means an even more competitive GT2 field and that make's me happy as it is. I'd rather see BMW do a decent job in GT2 (even if it is an E92 ) than be a failure in F1. The 24h of the Ring will be an exciting return with all German frontrunners now... now if only Merc can take one of those DTM C Classes down to GT2 spec. I just hope that the Letterman team doesn't be the flagship team at Le Mans.

[Ferrer]

Citroen do a helluva lot better on recogition with the man in the street due to WRC efforts, results and the closer link in the mind to the real cars.

Do they? I always thought that Rallying was the one that suffered the most from the FIA esquisofrenia and over zealousness over Formula 1. These days they barely have any manufacturer involvement at all.

The IRC seems to attract many more manufacturers than WRC.

[LTSmash]

The IRC seems to attract many more manufacturers than WRC.

Why is that? Doesn't the IRC run under S2000 rules; so why would it gather more attention if it is not as technically savvy.

[Ferrer]

Why is that? Doesn't the IRC run under S2000 rules; so why would it gather more attention if it is not as technically savvy.

Probably precisely because of that.

Simpler cars mean less development costs.

[LTSmash]

Probably precisely because of that.

Simpler cars mean less development costs.

True, but what about a fan base? Ideally, one would think that the WRC generates more revenues from fans which can help companies front the cost for more technical regulations. Does the IRC have a fan base which is in competitive size to the WRC?

[Ferrer]

True, but what about a fan base? Ideally, one would think that the WRC generates more revenues from fans which can help companies front the cost for more technical regulations. Does the IRC have a fan base which is in competitive size to the WRC?

That was precisely my original point. With all the different regulations, changing the essence of rallying my impression is that the fanbase has diminished quite significantly up to the point that it's nowhere near as popular as it used to be.

On that basis, manufacturers might as well spent as little money as possible if the return is potentially similar in both series.

[f6fhellcat13]

How long has it been since BMW participated in rallies? The last I remember was the E30.

Do they? I always thought that Rallying was the one that suffered the most from the FIA esquisofrenia and over zealousness over Formula 1. These days they barely have any manufacturer involvement at all.

Schizophrenia.

[Ferrer]

How long has it been since BMW participated in rallies? The last I remember was the E30.

With a works team? The 2002s in the 70s. The later M1 and M3 E30 were private efforts, the french importer and Prodrive respectively, with varying degrees of support from the factory. The last BMW victory in the WRC was by Bernard Bèguin in the 1987 Tour de Corse in a Prodrive M3.

Schizophrenia.

I even went to Google Translate...

[Kitdy]

I'm just glad the F1 failure didnt' drag them down and out of motorsport completely.

This means an even more competitive GT2 field and that make's me happy as it is. I'd rather see BMW do a decent job in GT2 (even if it is an E92 ) than be a failure in F1. The 24h of the Ring will be an exciting return with all German frontrunners now... now if only Merc can take one of those DTM C Classes down to GT2 spec. I just hope that the Letterman team doesn't be the flagship team at Le Mans.

I don't think BMW failed in F1 - this year was a bad year for them surely but I think a lot of people thought that they would bounce back and do well next year. That being said, they weren't spending the money that the McLaren and Ferrari were so success would be harder to come by. With the rule changes for next year mixing it up though, they mighta been back on track.

The IRC seems to attract many more manufacturers than WRC.

Are they actually backed entries though or just many different brands of car being built and run by privateers?

[faksta]

It is a shame that motorsport means only promotion and most of the manufacturers try to make their racing cars look like their street products IMO.