Have you ever pondered why some manufacturers, like BMW, choose not to participate in Formula One despite the sport’s rising popularity? Knowing a team’s history can often help you appreciate them more, in my experience as an F1 and BMW enthusiast. Does BMW compete in Formula One?
BMW does not participate in Formula One and does not have any immediate plans to do so. Due to a poor performance, the global financial crisis, and their desire to raise the technological requirements for their road vehicles, they discontinued their participation in F1 in 2009.
BMW has historically been one of the strongest racing competitors, despite not participating in Formula 1. Let’s look at where they started, what they think about Formula One, and why they still don’t want to compete.
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In This Article...
In Formula One, BMW
This article discusses BMW’s participation in Formula One and the BMW Sauber racing team. See Sauber Motorsport for the independent racing team.
Since the World Drivers’ Championship was established in 1950, BMW has been involved in Formula One in a variety of capacities. Before developing the BMW M12/13 inline-four turbocharged engine in the 1980s, the business competed in sporadic races in the 1950s and 1960s (typically under Formula Two rules). The team’s chassis were powered by BMW engines from 1982 to 1987 as a consequence of an agreement between BMW and Brabham. Nelson Piquet won the 1983 title while operating a Brabham BT52-BMW during this time. ATS, Arrows, Benetton, and Ligier teams were also given the M12/13 by BMW during this time, with varying degrees of success. Brabham briefly left the sport in 1988, and BMW stopped officially supporting the engines, which were still being used by the Arrows team under the Megatron moniker. The 1989 revision of the Formula One Technical Regulations outlawed turbocharged engines, making the M12/13 obsolete.
In the late 1990s, BMW made the decision to return to Formula One and entered into an exclusive agreement with the Williams team, which was in need of a new long-term engine supplier following the departure of Renault in 1997. A new V10 engine was developed as a result of the initiative and debuted in competition in the Williams FW22 in 2000. The collaboration advanced from the midfield to contending for race victories the next year, but the desired title remained elusive due to Michael Schumacher and Ferrari’s domination in the first half of the 2000s. BMW decided to sever ways with Williams in 2005 as their relationship had deteriorated, and instead decided to purchase the rival Sauber team outright.
The BMW Sauber project, which ran from 2006 to 2009, significantly raised the Swiss former privateer team’s competitiveness. A strong third place performance in the Constructors’ Championship in 2007 followed two podium places in the inaugural season (which became second when McLaren was disqualified). Robert Kubica won the team’s lone race in 2008, the Canadian Grand Prix, and briefly held the lead in the Drivers’ Championship, but the team decided to concentrate on 2009 car development and fell back in the standings at the end of the season. Due to the F1.09 chassis’ lack of competitiveness, the 2009 season was a significant letdown. BMW decided to leave the sport, returning the team to its founder, Peter Sauber, in addition to the global financial downturn and the company’s displeasure with the constraints of the current technical standards in developing technology relevant to road cars.
History
BMW spent two periods as an engine supplier before becoming an official F1 constructor in 2006. With the first turbo engine, it made history in the 1980s and helped a driver win the world championship in 1983.
It made a comeback in 2000 with Williams, and the following year, it began winning Grands Prix. The Munich label, however, assumed control of the struggling Sauber squad when the collaboration failed to produce a championship. BMW’s first victory in 2008 came courtesy of Robert Kubica at the Canadian Grand Prix.
But following a disappointing 2009 and feeling the impact of the recession, BMW left Formula One, even though its brand was still technically tied to the team in 2010.
BMW is uninterested in a 2021 F1 comeback.
Since the power unit period has no bearing on their road vehicle technology, BMW has made it clear that they have no interest in returning to F1.
In 2006, BMW acquired the Sauber team, and the BMW Sauber entry went on to enjoy a successful run in the competition.
The team would earn two P3 places in their inaugural season, concluding the campaign P5 in the Constructors’ Championship.
They would earn two more podium places the next year as they finished third in the constructors’ standings, moving up to second after McLaren was disqualified.
Robert Kubica’s victory in Canada in 2008 would be BMW Sauber’s first and only victory; however, later in the season, they would shift their attention to designing the 2009 vehicle.
BMW would leave the race at the end of that year, selling the team back to founder Peter Sauber, but the F1.09 would be a significant step down.
As with many of their rival automakers, BMW is now concentrating on Formula E with the Andretti team after joining forces with them in 2018.
BMW does not care about the new Formula 1 regulations that will be implemented starting in 2021 because they believe that the F1 technology has no application to their road car technology.
The V6 turbo hybrid has little to do with what we do in (road) car production, according to BMW racing head Jens Marquardt in an interview with Auto Bild.
“From an engineering standpoint, I salute what they achieve in Formula 1, but the technology has no application on the road,” the speaker said.
Aston Martin is one automaker whose participation in Formula One has been confirmed as of 2021. Lawrence Stroll purchased a stake in the British luxury automaker, opening the door for a rebranding of his Racing Point team.
Notes
excludes the 2010 season, when the independent Sauber team competed under the BMW Sauber moniker in order to obtain sponsorship.
BMW Between 2006 and 2009, the Sauber constructor participated in the Formula One World Championship. The squad was created as a result of BMW’s acquisition of the Sauber team in 2006.
With one victory and 16 podium finishes from 70 Grands Prix, the team finished second to Ferrari in the 2007 World Constructors Championship (McLaren would also have finished ahead of BMW Sauber, had they not been disqualified from the championship).
The team was sold back to Peter Sauber at the conclusion of the 2009 season, and in 2011 the Sauber moniker was reinstated.
Who purchased the BMW F1 Team?
Nick Heidfeld won the first of the team’s two podium finishes throughout the season at the 2009 Malaysian Grand Prix in BMW’s disastrous final season.
The team announced in October 2008 that they would continue to use Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld as their drivers for the 2009 campaign.
BMW Sauber had set the 2009 season as the year they would contend for the championship, but the season hasn’t started well for them. In the first round, Kubica was running in third place when he collided with Vettel and was forced to retire. In Malaysia, Heidfeld then earned the team’s first podium finish of the season, although after six races, BMW Sauber had only accrued six points and was eighth out of ten teams in the Constructors’ Championship. A number of improvements, such as a double deck diffuser and a better regenerative braking system (KERS), were planned for Turkey. Both drivers competed without the KERS while the new diffuser was being used because the KERS could not be modified to fit the new car. After the British Grand Prix qualifying session, Mario Theissen declared that the team had decided to forego future KERS development—of which BMW had been one of the strongest proponents—and instead concentrate on enhancing the aerodynamics of the vehicle. The only KERS system users left were Ferrari and McLaren as a result. Kubica earned the team’s first points since the race in Turkey during the European Grand Prix in Valencia.
Following a board meeting on July 28, BMW conducted a press conference the next morning where it announced the team would leave Formula One at the end of 2009. The choice was a strategic one, according to the chairman, Dr. Norbert Reithofer. In response, the Formula One Teams Association issued a statement expressing its support to assist the team in staying in F1.
On September 15, 2009, it was revealed that Qadbak Investments Limited, a shell corporation, had agreed to purchase BMW Sauber. But Lotus Racing was handed the 13th and final position for the 2010 campaign. The team received what was referred to as a “14th entry,” which was contingent upon the withdrawal of another team or the agreement of all other teams to allow 28 cars to compete in the 2010 Championship.
Is there an F1 team for Audi?
Audi has confirmed it will make its Formula 1 debut in 2026 and revealed the start of an engine development program amid rumors that it may also acquire the Sauber team.
Porsche entering Formula One?
The Supervisory Board of VW Group authorized Porsche and Audi’s ambitions to enter Formula 1 in April. Porsche’s chairman announced in May that the company had begun working on an engine for the racing circuit.