BMW has cited a lack of opportunities for technology transfer as the key reason why it is not interested in joining Mercedes and Audi in Formula 1.
The Munich-based manufacturer has remained absent from F1 since it sold its majority stake in Sauber in 2009, despite the series’ growing popularity making it more attractive to carmakers than ever before.
The same Sauber team that BMW previously owned with has now been taken over by Audi, while F1’s 2026 regulation overhaul has also been successful in attracting other big brands like Cadillac and Ford (as Red Bull’s engine partner) into the series.
Even Porsche seriously considered a tie-up with Red Bull before talks collapsed in late 2022, leaving BMW as the only major German manufacturer yet to show any interest in joining F1 in recent years.
According to BMW M boss Frank van Meel, F1 simply doesn’t “fit into” its motorsport philosophy, which is built upon transferring technology from race cars to production models.
“Formula 1 is too far removed for us; it’s too much of a laboratory and doesn’t translate well enough to production cars,” van Meel told Motorsport.com’s sister title Motor1 Germany.
“In Formula 1, it would be a completely separate technology centre, detached from the rest.
“Our customers and fans certainly like Formula 1, but they also like motorsport that’s more direct and closer to production cars. The story behind M is that we bring motorsport into production cars. And Formula 1 simply doesn’t fit into that for us.”
“BMW grew big in the US through motorsport”
#20 BMW M Team WRT BMW M Hybrid V8: Rene Rast, Robin Frijns
Photo by: Jakob Ebrey
While BMW may be absent from F1, it is heavily involved in other forms of motorsport, particularly sportscar racing.
The BMW M Hybrid V8 is now its flagship car in motorsport, entered by the factory WRT team in both the World Endurance Championship and the IMSA SportsCar Championship.
The dual programme allows it to compete in some of the biggest motor races in the world, including 24-hour events at Le Mans and Daytona.
BMW also sells GT3 and GT4 versions of its popular M4 model to customer teams around the world.
Van Meel says these programmes are more suited to BMW, crediting its involvement in championships like IMSA for its increasing popularity in the lucrative US market.
“For us, it’s not just about the WEC, but also about IMSA,” he said. “The USA, with around 40% of our volume, is the most important single market for BMW M. BMW grew big in the USA through motorsport. That’s why IMSA is extremely important for us.
“WEC and IMSA are also a good fit for us because of the direct technology transfer. For example, the M Concept New Class incorporates elements from the M4 GT3, such as the airflow-optimized hood and diffuser. The lighting graphics come from our LMDh race car.
“There are also transfers of technology to the powertrains. We use a V8 hybrid in motorsport and have V8 hybrids in the M5 and XM. In some cases, the same engineers work on these powertrains. We can test certain aspects more quickly and in a more production-ready way through these racing series.”
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