BMW announces Motorsport Program for 2010

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 program 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 program 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 program 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 program, 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 program, 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 organizers and governing bodies regarding the approval of the car.

In addition, and as preparation for these classics, the program 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 program. Uwe Alzen (DE) and Dirk Adorf (DE) complete the strong squad for the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring.