BMW pointed to the lack of opportunities for technology transfer as the main factor in not being interested in joining Mercedes and Audi in Formula 1.
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The German manufacturer has been away from the main motorsport category since selling its majority stake in Sauber in 2009.
Now, the same Sauber has been taken over by Audi and with the 2026 regulation change, F1 has attracted names like Cadillac, a debuting team, and Ford, Red Bull’s engine partner. Even Porsche considered getting involved with the Austrian team before talks collapsed in 2022.
However, according to Frank van Meel, head of BMW M, F1 does not fit the brand’s motorsport philosophy. “Formula 1 is very far from our reality; it works very much like a laboratory and does not translate properly to production cars,” he said.
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“In Formula 1, it would be a completely separate technology center, disconnected from the rest. Our customers and fans certainly like Formula 1, but they also appreciate motorsport categories that are more direct and closer to production cars,” he continued.
“The essence of the M division is precisely to bring motorsport to production cars. And, for us, Formula 1 simply does not fit this proposal,” he concluded.
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