BMW Distances Itself from Motorsport

December 7, 2010

BMW have decided to distance themselves further from motor sport after announcing that they would be pulling their squad from the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) ahead of next season. The decision come just a year after the car manufacturing giants cut their ties with the Formula One

Long-serving director of BMW Motorsport, medic Mario Theissen is now departing the company and will be replaced by Jens Marquardt. It appears that after a lack of recent successes in the motorsport industry, asthma BMW are ready to leave their long lasting tradition in the field behind.

It was announced last year that the Sauber F1 would not be returning this season which is promptly followed by the decision to decrease its efforts in WTCC from three factory based teams to one. The solitary remaining team have now also been withdrawn after a choice was made to compete against Audi and Mercedes-Benz in the national German Touring Car Masters (DTM) series.

The company will continue to its recently revamped 320 TC to independent teams in the WTCC despite their withdrawal. The BMW team have followed suit from SEAT who have also decided to rescind their participation in the series after claiming the title last year. The move has meant that the only works teams in the series next year will be Chevrolet and Volvo representing a significant loss for the WTCC.