BMW could cut its motorsport budget in 2025, with paddock sources suggesting it could reduce factory support from three cars to only two within the DTM.
These rumors come after BMW announced an 84% profit decline within the third quarter of 2024, mainly attributable to a decline in sales in China and a costly vehicle recall program.
BMW Motorrad, its two-wheeled division, has already admitted that it’ll need to deal with a smaller budget in next 12 months's Superbike World Championship. The query stays whether these cost reductions can even extend to the brand's four-wheel racing business.
“Cutting the budget is the wrong word,” said Frank van Meel, managing director of BMW M. “We all the time negotiate hard [with the BMW bosses to get more money for motorsport]”
BMW has expanded its factory motorsport program in 2024 by entering a pair of M Hybrid V8 LMDh cars within the Hypercar class of the World Endurance Championship with WRT.
Asked specifically whether BMW's motorsport division would have roughly money to spend in 2025, van Meel said: “Definitely not extra money because that is the 12 months we added the WEC for the primary time.
“We have gone up again because we at the moment are racing in GT4, GT3 and WEC. And it's a cool automobile [BMW M2 one-make] here, which shall be added next 12 months. We will remain faithful to motor sports. There's no reason to fret.”
Marco Wittmann, Schubert Motorsport BMW M4 GT3
Photo: Alexander Trienitz
BMW fielded three previous DTM champions this 12 months, with Rene Rast, Sheldon van der Linde and Marco Wittmann racing for the factory-backed Schubert team.
Schubert won the teams' championship that 12 months, ahead of Audi's Abt Sportsline, while BMW finished third within the manufacturers' standings, behind Mercedes and Lamborghini.
BMW Motorsport director Andreas Roos said the German brand was still finalizing its DTM program next 12 months when asked if it could reduce its commitment to 2 cars.
“We are completely open about it at this point,” he said. “We even have automobile sponsors and so forth.
“These are topics we’re discussing now within the post-season and we would like to be sure we’re in the proper position for next 12 months.
“We want to focus on what we have done in recent years.”
Given the recent crisis within the German automobile industry, BMW might not be the one carmaker that can have to contemplate cost cuts next 12 months. Volkswagen's problems have been well documented, including: there’s talk of the corporate closing no less than three factories in its country.
However, BMW's van Meel stressed that the brand's high-performance M division is performing well despite the general sales decline.
Franciscus van Meel, Managing Director of BMW M GmbH
Photo: BMW
“It helps that M GmbH stays on the path to success,” he said.
“We reported that in September this 12 months our sales were still barely higher than the previous 12 months.
“Motor sports are and can remain essential, it’s our DNA. Of course, you usually have to have a look at the cash, but it surely's not nearly next 12 months.
“It applies to this year and recent decades. This is a success story, let's continue it.”
