F1 2026: BMW make decision on return

Vettel during F1 debut with BMW Sauber — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News & Gossip

BMW make decision on F1 return

BMW's rivals Mercedes and Audi compete in Formula 1

Dan Ripley Global Editor

Professional F1 journalist and analyst

Monday 23 March 2026 11:54

BMW have announced their verdict on a potential return to Formula 1 following a press conference.

The German car giants haven't been in F1 since making a shock exit at the end of the 2009 season, having become a full team at the start of the 2006 after taking over Sauber.

Before that BMW provided the Williams teams with engines from 2000-2005, boasting one of the best power units on the grid during the era despite failing to win a world championship in the 21st century.

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BMW engines helped Nelson Piquet win the world championship with Brabham in 1983, while Benetton, ATS and Arrows in the main were also supplied engines during the period BMW competed in F1 between 1982 and 1987.

In their F1 history they have recorded 20 race wins, the last of those coming at the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix with Robert Kubica.

The team technically did appear in the 2010 season, but only by technicality of Sauber having to retain the name for one year after getting the team back.

BMW rivals entered after their exit

Since their exit, BMW's national rivals Mercedes (2010) and Audi (2026) have entered the sport, with the former dominating much of the 2010s winning 15 world championships between 2014 and 2021 and the latter taking over the Sauber team, like BMW did.

Despite the temptation of going toe-to-toe with Mercedes and Audi, BMW have once again ruled out competing in F1, with BMW M CEO Frank van Meel blaming the current era of hybrid engines being too far removed from the company's production cars.

Van Meel told journalists, in quotes carried by Soy Motor: “F1 is interesting from a marketing perspective because the return on investment is enormous and global. But from a technological standpoint, the current hybrid system is very far removed from the technology used in our road cars. We try to concentrate on the disciplines that are closest to our production cars."

The latest BMW rebuff doesn't come as a surprise given Van Meel gave a similar response last July.

BMW prefer WEC to F1

"We're not ignoring (F1). We're just not participating," he said at a vintage car event.

"That is on purpose, for us, the WEC (World Endurance Championship) was the place to go. The (WEC) cars are closer to series-production models. We can learn things and transfer things.

"In Formula 1, to learn things and transfer things to series-production cars is almost impossible. It's too far away."

BMW also ruled out returning to F1 in 2022, 2017 and 2013, and look set to focus their motorsport goals on the WEC series and IMSA championship it has been competing in for four seasons.

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