BMW may slash its motorsport budget in 2025, with paddock sources suggesting that it could reduce factory support from three cars to just two in the DTM.
These rumours follow BMW announcing an 84% drop in profit in the third quarter of 2024, driven primarily by a decline in sales in China and an expensive vehicle recall programme.
BMW Motorrad, its two-wheel division, has already admitted that it will have to deal with a smaller budget in the World Superbike Championship next year. Now the question remains if these cost cuts will also apply to the marque’s four-wheel racing activities.
"Budget cut is the wrong term," said Frank van Meel, the managing director of BMW M. "We always negotiate hard [with the BMW bosses to get more money for motorsport].”
BMW expanded its factory motorsport programme in 2024, entering a pair of M Hybrid V8 LMDh cars in the World Endurance Championship’s Hypercar class with WRT.
Asked specifically if BMW’s motorsport division will have more or less money available to spend in 2025, van Meel said: “Definitely not more money, because we added the WEC for the first time this year.
“We've gone up again because we're now doing GT4, GT3 and WEC. And there's a nice car [BMW M2 one-make] out here that will be added next year. We will remain loyal to motorsport. There is no need to worry.”
BMW fielded three previous champions in the DTM this year, with Rene Rast, Sheldon van der Linde and Marco Wittmann all racing for the factory-supported Schubert team.
Schubert won the teams’ championship this year ahead of Audi’s Abt Sportsline, while BMW finished third in the manufacturers’ standings behind Mercedes and Lamborghini.
BMW motorsport director Andreas Roos said the German marque is still finalising the make-up of its DTM programme next year when asked if it could reduce its involvement to two cars.
“We are still completely open about that at the moment,” he said. “We also have sponsors attached to the cars and so on.
“These are the topics that we are now discussing after the season and we are looking to make sure that we are properly positioned for next year.
“We want to orient ourselves on what we have done in recent years.”
Amid the recent crisis in Germany’s auto industry, BMW may not be the only car manufacturer that would have to consider cost cuts next year. Volkswagen’s troubles have been well documented, with talk of the company reportedly shutting down at least three plants in its home country.
However, BMW’s van Meel stressed that the marque’s high-performance M division is performing well despite the overall decline in sales.
“It helps that M GmbH remains on the road to success,” he said.
“We communicated that in September of this year our sales were still slightly above the previous year.
“Motorsport is and will remain relevant, it’s our DNA. Of course you always have to look at the money, but that doesn't just apply to next year.
“That applies to this year and to the last decades. This is a success story, let's continue it.”
