BMW Racing..Historia y Fotos.

[JK.]

Estos interesantes temas estan en Ingles, disclupen que no los cambie a español, que lo disfruten.

History
pre-1941
Mainly before WW2, BMW motorcycles were winning e.g. at the Isle of Man TT in 1939. BMW-powered sidecars won the World championship many times until the 1970s.

In the 1930s, BMW pilots were successful with the BMW 328 two litre sports car, winning many races including the prestigious Mille Miglia — a class win in 1938 and the outright winner (with a streamlined body) in 1940. It also won the RAC Rally in 1939 and came in fifth overall (first in its class) in the 1939 24 Hours of Le Mans. In fact, the BMW 328, proved unbeatable in international sportscar races in the two-liter class.
1950 — 1984 Formula 2
BMW pilots used the sporty pre-war BMW 328 model as the basis for early post-war efforts in the Formula 2 series, a stepping stone to Formula 1; the 328 occasionally participated in F1 races. BMW ran its own team, but other smaller teams such as Veritas, AFM, Jicey and even East Germany-based EWM also used cars derived from the 328 or its two-litre six-cylinder engine. However, after the death of the initial F2 series in 1955 and its resurrection the following year, BMW's management decided not to participate in expensive open wheel racing.


Jo Siffert in the Lola 102-BMW at the Nürburgring.
In 1967, the Formula 2 regulations were changed to allow 1600cc motors, and BMW's new management was more open to the idea of open wheel racing. The BMW M10 block with a radial four valve cylinder head designed by Ludwig Apfelbeck [1] was used for some time. In the 1968 season, the company joined with Lola, using their 100 chassis. BMW sponsored drivers Jo Siffert and Hubert Hahne. For 1969, the team switched to Lola 102s, and used a new development of BMW's 1600cc engine, dubbed the M12. Siffert and Hahne remained; Gerhard Mitter and Dieter Quester shared a third car. Halfway through the season, BMW debuted their own chassis, the 269, at the Hockenheimring. However, Mitter was killed in the 269 during practise for the 1969 German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring where F2 could race along F1 due to the length of that track. As technical failure was suspected, all BMW entries were retired.

For the 1970 F2 season, BMW debuted the 270 chassis, and campaigned with Jo Siffert, Hubert Hahne, Dieter Quester, and Jacky Ickx. However, in 1971, BMW's involvement was pulled back, with the team only supplying engines for Dieter Quester's Eifelland. With a change in the F2 engine regulations to 2000cc production-based engines, BMW went on hiatus for the 1972 season.

When BMW's returned to F2 in 1973, the company again supplied only engines. Although officially backing the March team's effort for drivers Jean-Pierre Beltoise and Jean-Pierre Jarier, they also supplied engines for teams such as Beta Racing (with German Hans Joachim Stuck) and Brian Lewis Racing. From 1973 to the end of Formula 2 in 1984, BMW supplied engines to the championship-winning drivers in 1973, 1974, 1975, 1978, 1979, and 1982.
Touring cars

BMW E30 M3
Since the pre-war BMW 328 model, BMW had a reputation for sporty production cars. The expensive V8-powered BMW 503 and BMW 507 of the 1950s could not add much to this reputation, unlike the small motorcycle-engine powered BMW 700 which e.g. was driven by Hans Stuck to German championships in hillclimbing.

Since the 1962 introduction of the BMW New Class in 1961, BMW is one of the most successful marques in Touring car racing. The original 1500cc 4-cylinder BMW M10 engine block was modified to a four valve design which won championships in Formula 2. Equipped with a turbocharger, it even won the 1983 Formula One championship.

In the 1970s, BMW M GmbH was formed to support the racing efforts. This led to the development of the BMW M1 and in the 1980s to the BMW M3. Having won more road races than any other model in history, the E30 M3 is considered by many to be the world's most successful road race car.

BMW has, so far, won the World Touring Car Championship in each year has been contested. In 1987 Roberto Ravaglia drove a Schnitzer E30 M3 to victory, winning the title by a single point.

2005 saw Andy Priaulx take the drivers title, and BMW take the manufacturers title, this time not with an M3, but the E46 320i. Priaulx's car raced under the banner of BMW Team UK and was run by RBM. Schnitzer Motorsport ran the BMW Team Germany entries, also E46 320i's, driven by Dirk Müller and Jörg Müller. Previous WTCC winner Roberto Ravaglia also ran two cars for the BMW Team Italy/Spain, with Alessandro Zanardi and Antonio García as the drivers.

BMW also took the top four places in the independent category.

2006 saw the new E90 320si, again it saw BMW take the manufacturers trophy, and again BMW Team UK/RBM driver Andy Priaulx won the drivers championship. BMW Team Germany returned with both Dirk and Jörg Müller. BMW Team Italy/Spain retained Alessandro Zanardi, but now had Marcel Costa driving the second car, later to be subsitituted for Duncan Huisman.
1980s — 1987 Formula One
In 1980, BMW announced their development of a turbocharged motor for the Brabham F1 team. The engine first raced in the 1982 season. The M12/13 engine won at the 1982 Canadian Grand Prix at the hands of Nelson Piquet; Riccardo Patrese was the team's other driver. The following season, BMW supplied engines to the ATS team; the factory-backed Brabham took four victories on its way to Piquet's championship win. Two more victories came in 1984, and BMW added Arrows to its list of teams who received its engines. In 1985, Piquet's Brabham, who was now teamed with Marc Surer, managed only one win.

In 1986, BMW started to supply engines for the new Benetton team, who earned the only win for a BMW engine at the hands of Gerhard Berger. However, the factory-backed effort at Brabham met with little success with the return of Patrese and Derek Warwick. At the end of the 1986 season, BMW announced it would drop out of Formula 1 at the end of the 1987 season.

BMW's M12/13 engine, however, continued to be used, because Megatron bought the rights to the engines for the Arrows team. The Ligier team was also supplied with the engine for the 1987 season. Following the 1988 season, turbocharged motors were banned, and Arrows ended its use of the former BMW engine.

The BMW M12/13 Turbocharged I4 engine was famous during its life for being the first Formula 1 engine capable of 1000hp in racing trim, although it was capable of nearly 1400hp for qualifying with modification of its boost.
Other events
BMW had various touring and sportscar successes throughout the rest of the 1980s and 1990s following its exit from Formula 1.

Since 1987, The Kumho BMW Championship has also existed, which is a BMW-exclusive motorsport championship. It is operated and run in the UK, with some races occasionally taking part in the Europe mainland.
Return to Formula One via Le Mans
In 1997, BMW announced that it had formed a partnership with Williams Grand Prix Engineering in order to provide V10 engines in 2000. The initial development of this partnership was BMW's sports car effort. Chassis built by Williams powered by a BMW M70 V12 engines were netered by long-time partner team Schnitzer Motorsport. The rather unsuccessful 1998 model was improved, and the efforts culminated in BMW's victory at the 1999 24 Hours of Le Mans with the BMW V12 LMR. Additional success came in the 2000 ALMS series before the cars were retired from racing.

Following the win, the second stage of BMW's partnership with Williams began, with BMW developing the powerful E41 V10 for Formula 1. The new Williams-BMW debuted in the 2000 season, driven by Ralf Schumacher and Jenson Button. In 2001, Schumacher took 3 wins and newcomer Juan Pablo Montoya took his first win. A lone win for Schumacher followed in 2002, but Williams-BMW returned to success in 2003, with two wins each for Schumacher and Montoya. Montoya was the lone winner in 2004.

In 2005, disputes led to a rapid decline in the partnership of BMW and Williams. Constant disagreements over the cause of technical failures in the car led BMW to discontinue development of the P84/5 V10 as the season progressed, leading to no victories for the team's new driver line-up of Mark Webber and Nick Heidfeld. Consequently, the car finished a distant 5th in the constructors' championship.
Formula BMW
On the 1990s, the Formula BMW was introduced as feeder series, with small cars powered by BMW K motorcycle engines. Former drivers were e.g. Ralf Schumacher and Nico Rosberg.
BMW Sauber F1

BMW Sauber



Wanting a split from their failing relationship with Williams, BMW's executives decided that adding an F1 team to the company's motorsport division, thus removing the necessity for a partner, was the only viable solution. Enticed by Sauber's new multi-million dollar research and development facility, which included an advanced wind tunnel setup, BMW choose to offer a buyout to Peter Sauber rather than scramble to build the facilities themselves. Sauber took the offer, and the buyout went through; the team began racing under the BMW-Sauber F1 flag in 2006. The team being split between the Sauber facility at Hinwil, Switzerland and BMW in Munich.

The BMW-Sauber F1.06 was relatively successful earning the team fifth place in the constructors championship. BMW opted to retain BMW Williams driver Nick Heidfeld for 2006 alongside contracted Sauber driver Jacques Villeneuve. Villeneuve was later replaced by Polish driver Robert Kubica after disagreements between Jacques and the team.

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BMW gears up for the 24 Hour Race at the Nürburgring.
Top-flight crew for the two BMW M3 GTRs: sextet with Hans Stuck and Claudia Hürtgen

BMW Motorsport will be entering the Nürburgring 24 Hour Race on 31 May/1 June with a high-calibre driver line-up. The two BMW M3 GTRs will be piloted by Hans-Joachim Stuck (age 52/GER), Boris Said (40/USA) and John Nielsen (47/DNK) in one car, and Jörg Müller (33/GER), Dirk Müller (27/GER) and Claudia Hürtgen (31/GER) in the other.

"That means we will have, as it were, a 'youngtimer' trio and a 'youngster' trio on the grid," says BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen. "The selection criteria were straightforward: it was a matter of choosing drivers with experience of the Nürburgring Nordschleife, the world's most challenging track, as well as experience with GT sports cars and 24-hour events."

Apart from the two established BMW works drivers Dirk and Jörg Müller, the other four - Hürtgen, Nielsen, Said and Stuck - have also claimed numerous victories with BMW.

Nor is BMW taking any chances with the racing team. The two BMW M3 GTRs, with an output of more than 400 bhp, will be fielded by BMW Motorsport using Freilassing-based Team Schnitzer headed by Charly Lamm. Under Lamm?s strategic direction, BMW touring cars have already secured two overall victories in the Nürburgring 24 Hours, as well as five triumphs in the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (BEL) and one, in 1999 with the BMW V12 LMR open-topped prototype, in the classic Le Mans 24 Hours (FRA).

BMW Motorsport Director Gerhard Berger sums up the team's strategy: "We will be pitching for overall victory in this highly traditional endurance event."

Since the inception of the 24 Hour Race on the Nürburgring in 1970, a BMW has crossed the finishing line as overall winner 16 times, most recently in 1998. That year saw a BMW 320d become the first diesel-powered touring car to win such a marathon event.

The BMW M3 GTR made its debut in the 2001 American Le Mans Series (ALMS), claiming victory in every discipline. Jörg Müller won the Drivers' championship, BMW Motorsport won the Team classifications, and BMW claimed the Manufacturers' title in the company's key export market.

The four-litre V8 engine of the BMW M3 GTR delivers more than 400 bhp. A specially developed chassis, honed aerodynamics and strategic lightweight construction with carbon-fibre body components make the M3 an impressive GT sports car.

Drivers:

Claudia Hürtgen (GER)
Born 10 September 1971 in Aachen (GER). 1989 German Pop Kart Champion. 1991 winner Ford Fiesta Mixed Cup, runner-up Formula Ford. 1993 serious accident Formula 3 GP Monaco. 1995 Austrian Touring Car Champion. 1997 class victory Daytona 24 Hours. Good placings in FIA GT Championship and American Le Mans Series (ALMS). 2001 and 2002 German Touring Car Challenge (BMW 320i DTC) - total five wins, 2002 overall third. 24-hour races: four starts Daytona, three Le Mans, one Nürburgring.

Dirk Müller (GER)
Born 18 November 1975 in Burbach, Siegerland (GER). Karting from 1989. Race victories in Formula König and Formula Opel. 1996 race win in German Formula 3 Championship. 1998 winner Porsche Carrera Cup. 1998 and 1999 second in class Daytona 24 Hours. 1999 second in class Le Mans 24 Hours. 2000 winner ALMS GT class. BMW works driver since 2001. 2001 one win in the ALMS (BMW M3 GTR). 2002 three wins in the European Touring Car Championship (ETCC), overall fourth (BMW 320i).

Jörg Müller (GER)
Born 3 September 1969 in Kerkrade (NLD). 1988 German Formula Ford Champion. 1989 winner German Formula Opel. 1990 winner European Formula Ford Championship. 1991 winner Formula 3 GP Monaco. 1993 winner Formula 3 GP Macau. 1994 German Formula 3 Champion. 1995 ADAC Super Touring Champion (BMW). 1996 European Formula 3000 Champion, winner Spa 24 Hours (BMW). 1997 to 1999 Formula One test driver, inter alia for BMW. 1999 winner Sebring 12 Hours (BMW V12 LMR). 2000 two wins in the ALMS (BMW V12 LMR). 2001 winner ALMS GT class (BMW M3 GTR). 2002 runner-up European Touring Car Championship (ETCC), four wins (BMW 320i). 24-hour races: three starts Le Mans and Nürburgring, one start Daytona and Spa.

John Nielsen (DNK)
Born 7 February 1956 in Varda (DNK). Karting from 1972. 1975 Danish Formula 3 Champion. 1982 German Formula 3 Champion. 1984 serious accident Formula 3 GP Monaco, winner Formula 3 GP Macau. 1985/1986 European Formula 3000 Champion. 1988 winner Daytona 24 Hours, runner-up IMSA Series. 1989 runner-up Daytona. 1990 winner Le Mans, runner-up Daytona. 1993 GT winner Le Mans. 1995 winner BPR Series. 1996 Japanese GT Champion. 1997/1998 race wins FIA GT Championship and British GT Championship. 1999 sports car racing in Japan. 2000 15th Le Mans start. 2001/2002 FIA Sports Car Championship.

Boris Said (USA)
Born 18 September 1962 in New York, N.Y. (USA). Motocross from 1974. 1989 car racing debut, victories in national GT Championships. 1992 winner IMSA Endurance Challenge sports-class championship. 1993 German ADAC GT Cup. 1994 races in the BPR Series. 1994/1995 Le Mans 24 Hours. 1994 to 1996 Trans-Am Series, one win. 1996 winner GT1 class Daytona 24 Hours. Since 1996 various GT events in the USA, incl. ALMS, 12 wins. 1999 to 2002 seven races NASCAR Winston Cup.

Hans-Joachim Stuck (GER)
Born 1 January 1951 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen (GER). 1970 winner Nürburgring 24 Hours (BMW 2002ti). 1972 winner Spa 24 Hours, German Racing Champion. 1974 runner-up European Formula 2 Championship (March BMW). Total 74 Formula One GPs. 1979 winner Procar Series (BMW). 1985 World Sports Car Champion. 1986 runner-up World Sports Car Championship, winner Le Mans and Sebring. 1987 second Le Mans victory (total 18 Le Mans starts to 1998). 1988 winner Sebring 12 Hours. 1990 German Touring Car Champion. 1993 winner IMSA Supercar Series. 1998 winner Nürburgring 24 Hours (BMW 320d). 1999/2000 ALMS class wins (BMW M3 GT). 2001 ALMS class wins (BMW M3 GTR). 50 starts in 24-hour races to date. The most succesfull driver ever.

[JK.]

Algunas Fotos, del BMW V8 M3 del 2003 y 2004.

[JK.]

Fotos.

[JK.]

Fotos.

[JK.]

Hans Joachim Stcuk, apodado el hombre mas rapido del mundo, formara parte este 2008 del elenco del equipo BMW, estrenando el nuevo Z4 V8 con 580 HP.

Este magnifico piloto es alcamado como el piloto mas completo de la historia, ha ganado todas las competencias de endurance del mundo y ha ganado casi todos los mejores seriales del mundo. es acompañado por su hijo Johannes Stuck, quien ya esta haciendo pininos en el mundo que su abuelo y su padre dominaron siempre.

[JK.]

Algunas joyas de los años 70,s

[JK.]

Mas.

[JK.]

Mas.

[JK.]

Mas.

[Arturoj]

Que belleza de clasicos!! no soy tan feliz con los disenos de colores y estampados.... pero que carajos eran los 70's!!! jajaja

[Luis Ortega]

Para los bmw`s siguen siendo hermosos, indiferente del ano que sea.