How BMW’s Junior Series Launched Future F1 Champions

BMW and Components One have an inextricable historical past. Most ceaselessly, the connection will get lowered to BMW’s historical past of supplying engines. Removed from an unfair categorization. However there’s one other approach BMW “equipped” Formula One within the early 2000s: Components BMW. A separate entity with beforehand restricted OEM involvement (though BMW did provide engines), the OEM took the reigns with sights set on growing even higher drivers.

Components BMW: Speedy Modifications and New Faces

As we talked about, Components BMW already bought its engines straight from the mothership. With BMW Motorsport’s intervention in 2001, issues modified a bit. BMW now offered complete vehicles for the collection. Secondly, the automaker reconfigured how the ADAC (Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil Membership, actually “Common German Vehicle Membership”) labored. It prioritized drivers aged 15 or older with no worldwide racing expertise aside from karting.

The Components BMW program is touted by BMW as being “excess of merely a step up from karting.” Components BMW gave drivers entry to distinctive schooling alternatives that different junior racing collection didn’t. A bodily health coach, PR coaching and entry to manufacturing facility drivers and F1 bosses made Components BMW stand out. An actual paddock — full with a hospitality tent for socialization, consuming, and entertaining — gave Components BMW an much more genuine really feel. “It actually set a brand new benchmark when it comes to what a junior race collection may present,” Alex Schmuck, who was Components BMW USA Motorsport Supervisor.

Crossing the Pond

After two years, BMW started eying the UK and US markets. Components BMW USA turned a factor, debuting on the Lengthy Seashore Grand Prix on April 13, 2003. This system represented a possibility for youthful drivers to get behind the wheel of one thing extra akin to an actual F1 automotive, as BMW’s ADAC rides pushed the boundaries for the category. Carbon-Kevlar and composite tubs had been used together with a Motorsport-derived seat. Weighing simply over 1,000 kilos, the 140-horsepower four-cylinder motorbike engine mounted behind the motive force was greater than sufficient for motivation. However, after all, these developments got here at a value. BMW themselves estimated prices for a typical driver to be round $200,000 per race season, considerably greater than different junior race collection.

Whereas a troublesome promote, BMW did handle to snag some huge fish. Bobby Rahal, who doubtless wants no introduction, and Tom Milner, who ran a factory-backed M3 within the American Le Mans Collection, had been onboarded, which could have cajoled different smaller groups to become involved. Additional blessings got here from a sanctioning take care of Championship Auto Racing Groups, or CART, the then-leaders of open-wheel racing. Even Roger Penske and Rick Hendrick, dealership and race group homeowners, bought concerned, buying vehicles however permitting BMW to select the motive force.

Components BMW’s Finish

From the collection debut at Lime Rock in 2004 till the ultimate races of the collection in 2009 — when it was then referred to as Components BMW Americas to point the inclusion of a brand new race weekend added in Mexico — Components BMW formed a era of F1 drivers and hopefuls. All races finally led to a world collection that pit the very best from in every single place in opposition to one another. Winners bought to check out a full-fledged F1 automotive.

This system developed a number of drivers that later ended up on the F1 grid, together with Nico Rosberg, a future F1 world champion, and Ho-Pin Tung who raced with each Williams and Sauber BMW groups. In the end, 2009 noticed the tip of Components BMW as the worldwide recession worsened and BMW pulled out of all Components One efforts.