Thiessen continues as BMW Motorsport Director

Dr. Mario Thiessen will be continuing as the director for BMW Motorsport for at least another two years, as BMW continue with their new programme, after shutting down F1 last year.

BMW’s motorsport programme has primarily revolved around Formula 1 and the World Touring Car Championship for the past decade, with only a moderate GT programme in existance – but now as BMW have wound down it’s Formula 1 operation, selling it’s F1 team back to Peter Sauber, a clearer focus on GT level racing has taken precedence at BMW.

Dr. Mario Thiessen is now confirmed to lead that programme for at least another two years, as BMW Motorsport focus on sportscar championships such as the Le Mans Series & ALMS, as well as the WTCC & now are also looking to enter the DTM series in 2012 when the new rules package will be implemented.

The BMW M3 GT2 is in action this weekend with a field of drivers from both BMW’s sportscar and WTCC line-ups at the Nurburgring 24 hour race – and the M3 is the likely platform that BMW will take into the DTM.

Dr. Thiessen said:
“The planned return to the DTM is an exciting challenge for our team. Over the coming months we will be making all the necessary technical preparations that should allow us to be competitive right from the start should we join the series in 2012. Thanks to its great tradition in production car racing, the BMW M3 is predestined to be used as the basic car.”

For touring car racing, BMW is developing a car which conforms to the new FIA WTCC rules package, however the details of how BMW will compete are yet to be finalised, with BMW Motorsport saying:
“A new racing car is being developed as a successor to the current BMW 320si for the coming years. How the BMW involvement in the World Touring Car Championship will look beyond the 2010 season will be decided over the course of the year.”