Stepping up – BMW’s independent teams

With BMW confirming there will be no works effort, BMW’s representation in the championship next year will be solely with the independent teams.

We look at the teams which are likely to take up the challenge.

The independent teams are all able to purchase a conversion kit to change their BMW 320si’s, introduced in 2006, to what BMW are now designating the BMW 320 TC – which contrastingly for the marque’s car identification system, is a 3-series with a 1.6 litre turbo engine.

The Yokohama Independents’ trophy winners Scuderia Proteam Motorsport have been in the WTCC since it was created in 2005, and has won the drivers’ trophy twice with Sergio Hernández in 2008 and 2010.

Proteam rann the latest specification 320si this year, which actually hampered the Italian team as it was then subject to the same weight penalties as the works BMW team as a result.

The team have the capability to run three to four cars, often running additional cars for sponsored drivers.

Though Hernández has made no secret of wanting to return to a works seat, and if SEAT do make a full return his nationality to make him a good candidate, he may have to settle with Proteam, where he has had two very strong seasons, whilst team-mate D’Aste is set to move elsewhere.

Wiechers-Sport could also expand to a two car outfit, and could welcome back Stefano D’Aste, who has a habit of jumping between the Italian Proteam and German Wiechers-Sport team every other season.

The team graduated from the German ADAC Procar S2000 touring car championship to the WTCC in 2005.

Wiechers-Sport also won the independents’ title in their first season with Marc Hennerici. Moroccan Mehdi Bennani is also set to stay on board after finishing fifth in the independents’ trophy in his first full WTCC season.

Liqui-Moly Team Engstler have always maintained a strong relationship with BMW, winning multiple titles in the Asian Touring Car and ADAC Procar series for BMW before joining the WTCC full-time in 2008.

Kristian Poulsen, after a strong season with his own team could be set to rejoin the outfit he drove for in 2009, already scheduled to pair up with Engstler for the Dubai 24 hours endurance race in January.

Giant killers West Surrey Racing are also believed to be set to become a full-time entry in 2011 once they finalise their sponsorship arrangements. Colin Turkington will most certainly drive for the team, with a second seat at WSR likely to the hottest seat for anyone wanting to race a BMW in the WTCC next season.

The final piece of the puzzle is what will become of former works team Racing Bart Mampaey.

RBM joined the WTCC’s predecessor, the European Touring Car Championship in 2002 as BMW Team Belgium, and has competed ever since, with Priaulx driving for the team for the following eight seasons, winning the championship four times.

BMW Motorsport have effectively cut RBM loose as a works outfit in 2011, so it remains to be seen whether RBM continues as an independent team.