BMW has admitted for the first time that it is considering an entry into the MotoGP World Championship when the sport introduces its next wave of regulation changes.
Rumours about the German manufacturer joining the likes of Ducati, Honda and Aprilia in the coming years surfaced in recent weeks following an overhaul of its management structure.
Earlier this month it announced that BMW M Motorsport boss Sven Blusch - who engineered the firm’s Formula E entry and Le Mans 24 Hours return - was moving over to oversee the BMW Motorrad Motorsport division, with erstwhile boss Marc Bongers focusing on its current WorldSBK efforts.
Raising speculation that this is part of a wider plan to develop a new MotoGP machine, Head of BMW Motorrad Markus Flasch told Motorsport.com that it is indeed evaluating a move into the premier class.
“2027 could be the perfect time to get involved in MotoGP as this is when a new regulation will be introduced,” he said. "We are in contact with Dorna and we are talking about the regulations.
“It is part of our evaluation. The 2027 season would be an obvious time to start. But that does not pressure us to make a decision.”
BMW - which has a relationship with MotoGP via its supply of official safety and medical cars - has long been courted by Dorna to join the field as a racing entry.
But while BMW has repeatedly brushed off suggestions it could enter, the change in management structure could have an effect on its future plans.
"The key to a decision is to convince people of the idea. A strategic analysis is necessary. Financing is just one aspect. Branding is another. If the analysis is convincing and has internal support, the decision does not depend on who is the CEO of BMW Motorrad.”
"The most important aspect is the brand. MotoGP is about the brand and the global reach. That is why companies participate. Technology transfer is another aspect, but it is only the second most important point.”
Though BMW hasn’t competed during the modern era of MotoGP, it has raced in WorldSBK since 2010. It recently achieved its first wins in the WorldSBK class since 2021 with Toprak Razgatlioglu achieving the double at Catalunya.
