Amazon documentary shows intensive technology transfer during BMW Formula E project

Before BMW i Andretti Motorsport enters its second season in the ABB FIA Formula E Championship on 22nd November, the team takes another look back. “Racing into the future: Formula E as a TechLab for the BMW Group” is the title of the new documentary on BMW i Motorsport’s Formula E project – from the test and development phase to the first win in the first race with the BMW iFE.18. The documentary, lasting just over 20 minutes, is available to view in Germany, Great Britain and the USA.

The film highlights the individual development steps of the drive train, car and team in detail. The focus is on the close transfer of technology between motorsport and BMW i production development, which sets and continues to set new standards in this form.

“The film shows impressively that the Formula E project is much more than just another race to us,” said BMW Group Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt, who also provides interesting insights into the project during the documentary. “For the BMW Group, Formula E is a TechLab for the development of future electric production drive trains. The collaboration between the motorsport and production departments is a cycle. The Formula E drive benefitted from the experience of the production engineers during development. In return, the BMW i engineers are able to make use of all the technical insights that we gain through extreme use in Formula E. In spite of all the joy over sporting successes on the racetrack, this is the most important aspect of the Formula E project for us.”

Numerous protagonists who played crucial roles in the development process have their say. These include the BMW i engineers who developed and manufactured the drive train of the Formula E car in collaboration with the BMW Motorsport engineers in the same factories in which the BMW i series production drive is also produced. Their statements and images of their work emphasise just how closely intertwined motorsport and production development are in the Formula E project.