How BMW won Le Mans, and why they never went back

BMW’s motorsport division, know rather un-imaginatively as BMW Motorsport, has never been a stranger to Le Mans. But there’s no participation prizes at Le Mans, so how did BMW write themselves into the history books?
BMW cars have been seen racing sporadically in Sarthe since 1939, and many claimed class wins. But these were always modified road cars, the equivalent of today’s GTE (in which BMW raced in 2018 and 2019), and so overall victory appeared allusive for the German marque. By the late 90s however, enough was enough, this is the story of the BMW V12 LMR.
#racing #car #bmw #lemans #classic #90s

[@rbmtopgear7682]

Reliabilty issues for Merc on that one was an understatement lol more like aero and gravity issues

[@ohiopower]

I laughed my ass off when that came up.

[@mclarenf1gtr99]

Houston we have a problem...

[@macsmith2013]

"fly like an eagle" lol Fortunally, noone got hurt in those spectacular flights.

[@kodato92]

Mark Webber loves the clk gtr

[@tobiasvolk366]

@@kodato92 he loves the clk gtr to the moon and back

[@ImInLoveWithBulla]

Imagine going back in time to the 90s and telling Williams that they will be crushed into obscurity by an energy drink. “What the hell is an energy drink?!”

[@bestopinion9257]

It is about one man, Newey. He made Williams, McLaren Mercedes and RBR great.

[@mineralwater6736]

they were getting slapped around by ferrari and merc before rb.

[@matthewmillar3804]

I thought they met obscurity when the owners pushed Adrian Newie out of the team.

[@theiceman7590]

​@@matthewmillar3804Nah they fell into obscurity after BMW split ways.

[@Christoffski]

Williams decided to stop developing a car that was competing for a championship to focus on the next years car as it had already hit its performance target. The new car wasn't competitive and Williams never truly recovered.

[@yousseffarid6830]

Another wonderful video, It's truly incomprehensible how underrated your channel is.

[@automobilistic]

Thank you :) I really appreciate it!

[@gregsalter]

Was blessed to be able to photograph the great battle between the LMR and the Panoz LMP-1 at the 1999 Portland ALMS race for a magazine that doesn't exist anymore. Having the two rounding the final turn 12 nose-to-tail, lap after lap, rear-engined German V12 versus the front-engined American V8 monster was glorious, and the crowd just loved it. Maybe my favorite sports car race of all time, simply because these two TOTALLY different cars just took it to each other all day long, with the Panoz taking victory in the end.

[@silentqueue2344]

I was there and totally concur. Terrific race and even better noise from those cars; completely different sounds but each so compelling though I admit to preferring the LMR, especially as it drones on down a straight. I watched and did an audio recording from the stands right at the exit of turn 12 for what I remember was a practice session.

[@endgamerplays]

Can’t wait for them to join IMSA and the WEC in the next two years!

[@kinger41]

Same, I'm gonna root my heart out for them!

[@kilosera]

5-ish minutes stories like this are perfect for coffee breaks. I love your storytelling too. Good job!

[@MakeYourVision]

Really love BNW V12 and background music from GT2

[@SanchoSEdgar]

"...Williams F1 Team who, at the time, were no joke..."

[@grandicellichannel]

And I've really appreceated the part in which you explained why it never came back after the 1998 run and the successful 1999 edition. As a Le Mans fanatic and an "historian" of the Greatest Race in the World I always love the little known facts and obviosely even more the ones that I've never heard before! 😁👍 Great Job!

[@LinusTheTrain]

Love how you play classic gran Trismo music in the background. Great video

[@jimmy5353]

BMW has one of the strangest decision making abilities since 1999. Williams-BMW, BMW-Sauber, BMW-Sauber giving up 2008 season development, quitting F1, latest M8 Le Mans project, also their DTM comings and goings...

[@bzilla1090]

This was quite an era for BMW, the McLaren F1 success with BMW power, the return to F1 and having the most powerful engine on the grid, and the V12 LMR.

[@notomatoesbbq]

You have a criminally underrated channel for motorsports fans I cannot wait to see your channel grow. Keep up the great work!

[@BOABModels]

I hadn't realised Williams had supported BMW with this car - I knew they were behind the dominant Renault BTCC team in the late '90s though. Great video.

[@dantton1987]

I was barely listening to the incredible voiceover, just because the GT2 soundtrack on the background was making me cry of nostalgia

[@plantfeeder6677]

One of my favorites in GT6. An absolute dream to drive. Especially in driver's view. Last of the open cockpit "Can-Am" legends.

[@chrishamilton2559]

Just curious, wasn't CanAm officially dissolved in the 70's? And if by that you mean open cockpit, does the AUDI dominance not count?

[@fronttowardenemy7972]

So many of those cars were works of art the Toyota, McLaren, BMW. The styling looks better than most current models on the track today!

[@mmartel]

Your content is so fantastic! I love your storytelling about these amazing cars, teams, drivers, and race drama. Thank you! The late 90s were such an amazing time for motorsports.

[@automobilistic]

Thanks!! Really glad you're enjoying the videos! Plenty more on the way

[@AdrianGomez-cl6gc]

Great videos! Music gives a Gran Turismo feel to it. Keep it up!

[@GodKing804]

Damn these channel/videos deserve more views

[@tangerinedream7211]

Saw the M8 s in GTE pro at the Sarthe, absolute tanks that sounded awful. When the FIA hijacked the BPR series it immediately became a performance war once Porsche introduced the 1996 GT 1, the later Mercs were fast but airborne, the Toyota's fast but consumed gearboxes at an alarming rate, the Audi and wily old Reinhold Joest analysed the race, then suprise surprise came to the conclusion that it's best to have very little time in the pits. The resulting A8 was a masterpiece of engineering and quick change components. I've only missed attending 6 Le man's since 1984, so I'm really looking forward to the battles in Lmdh and Hypercar next year

[@andrehooker3229]

The funny thing about this race is as a teen I literally recorded this race on a VHS tape and I still have it till this day. I literally only recorded it because I'm a Viper fan and Vipers won the GT2 class over Porsche GT2's and the Corvette C5-R's 😁 J J. Leghto was not playing in that BMW LMR V12

[@TheMrFishnDucks]

Fantastic video. Very informative and entertaining. Really helpful as I'm trying to get into WEC. Keep up the good work.

[@grandicellichannel]

Woaahh I waited so long for a video about the incredible Late 90s Le Mans' Era... and you had not disappointed me as always! Chapeau! 👍😊

[@automobilistic]

Thanks! Really glad you enjoyed the video!

[@Cobblepot101]

Don’t ever give up on this channel !! I luv its Motorsport content so much, thank you !!

[@automobilistic]

Plenty more on the way!

[@sleazymeezy]

Man your videos are so good. Great voice over, well paced and informative. Top teir. No wonder you gained 9k subs since I subbed yesterday

[@davidpistek6241]

All the awesome cars I remember from earlier are on this channel 'well narrated with great footage 'thanks again

[@07hawkeyeftw]

As much as the Toyota GT1 had been mentioned in a few videos now, when will we get a bio video on it? Love this format and old school video clips

[@demetridemet5169]

Third video I watched in a row, and I didn’t check the views!!! Wow man you’re super underrated

[@ramadhanisme7]

That v12 sounds godly

[@ATomRileyA]

Just found tour channel, some great content subscribed :)

[@beniciocaro4772]

Love these videos! Hope your channel grows exponentially!

[@automobilistic]

Thanks! glad you're enjoying the channel

[@Gangstaskater76650]

O M G First attack ost ! NICE MATE NICE !

[@timo3529]

Gran turismo nostalgia from the backround music😎🎮

[@shelbysolko7783]

During the endurance Mercedes-Benz had that Aerodynamic problem that caused their cars to lift off the ground and blow over 360 degrees just like those F1 U.I.M. powerboats on the water.

[@BrotherJP333SP]

BMW Motorsport and Mercedes-Benz AMG built some of the all-time great V12 engines in sports car racing history. The Germans had the edge over the competition in that department during that period.

[@db-mp2of]

That Beemer sounded like an F1, for 24hrs, they drove the snot out of it the entire time

[@leejuseop3693]

probably the best car history channel

[@steven_gd]

I love that your using gran turismo music

[@frygengrau823]

Ayeee congrats on the 1k milestone man! Honestly, you deserve it for the quality of your videos!

[@automobilistic]

Thanks! Really appreciate it :)

[@richardphile1011]

Love the gran turismo music!!

[@spice3767]

I was lead Williams mechanic on the car...........it was crazy crazy hours and stress, most due to bmw........but we got the win.........Williams built a fantastic car

[@spice3767]

@UwU why such …..a…..silly….reply……

[@MiguelGarcia-vj7oo]

​@@spice3767 honest question, how was bmw difficult? Did you meet and interact with Paul Roache and Charlie Lam? I know Charlie was a good dude, Paul being the engine master I've always wondered if he was interesting in behavior?. Genuinely curious thanks.

[@spice3767]

@@MiguelGarcia-vj7oo Yha Charlie was good, didn’t meet Paul but obviously a very talented man, but think it was the overall difference in management between Williams and BMW didn’t gel, we had a very good 98 car and they wanted it changed as it didn’t fit the bmw look….we never got back to the performance of the first car and failed badly in 98, we was doing 100+ hour weeks for month, Williams told them in 99 give us the motor and leave rest to us, the motor was the I was told the weakest part of the package, I remember kristenson saying the Toyota wound pull a car length every gear change, but we could run another lap with the fuel. Bmw stuffed everyone before the 99 race, we was told we had no job on the shake down before the race, so everyone worked so very very very hard, had big issues with amount if hours and pressure, health etc and they pull out before the race, so that was nice of them. We thought it was a 1 car team, as the lead car was very strong, but the “second” car did the business and put in a great effort, was a good way to put 2 fingers upto bmw apparently they said they didn’t think we could win…🫣

[@ZedNinetySix_]

Another ultra professional video! My wife loves your videos!

[@automobilistic]

Thanks! :)

[@mdtxtdi]

in those days there was a war between NA and turbo/twin turbo engines, which wrote a wonderful history in world motorsport, it would be a dream to see BMW again in the WEC, who knows even dreaming of a new category of aspirated cars within the concepts of Le Mans

[@francescoruggeri518]

Great video

[@automobilistic]

Thanks! :)

[@bestopinion9257]

That was the revenge of that V12 BMW engine that was throw away from McLaren F1 to make a mole car for developing Mercedes CLK GTR. Well, that V12 BMW engine won LM two times and CLK GTR, CLR never.

[@lemans_news_and_stories]

Although I think BMW was incredibly lucky to win it would have changed so much of todays endurance racing if they stayed. Probably winning the next two LM also, creating a real three way battle with Audi and Bentley (would they have appeared then?) (And Cadillac). No boring years of dominace. ALMS would have been upgradet to a WEC kind maybe.

[@Ardonn]

Very likely.. Motorsport is all about money and knowing who to hire, BMW has alot more money than Audi. Even if Audi is in the VW group, they won't be handed the amount of money that BMW potentially can spend. BMW and Mercedes are both in the top 4 richest car brands in the world, very impressive considering that they are luxury brands.

[@w0nd3r6]

@6:20 Audi R8R Team Joest if they only knew what the R8 race car would become in 2000 and how dominate team joest would be since 2000 yeah bmw had no chance against the 2000 R8 race car.

[@daniel18gamerdw]

Both sings I've heard so far I know from Gran Turismo 1, 2 and 3

[@recorderknight1559]

found you from this video congrats on the sub!

[@automobilistic]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed :)

[@indopleaser]

nice video. similar to adrian milard KZbin “story time”. wish i had started watching motorsports when i was young

[@CuriousPug12]

one of the prettiest Le Mans prototype car

[@mcgusto82]

Like some else said the perfect time length. Quick poop break video. Make more please. I poop a lot. 😅

[@luisrosmaninho1948]

Gostei muito dessa vitória era um carro muito leve.

[@jasminhamzic6978]

@countreefus After 16 hours of driving, BMW has a convincing first and second place, only in third place is Toyota with 4 rounds less. If the first BMW had not failed, the victory would have been outclassing the competition.

[@gountzas]

Gran Turismo elevator music ❤️

[@adrielquiroga7901]

"There no participation prizes in Sarthe" Lister Storm: hold my transmission fluid

[@filiplux4207]

The flying merc💀

[@tomsanders9106]

Got to have a little pause before ‘in the world’ 😏

[@sergiogiacomosammartano7623]

MMMM... I'm not sure Mark Webber would call "that" a reliability issue... 🤣

[@RefreshingCanOfCoke]

Looks like they're going for the overall win again now with their new hypercar! Yeah I know, this comment is a bit late.

[@Romulus1001]

Please make a video on the Nissan Deltawing and Nissan GTR LM Nismo 😬

[@automobilistic]

Both are on the list, so stay tuned!

[@Bendyboy_eso]

5:37 yeet!!!

[@philippruest5577]

The Toyota set for the 1999 LM 24h win blew a tyre after being pushed beyomd the kerbs by the 2nd BMW.

[@TheInkPitOx]

JJ Lehto. I haven't heard that name in a long time.

[@Kierenstanden-qz7eu]

Just think porsche Carrera GT V10 engine was ment for there lMP900 entry but they binned it. Imagine the sound of that

[@scoutbloodinthewater9210]

Back in the 90s where williams wasnt a joke, now its a joke basically😭😭

[@yung_noluv9838]

Atleast in IMSA im rdy to see

[@bruce_wayne1478]

"Reliability issues" im dead 💀💀💀

[@caribman10]

More should be told about Gerhard Berger.

[@alexshank1414]

*stuck throttle* meaning I f**k’d up.

[@ooohhenrybmblm]

BMW loves reinterpreting the rules, don't they? That's why we have the likes of the LMR and the M3 GTR. 😈

[@Heavywall70]

I miss open cockpits.

[@kevingame3198]

Bmw is will return at le mans with its redesigned look as a lmdh hypercar

[@denizf1641]

lets hope for next year, that bmw will win in hypercar class

[@jonelson1983]

Pause for breath a bit more......it'd make it more pleasant to listen to

[@15DEAN1995]

the toyota gt one is one of my favorite race cars of all time but the bmw v12 lmr is a legend in its own right. while i wish that toyota was better remembered in history, you cant do much about getting unlucky.

[@Christoffski]

It inspired the LMP1's and LMP2'S so it left a bigger legacy for me.

[@noobsaibot7006]

Bmw v12 lmr is underrated and did not get the respect it deserves because it was overshadowed by Mercedes and Toyota. Toyota fanboys also get triggered when mentioning this car as they believe they deserved it. In Lemans there is no such thing as deserved if your car cant run 24 hours maybe your car is just not worthy to win end of story. I love the Toyota Gtone of course but I dont like its mindless fanboys.

[@erwickmichael7622]

what about bgm name?i know them in gran turismo🤔

[@noobsaibot7006]

Ferrari, Mercedes-Sauber, Bmw-Williams and Mclaren all have lemans wins under their belts. This must be eating up redbull.

[@exiles299]

well now they're going back to LM with the new hypercar

[@porsche.963]

Well yea merc had reliability issues of being a car not a plane

[@welcometofranknomenal5312]

Such brautiful cars. MAGNIFIQUE!

[@xCNapo]

i was there. you should have mentioned that the toyotas were significantly faster, but bmws stops (even just for refueling) were MUCH shorter keeping them close. it wasnt only reliability.

[@pmjbacon]

Car actually built and raced by Williams GP at their best...

[@superfast30]

///M Power

[@Andrew-vx2ls]

There are some rather important points missing... Firstly, if my memory serves me right; BMW and Williams worked out correctly, that they could only defeat Toyota by better fuel management - gaining an extra lap or two per stint. Let's not forget that the Toyota was fundamentally the better car. Secondly, the rules at LM frequently change and last years winning combination is not always the right solution for the following years. A clunky road derived BMW V12 6 litre engine with an uncompetitive inlet size was déjà vu. To continue BMW would have had to make a major engine investment.

[@number1Schumacherfan]

You sound like a bitter Toyota fan. It’s an endurance race at the end of the day and often times as the saying goes “To finish first, first you must finish” It is fundamentally in this manner that so many ‘slower or underpowered’ Porsches won class victories at Le Mans vs the much higher powered Ferrari’s etc. Toyota has only ever won to this day at Le Mans during periods where no other major automakers have been present. Indeed, Porsche left after the end of the 919 Hybrid domination and only then was Toyota able to win the outright victory… though very hollow in mine and others opinions….

[@Andrew-vx2ls]

@@number1Schumacherfan Agreed that hollow victories are uninteresting. There have been far too many in the last 25 years. I'm a car fan and like engineering: go and have a closer look when you can at that Toyota.

[@MiguelGarcia-vj7oo]

@@Andrew-vx2ls I hope you don't over hype the win of the Mazda 787b because... Because it too was a lucky win with the losing car being the better racer..... Then you would be a hypocrite......

[@Andrew-vx2ls]

@@MiguelGarcia-vj7oo Have a look at the context each time. I attended these races. What has Mazda even got to do with this subject?

[@jesusserrano8769]

The BMW had a small contact with the toyota that Was What caused the puncture

[@luisenriqueperezperez3193]

"Unfortunately for them, they faced a new rival in the DOMINANT Audi R8 LMP, you can watch my video on the Audi R8 LMP and its battle with the legendary Bentley Speed 8 here" NO. For Christ sake I've watched 5 videos of you in a row because of this type of outro, STOP MAKING ME ADDICTED TO THIS CHANNEL FOR FUCKS SAKE.

[@automobilistic]

hahahaha my apologies - I will do it again

[@deeacosta2734]

BMW motorsport history is so wonky.

[@MiguelGarcia-vj7oo]

Explain? the early years were pretty consistent.... 2002 was pretty competitive, le mans win, touring car success, first two nurburing wins. European wrc champion, handicapped in the US trans am series. 3.0 CSL dominated touring car, successful in group 5 GT endurance, 6 series successful. E30 M3 dominated the world, E36 was successful, McLaren F1 was successful. The only time things got weird or wonky, would be the development of the M1 and the IMSA March M12 powered prototypes.

[@mikehunt9894]

But now,, they coming back.... lol

[@jdapaul1351]

Is it safe to say that BMW's win in that year a case of mere luck? If Toyota didn't have a tire blowout, they would've won. But, a win is a win, and credit where it's due.

[@jefferywilson908]

+ ?

[@rooramblingon895]

They won by luck. It happens...but cannot be replicated.

[@automobilistic]

I don't think its fair to put it all down to luck. A 24hr endurance race is not the kind of thing that happens by accident - there was luck involved, but BMW created a solid foundation on which to capitalise on the luck they got imo

[@ji3946]

no car company gets involved in racing unless it makes financial sense in advertising payoff. MB is in F1 because it's actually a cheap ad

[@romb1818]

They won cause they had luck. Other teams abandoned. Otherwise, by sheer performance, they wouldn't have any chance. Period. In F1, they didn't manage to win any championship. They won't comeback, because BMW can't win and they know that. So they think it is useless to spend money as long as the won't win. P.S. I didn't even watch the video. It is just my point of view, as a Decades LeMans fan. I saw the race live.

[@MiguelGarcia-vj7oo]

They did win a championship, won driver's championship in 1983 with the iconic M12 engine.....

[@romb1818]

@@MiguelGarcia-vj7oo Driver's championship is Not Relevant for Manufactuer. That's why there is a MANUFACTURER Championship. And, anyway... For such a renowned Manufacturer, it had to win Multiple championships, like Audi win more than a Decade at LeMans. One time is ONLY LUCK. 👎

[@chiefdenis]

How BMW won LeMans = there was no Mercedes. 😌

[@khaosking2937]

And the gt1 blowout

[@andyscrumifi]

Well, they were leading before Mercs or Toyotas retired

[@chiefdenis]

@@andyscrumifi lol, i was just joking because mercedes were so dominant in that era

[@khaosking2937]

@@andyscrumifi the GT1 was definitely gaining tho

[@blackmondayy1]

So not only that Bmw didn't even build their own car ( it was Williams ) but they only won cause of bad luck of the Toyota GT1 ... Bmw are not in the same league as Audi, Mercedes or Porsche ..

[@MiguelGarcia-vj7oo]

To be fair BMW has mostly focused their motorsport efforts in touring car and as of now they are the most successful... E30 m3 most successful racecar besides the 935/935k3......... The 3.0 CSL, 2002, 6 series, E36, are all examples of their focus in touring car. Second BMW has always been a engine supplier.... From 80s Brabham, March prototypess, McLaren F1 they've never developed a chassis inhouse for Formula 1 and sports endurance.....

[@lamarw9901]

To finish 1st, first you must finish. Toyota at that time was one of many that could win 12 or 18 hours but not 24. To be fair many Factories have subcontracted to race teams or chassis builders. Sauber Mercedes, Dallara Ferrari 333SP, TWR Jaguar.

[@alessiogiovannoli1913]

So basically they raced a williams, who exploited a loophole, and even so only won because toyota had a tyre failure. Meh