BMW and WilliamsF1 became partners in September 1997, signing an agreement initially for five years (2000-2004). With the agreement, WilliamsF1 will build the year 2000 car, the FW22, at its headquarters in Grove, England. BMW is to build the V10 powerplant for the vehicle at its Formula One plant in Munich, Germany.

BMW's Formula One plant is directly adjacent to the BMW FIZ Research and Development Center. Engine development, assembly, testing, quality assurance, and logistics will be carried out at the plant. The facility will employ the use of highly dynamic test rigs that can subject vehicle components, such as the crankshaft, to exactly the same loading and running conditions seen by the vehicle on the race track.

The company also develops and builds its own engine electronics. The engineers behind the development of the V10's electronics come from the same team responsible for the engine management systems in the BMW M3 and M5. "This guarantees a consistent flow of information back into series development, which we see as very important," said Dr. Mario Theissen, BMW Director of Motorsports.

The return to Formula One racing has also refueled BMW's search for newer materials. "In Formula One, we are using materials that are only applied in the aerospace industry," said Theissen. "They have not been tried in automotive applications. They are exotic and simply too expensive for a standard production car. The Materials Development and Testing Division at the FIZ Research Center supports us consistently in analyzing and evaluating suitable materials."

However, Theissen does add that production vehicle development derives some benefits for Formula One applications of exotic materials. By the successful implementation of these materials in motorsports, they become less exotic and are less expensive. "They become very interesting for automobile components subject to substantial loads like the valve drive on a regular production car," he said.

BMW and WilliamsF1 recently conducted tests on their vehicle, with the focus being on the electronic setup and the reliability of the new engine. The only anomaly that occurred was a signal from the oil-pressure-control system. This engine was removed from the vehicle and sent back to the BMW plant in Munich for further analysis. The remainder of the testing was completed as expected.

Engines eligible for Formula One racing are four-stroke engines with a maximum capacity of 3.0 L, 10 cylinders, and not more than five valves per cylinder. Turbines, rotary-piston engines, or turbocharging are not allowed. Exhaust systems of variable length, oval pistons, and energy storage/back-up systems supporting the engine in its operation are also banned. Formula One engines also feature a program to prevent the engine from stalling, particularly when the driver spins the car. The program must also ensure that the engine is switched off within 10 s if the driver is unable to return the car to normal driving mode.

The drive system is limited to two wheels; automatic or infinitely variable transmissions are not permitted. All cars must have a reverse gear, and the driver must be required to activate each gearshift individually, with the number of gears ranging from four to seven.

Frank Bokulich

AEI March 2000