FORMULA BMW EUROPE TO LAUNCH IN 2008

Formula BMW Germany and Formula BMW UK Championship will team up.

Munich/Bracknell, 28 June, 2007. BMW is taking its junior talent promotion
scheme to a new level. As from season 2008, the Formula BMW Germany and Formula
BMW UK championships will merge to create Formula BMW Europe. The new
championship will mainly be staged on the undercard of the FIA Formula One
World Championship.

"I am delighted to see Formula BMW substantially staking out its presence
within the framework of the FIA Formula One World Championship and establishing
itself as a strong and permanent feature of numerous Formula One race weekends.
For talented young drivers, Formula BMW represents the first step towards a
professional motor sport career that can take them via GP2 all the way up to
Formula One. A current tally of six team and test drivers in the 2007 Formula
One season bears impressive testimony of that", says Bernie Ecclestone.

BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen welcomes the upgrading of the series:
"For us Formula BMW Europe marks the next step in the internationally oriented
Formula BMW concept. Following the example of the Formula 3 Euro Series, two
strong championships will join forces to create an even stronger series. It
means we can offer drivers and teams a platform which, in this format, is a
first for any junior race series and which will allow them to profit from our
Formula One involvement. Starting with the 2008 season, our three Formula BMW
championships in Asia, North America and Europe will see us represented
internationally in all the key motor sport markets. Formula BMW Europe will
enable young drivers to get to know the major GP2 and Formula One circuits at
the earliest possible stage, along with the Formula One environment that will
be important to them later."

Formula BMW Europe will underpin and further develop the already strong
presence of its sister series at the Grand Prix events in Asia and North
America: It will comprise a maximum of eight race weekends, with most of the
events anticipated to be held during European Grands Prix. There are also plans
to stage a maximum of two race weekends within the framework of other
high-profile motor sport series.

A race weekend will consist of a free practice session (Friday), qualifying
(Saturday) and two races, one to take place on Saturday and the other on
Sunday. Each race lasts around 25 minutes. In line with the existing Formula
BMW series, the familiar junior talent sponsorship concept will be maintained
in Formula BMW Europe.

"Formula BMW offers talented young drivers more than just a racing car,"
explains Theissen, "In the Education and Coaching Program we have drawn up
specially for these drivers, they are taught everything they need to know to
assert themselves in the wider world of motor racing. Formula BMW has evolved
from a standing start to become the leading entry-level class of Formula racing
worldwide. We provide the young drivers with the requisite tools that will
enable them to work their way through to the higher Formula classes."

Background:
Formula BMW is the world's leading entry-level class in Formula racing. 2007
sees the series staged in Germany, Britain, Asia and the USA. Aspiring drivers
as young as 15 can enter the world of motor racing behind the wheel of the
standard, state-of-the-art FB02 vehicle. This season alone, more than 70
drivers from 30 nations and five continents are competing in the series
worldwide.

The race car has been lining up on the grid since the 2002 season and sets
standards above all in terms of safety. A monoposto powered by a 140 hp BMW
engine to a top speed of 230 km/h, the FB02 exceeds the safety standards
stipulated for its class by the international motor sport governing body, the
FIA. BMW Motorsport developed the FORS Formula One Rescue Seat specially for
Formula BMW, while the HANS safety system is also mandatory for all drivers.

Formula BMW is making four appearances in 2007 within the framework of a
Formula One event. All series offer a comprehensive Education and Coaching
Program as well as scholarships for promising young drivers. The best-known
graduates of this talent hothouse are Formula One drivers Ralf Schumacher,
Christian Klien, Timo Glock, Adrian Sutil, Nico Rosberg and Sebastian Vettel.

From November 24 to 26, 2006 the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo
Tormo hosted the second Formula BMW World Final. 37 young racing drivers from
the four regional Formula BMW series competed against each other with the
winner Christian Vietoris receiving a test drive with the BMW Sauber F1 Team.

Press contact:
BMW Corporate Affairs, Sports Communications
Ingo Lehbrink, Tel. +49 (0) 89 382-76003, Email: ingo.lehbrink@bmw.de

Copyright free Formula BMW images for press purposes are available. Please
register on www.formulabmw-images.com .