The 2023 Portuguese Grand Prix, which takes place from the 24th to the 26th of March, marks the start of an anniversary season for BMW M – its 25th season as Official Car of MotoGP™. The close partnership with MotoGP™ rights holder Dorna Sports dates back to 1999, and the start of the anniversary season in Portugal will see the new BMW M safety car make its debut. The new BMW M2 MotoGP™ safety car is based on the new BMW M2* which made its world premiere in October.
Franciscus van Meel, CEO of BMW M GmbH: “2023 is our 25th season as Official Car of MotoGP – a long-standing, close partnership like this is special in international racing. We would like to thank Dorna Sports for the great trust they have placed in us for a quarter of a century now. Since 1999 we have been striving to incorporate our values such as innovation, technology, emotion, and passion into our partnership with Dorna Sports as well. Our new BMW M2 MotoGP safety car is just one example of this. With it we are continuing our tradition of putting the latest BMW M high-performance automobiles at the service of MotoGP safety. Be it the safety car fleet, the BMW M Award, or our many other activities in the top level of motorcycle racing – we are proud that Fascination M has become an important part of the MotoGP.”
Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports: “We are delighted to be joining BMW M in celebrating the 25th anniversary season of our partnership in 2023. In BMW M we have had a strong partner at our side for a quarter of a century; a partner with whom we have enjoyed superb collaboration in many different areas. We are very proud of this long-standing partnership that is never at a standstill, it gives plenty of fresh momentum each year. With the most innovative technologies, BMW M is taking care of safety in our sport for the 25th year now, and is a firm fixture in the MotoGP paddock with a wide range of activities. Here’s to a fantastic anniversary season in 2023!”
The new BMW M2 impresses with the traditional characteristics of a high-performance sports car – in a concentrated form and with state-of-the-art technology. With its compact dimensions and the 460 hp TwinPower turbo in-line 6-cylinder engine, the new BMW M2 is the perfect basis for a BMW M safety car. The BMW M2 was kitted out with various safety car elements for its deployment on MotoGP™ racetracks. These elements include a roll bar, RECARO seats, 6-point racing harness, a fire extinguisher, the safety car roof bar, and the matching front light. Several M Performance parts, such as exhaust system, chassis, carbon wing mirror covers, diffusor, and rear wing have also been installed. The BMW M2 MotoGP™ safety car will have the standard BMW M safety car livery. In addition to the new BMW M2 MotoGP™ safety car, the safety car fleet of 2023 also includes many other BMW M safety, medical and official cars, as well as BMW M 1000 RR safety bikes.