Strong partner on the ice track: BMW Group extends partnerships with the BSD, IBSF and FIL.

+++ BMW Group and the German Bobsleigh, Luge and Skeleton Federation (BSD) continue their long and successful technology partnership +++ BMW extends its involvement with the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation (IBSF) and International Luge Federation (FIL) +++ Technology transfer and presence at World Cup events and world championships +++

Munich. Bobsleigh, luge and skeleton will remain a central element in the BMW Group’s sporting activities in the future. The partnerships with the national and international federations have been extended at the start of the new Olympic cycle. Since the 1980s, the BMW Group has been working together with the German federation, the BSD, to optimise sports equipment. The technology partnership, which came into force in 2010, has now been extended until the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina (ITA). The company will also remain title partner of the BMW IBSF Bob & Skeleton World Cup and the BMW IBSF Bob & Skeleton World Championships, and main partner of the FIL World Cup, and the FIL Luge World and European Championships.

“Bobsleigh, luge and skeleton feature many aspects, which are of great importance to the BMW Group: technological and sporting challenges, innovation, efficiency as a core requirement and, not least, the interest that our customers show in winter sports. Given all this, we are delighted to continue to support attractive disciplines on the ice track over the coming years,” says Stefan Teuchert, Head of BMW Group Germany. “The diversified cooperation with the BSD enjoys a long tradition. With a clear focus on the coming Olympic Games, we will once again use innovations and technology transfer from car manufacturing to help add to the remarkable track record of the German athletes.”

The partnership between BMW and the BSD at technology level began roughly 40 years ago with aerodynamic improvements in the BMW wind tunnel, which still form part of the cooperation to this day. In sports that are decided by mere fractions of a second, every single little detail counts. With this in mind, the technology partnership has seen engineers from the BMW Group support the BSD on many different projects, such as the optimisation of runners, helmets, spikes, individual components and the racing line, using analysis, measurement and production methods from automotive development and production. For the 2022 Winter Olympics, BMW developed the world’s only bobsleigh simulator for the BSD in Munich. This allowed the drivers to get to know the unfamiliar Olympic track months ahead of the competition. With nine gold medals, six silver and one bronze, the BSD enjoyed historic success in Beijing.

“We are thrilled to be able to continue the long-term technology partnership with BMW. In these challenging and turbulent times, it is particularly important to have reliable partners with valuable expertise on your side,” says Alexander Resch, member of the board of management of the BSD.

Many athletes, trainers and BSD officials will also be underway in electrified BMW vehicles, as part of the partnership. BMW will also present these cars – above all the new, fully-electric BMW iX1 (combined power consumption, acc. WLTP: 18.1 – 16.8 kWh/100 km; CO2 emissions: 0 g/km) – at World Cup events and the bob, skeleton and luge world championships.

The 2022/23 BMW IBSF Bob & Skeleton World Cup kicks off on 24^th November in Whistler, Canada. The highlight of the season is the BMW IBSF Bob & Skeleton World Championships from 26^th January to 5^th February 2023 in St. Moritz (Switzerland). The new season starts on 3^rd December 2022 for the luge and skeleton athletes. Their world championships are a home event for the BSD and take place from 27^th to 29^th January 2023 in Oberhof (Germany).