During the early post-war years, private BMW racing cars based on the pre-war 328 chassis entered the 1952 and 1953 German Grands Prix. Because the championship was then run to Formula Two regulations, BMW-derived cars from companies such as Veritas and Alex von Falkenhausen Motorenbau (AFM) also made occasional appearances between 1951 and 1953. One modified 328 featured a rear-engine design, a configuration that would later become the Formula One standard.
In the 1960s, BMW utilized the concurrent running of Formula Two and Formula One races at the German Grand Prix to enter F2 machinery. In 1968, Hubert Hahne finished tenth in a Lola-BMW, marking the brand's best result of that era. A 1969 factory entry with three 269 F2 chassis was withdrawn following the fatal practice accident of driver Gerhard Mitter.
In 1980, BMW announced a turbocharged engine programme based on the M10 four-cylinder unit. Initial discussions for a 1980 campaign were held with Niki Lauda and McLaren, but the BMW board denied the request. Following a successful protest by Paul Rosche and Dieter Stappert, who argued that an engine derived from a production unit offered significant marketing value, BMW committed to a works deal with Brabham.
The resulting M12/13 engine debuted in the Brabham BT50 in 1982. Although early reliability was poor, Nelson Piquet secured BMW's first victory at the 1982 Canadian Grand Prix. In 1983, Piquet won the Drivers' Championship in the Brabham BT52. BMW expanded its supply to ATS (1983–1984), Arrows (1984–1988), Benetton (1986), and Ligier (1987). While Benetton achieved a win at the 1986 Mexican Grand Prix, Brabham's form declined with the radical "low-line" BT55 in 1986. By 1987, BMW's official backing was limited to Brabham, while Arrows and Ligier used the engines rebadged as "Megatrons." The M12/13 became obsolete when turbochargers were banned for the 1989 season.
BMW returned to Formula One in 2000 through an exclusive partnership with Williams. The new V10 engine, debuting in the FW22, helped Williams finish third in the Constructors' Championship in its first year. Between 2001 and 2003, the partnership was highly competitive; Juan Pablo Montoya and Ralf Schumacher secured several victories, and Montoya remained a title contender until the penultimate round of 2003.
However, the championship remained elusive as Ferrari dominated the era. By 2004, the relationship between BMW and Williams began to deteriorate. BMW leadership believed the engine was capable of winning titles but was being hindered by the Williams chassis. When Frank Williams refused to sell the team to BMW, the manufacturer opted to purchase the Sauber team to form its own works entry.
BMW Sauber operated from 2006 to 2009, based in Hinwil, Switzerland, and Munich, Germany. In its debut season, the team finished fifth in the standings, with Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica both securing podium finishes. The 2007 season saw the team rise to second in the Constructors' Championship following McLaren's disqualification.
In 2008, Robert Kubica achieved the team's sole victory at the Canadian Grand Prix, leading a one-two finish for the marque. Although Kubica led the Drivers' Championship after this win, the team shifted its focus toward the 2009 car, and its competitive form declined. The 2009 F1.09 proved uncompetitive, and amid the global financial recession and frustration with technical regulations, BMW withdrew from the sport at the end of the year, selling the team back to Peter Sauber.