BMW brought prior experience to the junior formula space, having supplied engines competitively in Formula Two and Formula Three during the 1970s. Its European F2 programme, running from 1973 to 1981, contributed to six drivers' titles through a partnership with March. The company then stepped back from junior categories until 1991, when it became engine supplier to the Formula ADAC championship in Germany — Christian Abt was its first champion in that series.
In 2001 BMW Motorsport substantially increased its involvement, redesigning the championship and commissioning a new chassis. The formula made its racing debut at Hockenheim in April 2002 under the continuing ADAC banner. Among the notable early entrants was Team Rosberg, founded by former Formula One world champion Keke Rosberg, which had been active in the German series since 1999. In the inaugural 2002 season, Keke's son Nico Rosberg won the championship as a rookie; Nico would go on to join Williams in Formula One by 2006.
Formula BMW was a strict control formula. A single chassis — designated the FB02 — was designed by BMW subsidiary DesignworksUSA in cooperation with French constructor Mygale, which was responsible for production. The tub was carbon-fibre composite built to FIA safety standards, with Kevlar composite bodywork. The car measured 3.975 m in length, placing it between a Formula Ford 1600 and a Formula Renault 2000 in size. Complete weight without fuel and driver was 455 kg.
The engine came from BMW's motorcycle division: a near-standard K1200RS unit in inline four-cylinder configuration, 1,171 cc displacement, producing 140 hp. Drive was through a single-plate clutch and a six-speed sequential Hewland gearbox. Engines were sealed against modification and serviced by Schnitzer Motorsport. Slick tyres and front and rear wings — the classic slicks-and-wings configuration — produced cornering speeds comparable to Formula Renault. Eligible drivers had to be at least fifteen years old and hold no international racing licence higher than FIA Grade C.
The German series was the founding championship and served as the flagship. The UK and German championships merged into a single pan-European series in 2008, which ran until the end of the 2010 season. BMW then replaced the regional series with the Formula BMW Talent Cup, which itself concluded after 2013.
A south-east Asian championship launched in 2003, initially under the management of Motorsport Asia Limited as a successor to Formula Asia, hosting events at circuits in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, China, Macau, and Singapore. It was renamed Formula BMW Pacific for the 2008 season.
The United States series began in 2004, sanctioned by IMSA and initially known as Formula BMW USA. It supported Formula One grands prix in Canada and the United States during its first four seasons and was renamed Formula BMW Americas in 2008 before being disbanded at the end of 2009.
BMW operated a dedicated Education and Coaching Program centred on two Formula BMW Racing Centres, located at the Circuit de Valencia in Spain and the Bahrain International Circuit. Courses covered race driving technique, chassis setup, physical fitness and nutrition, media management, and sponsorship acquisition. Annual scholarships were provided to five young drivers per championship, aged fifteen to eighteen, selected through a formal screening process. Scholarship budgets varied by region: £35,000 in the UK, US$50,000 in Asia, and US$40,000 in the United States.
Top performers from each regional championship were invited to the Formula BMW World Final, held annually at one of the Racing Centres in December. The 2006 edition took place at Valencia. Structured around elimination heats followed by a final race, the event's winning prize was a Formula One test drive with BMW Sauber. The 2006 champion Christian Vietoris swept the World Final comprehensively, claiming pole position, winning all three qualification heats, and taking the final race.
The series produced several drivers who went on to significant careers. Nico Rosberg won the 2002 German championship and reached Formula One with Williams in 2006. Sebastian Vettel took the 2004 German title and became a BMW Sauber test driver the same year, later becoming the youngest Formula One world champion after the 2010 season. Nico Hulkenberg won the 2005 German championship following a controversial appeal-court ruling. Romain Grosjean and Neel Jani were among the champions of Formula Lista Junior, the feeder series that used Formula BMW machinery from 2008 onwards.
Formula Lista Junior ran as a stepping stone below the main Formula BMW championships across mainland Europe from 2000. From 2008 it adopted the FB02 chassis and BMW motorcycle engine, aligning its regulations directly with the parent series.