BMW was one of the first major automakers to dive into Formula E racing. Along with Jaguar, Renault, and Audi, BMW was one of major players in the world of electric motorsport. However, its time in Formula E has come to an end, as the brand says goodbye after seven long years as an official vehicle sponsor. The final race for the season in Berlin, as well as the final race for BMW in Formula E, served as a hometown sendoff, as BMW i Andretti driver Jake Dennis (GBR) took home third place in the driver’s standings, while the BMW i team took sixth place in the team championship.

The final race in Berlin was an unfortunate one for Dennis, as he had the opportunity to win the driver’s championship, with a win. Two title-rivaling drivers, Mitch Evan (Jaguar) and Edoardo Mortara (Venturi) collided early, retiring them from the race, which put Dennis in a prime position to take the driver’s title. However, a jammed rear axle caused Dennis to hit a the wall, forcing him to retire the race as well. Still, his 91 points on the season was enough to earn him third place, despite not being able to finish the final race.

“It’s a shame that the title fight ended like this – not only for me but for Mitch Evans and Edoardo Mortara as well. Three title contenders out of the race early. It felt like there was a technical failure at the rear, but I don’t know yet what exactly happened. The rear tires complete locked before I even had a chance to do anything. It’s a sad end, but nevertheless we had an incredible season and a want to thank everybody for working so hard and giving me the chance to fight for the world championship.”

Alongside BMW i Andretti and all of its drivers were the BMW iX, BMW i4, MINI Cooper SE, and the BMW Motorrad CE 04. The four most important electric BMWs were on hand to show how far the brand’s electric powertrain technology has come, in large part due to the knowledge learned from its involvement with Formula E. Motorsport has always been a large driver of automotive technology and Formula E is no different; it pushed the boundaries of what automakers know to be possible with electrification.

Now, BMW moves onto other ventures in electrification. Let’s hope its next adventures are even more fruitful and provide the technical knowledge and ability to make even better electric cars moving forward.