BMW Group continues its support of the eagerly anticipated 2005 MotoGP World Championship by providing the ‘Official Car of MotoGP’. The presentation will take place during the Grand Prix season opener in Spain this weekend.

2005 will be the seventh successive year that the Munich manufacturer has provided MotoGP organisers Dorna, and IRTA officials, with safety cars. This year up to six high performance cars will be used throughout the 17-race season.

Heading the BMW MotoGP fleet will be a 507 bhp M5 – featuring the sensational new V10 engine – along with a recently launched 6 Series model to ensure that a duo of rapid response, high performance vehicles are available for on-track duties. The rest of the model line-up includes a 750i for use by Race Director Paul Butler; a 330i Touring as the medical car, and a 545i Touring for Safety Officer Franco Uncini – a former 500cc World Champion. Additionally, the race stewards will use an X5 4.4i.

BMW’s support for, arguably, the most exciting motorsports championship in the world will also be extended by the new BMW Motorrad PowerCup series which starts at Le Mans on 15 May. Featuring BMW Motorrad’s 175 bhp K1200 R naked roadster, the new one-make series will support MotoGP at seven European venues. British fans can see the fourth round of the PowerCup at the Donington Park circuit on 24 July.

Two identical specification BMW K1200 R PowerCup race bikes will also feature as safety bikes on MotoGP grids throughout the 2005 season.