BMW has been been linked with a possible World Endurance Championship LMP1 program for several months after plenty was made of the return of Porsche in 2014 and Nissan this year, but the German company will not compete in the LMP1 category under the new-for-2017 regulations. 

With BMW being more electric oriented and the WEC P1 category a pure hybrid contest, BMW Motorsport director Jens Marquardt stated that LMP1 in its current state does not match the brand's vision in regards to technology. 

“Regulations in LMP1 are obviously new for 2017 but still, it’s very much hybrid and a hybrid championship,” said Marquardt to the media during a roundtable at last weekend's Total 24 Hours of Spa.

"We’ve always said since 2009 that what we do in racing has to reflect what we do in production," he added.

As of right now, the 2011 American Le Mans Series GT champions have a GT3 and GTE version of the roadcar M6 in the works, with both versions in development simultaneously.

However, a potential 2018 effort at the 24 Hours of Le Mans as a Garage 56 entry, perhaps with a prototype with electric technology, would possibly be considered, per Marquardt.

But, as shown by Nissan's Garage 56 entries, a future WEC commitment after the Garage 56 effort in 2018 would have to happen sooner rather than later. The Automobile Club L'Ouest and the FIA would then have to steer the direction of the LMP1 regulations more towards electric technology anyway to satisfy BMW's interests.

“At the moment, we see hybrid as a stepping stone. EV (Electric Vehicle) is the future for BMW as showcased in the ‘i’ sub-brand we have. This current setup does not fulfill our needed criteria.”

BMW's last foray into the highest level of prototype racing was back in 1999 when they won overall at Le Mans with the V12 LMR (Le Mans Roadster) with Yannik Dalmas, Pierluigi Martini and Joachim Winkehock.

It is, to this date, BMW's lone overall Le Mans victory.

In the same year, BMW entered two V12 LMR's for the Amercian Le Mans Series, winning four races in the process, including the infamous Twelve Hours of Sebring.

However, at the end of 1999, BMW withdrew from prototype racing as a factory effort altogether to concentrate on their Formula 1 engine program with the Williams F1 team for 2000.

For now, though, BMW Motorsport will continue its presence in the GTLM category of the TUDOR Championship. 

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David van den Boom is a writer for the VAVEL USA Racing section. Follow him on Twitter at @David__VDB.