If you have been missing Formula 1 this offseason, then boy do I have the solution for you. In the heart of Germany’s motorsports scene, the BMW M2 Cup has emerged as one of the most entertaining racing series, arguably even better than Formula 1. Far beyond a mere competition, this racing series serves as a proving ground for fresh talent and a spectacle that is redefining racing. With exceptionally close racing and surprisingly good video direction for a small racing series, the BMW M2 Cup has quickly become my favorite motorsport championship to watch.

The BMW M2 Cup is a relatively new series starting in 2021 and based on a single make BMW to keep the drivers all in the same car. The series is mostly based in Germany with most races taking place there with the exception of a few in Austria and Belgium at some iconic circuits including the Nürburgring, Spa-Francochamps, and the Red Bull Ring. With 12 races over 6 weekends, the series is designed to attract young new talents to learn and hone their skills in a DTM style environment. Placing most of the focus on attracting young talent, the drivers apply to race almost like a college application. The few selected get to race in the series, but young talent is not the only thing driving the stellar racing in the series. The concept of the M2 cup “places absolute emphasis on equal opportunities and transparency” according to the Cup Guide Flyer. By centralizing all of the cars, each driver gets an equal chance to win with the only real variable being driver skill. Not only does this make the racing closer, it makes it so much more exciting as any mistake by any driver can be capitalized on. A driver can spin on lap 1 and still finish in first place. Not a lot of current racing series can say that, especially not formula 1 unless you are in an RB19. And with the average age of the drivers being 18, there are quite a lot of mistakes. The difference in this series is that mistakes are part of the sport. While they obviously aren’t encouraged, they are forgiven as the point of the series is to get these drivers experienced, not immediately crippled by the pressures of higher racing series before they can even learn to fight them. The basis of the series is a simple yet effective formula; Young Drivers + Spec BMWs = Killer Racing.

Being a BMW nerd, the cars are what initially brought me into the series. As you might have guessed, this series uses BMW M2s. However, these aren’t any old M2s, they are the factory modified M2 CS Racing. Coming from the factory with 450hp, full cages, racing seats, as well as air jacks. They are truly out of the box race cars. I can’t think of anything cooler than to have one of these delivered to my driveway, but more on that after I become a multi-millionaire. Surprisingly though, these cars are delivered with factory air conditioning, which must be a huge relief for any racing driver. I can’t imagine sitting in a car covered in overalls with no heat shielding on the fire wall just baking the hell out of the inside of the cockpit. Essentially, these M2 CS Racings are jacked up high performance versions of an already well-balanced little rocket. Take a regular M2, make it lighter and safer, then add a ton of power. What’s not to like? Below is a clip of the 2 of them side by side on a circuit.

What makes this series truly different to most of the racing you see today is the equality in the racing setup. With all of the cars being provided and maintained by a central curator, there is no benefit to having one car over the other. Spec-style racing, as epitomized by the BMW M2 Cup, puts all competitors on equal footing by utilizing identical vehicles. This ensures that victory is determined by skill, strategy, and determination, resulting in fiercely contested races keeping you on the edge of your seats. As of writing this, the BMW M channel on YouTube has been taking racing down but not all them. I assume this has something to do with commercial rights as the new season is upon us tentatively starting in April. Below is a video of one of the recent races, hoping this one will stay up long enough for people to enjoy it as I have. Watch and see as the tight racing unfolds. I won’t give away too many details in case there are others places to watch the full season, but the championship does come down to the last race which is always a welcome way to end a series.

In the realm of motorsports, the BMW M2 Cup Racing Series stands not just as a competition but as a catalyst for dreams. For the youth who rev their engines on the track, it’s a canvas where aspirations are painted in speed and determination. For spectators, it’s a front-row seat to the spectacle of spec-style racing at its peak. The BMW M2 Cup provides fans what is currently lacking in other championships: Close Racing. Historically, over the last 10-15 years, the biggest teams in Formula 1 have the best cars and the best drivers end up in the best cars. The smaller teams never get the chance to battle and the gap grows. Hopefully, things like the Formula 1 cost cap will keep the racing close in the future, but those things take time to develop. For now, enjoy some raw, gritty, side-by-side racing with a bunch of hormonal teenagers at the wheel in the BMW M2 cup.