BMW M8 Competition is now a MotoGP safety car

If you’ve found yourself on the automotive side of the internet this past year, you would know that the new BMW M8 GTE has made a sizeable impact on racing fans the world over. Often mentioned for its proportionally larger size versus other racecars, the M8 GTE has become a car that is literally hard to miss among the cars on the grid.

While BMW have pulled the M8 from active racing duty for this exact reason, it appears they aren’t pulling it away from the track entirely.

Seeing as they’ve worked closely with MotoGP as their official safety car for over 20 years, the BMW M division have specced an all-new M8 to act as the new safety car for this year. The M8 is powered by a twin-turbo V8 pushing 625 PS towards an 8-speed Steptronic transmission and BMW’s xDrive all wheel drive system.

To be properly specced for MotoGP, BMW have fitted the M8 with a plethora of optional M parts such as a titanium exhaust, Recaro seats and Schroth harnesses, and a full roll cage to bring further emphasis towards safety.

"The BMW M8 and the BMW M8 GTE were developed in parallel, and these racing genes distinguish the BMW M8 models in all areas," said Markus Flasch, President of BMW M GmbH. "That’s why it was a logical step for us to choose the BMW M8 Competition as a basis for our new MotoGP safety car. Even in its production version, this high-performance automobile is suited to the racetrack".

"With its innovative technical features, it is yet another example of our quest to keep pushing the limit upwards. With the BMW M8 MotoGP Safety Car, we are really excited to present a new, powerful lead car for the top tier of motorcycle racing," added Flasch.

The BMW M8 Competition MotoGP Safety Car will make its debut at the Grand Prix this weekend at the Red Bull Ring in Austria.