MAY 3, 1999
BMW grabs top Cosworth man
BMW Motorsport has hired one of the top engine designers from Cosworth Racing's team at Northampton. Alan Cowell was one of the team working on the exciting Ford CR-1 V10 engine under chief designer Nick Hayes and while the men at Cosworth are keen to play down just how important Cowell was in the program, there is no doubt that he is a key figure.
The prototype BMW V10 engine ran for the first time last week at the company's Miramas test track in the back of a Williams FW20 chassis. The car was driven by Jorg Muller and completed around 150km on its first run without problems. The test was carried out on a circuit on the infield of the old oval track and further tests are planned at the circuit in the next few weeks. The BMW test team is based in Munich but is being run by former March and Simtek team manager CharlieÊMoody, who has been working in touring car racing in recent years.
The engine currently being tested is the second engine design BMW has created and a third is due to appear before the company makes its F1 debut with Williams at the start of next year. Cowell is expected to have considerable involvement in the Phase III engine.