BMW i Andretti Motorsport has confirmed that Marco Wittmann and Bruno Spengler will form the team's driver line-up for Formula E's Marrakesh rookie test next weekend.
Both Wittmann and Spengler are part of BMW's successful DTM programme, with the prior twice winning the Drivers' Championship in the popular touring car series, beating Mattias Ekstrom and Formula E regular Edoardo Mortara to the title in 2014 and 2016.
While Spengler already has some experience of driving BMW's race-winning iFE.18 Gen2 challenger, Wittmann's time behind the wheel in Marrakesh will mark his debut in a Formula E car – an opportunity that the German racer relishes:
“I am very excited about taking to the track in a fully-electric race car for the first time,” said Wittmann, who finished as the highest-placed BMW-backed driver in the 2018 DTM season, taking a pair of wins and four further podiums.
“Up to now, I have only followed Formula E from afar. I am fascinated to see how it feels to drive a car like the BMW iFE.18.
"I think the new Formula E cars are very appealing to us drivers. I am very much looking forward to it and am excited to see how much I enjoy it.
"My heart beats for the DTM, but I think it is important to keep broadening your horizon," he continued. "Fortunately, BMW Motorsport has a very diverse programme, which allows us to gain experience in many different cars.”
Linking up with Andretti for Season Five, BMW enters Formula E for the 2018/19 campaign with a fully-fledged motorsport programme and the team has already enjoyed success, with Antonio Felix da Costa winning the opening round of the season.
By confirming Wittmann and Spengler, BMW has become the latest team to announce its driver lineup for Formula E's second of three scheduled in-season tests while Nissan e,dams, GEOX Dragon and Envision Virgin Racing have not yet confirmed their drivers.
The Marrakesh rookie test will take place on January 13 at the Circuit International Automobile Moulay El Hassan in Morocco, one day after the Marrakesh E-Prix.
