The early years of the World Drivers' Championship saw private BMW racing cars, based on the pre-war BMW 328 chassis.
They were entered in the German Grands Prix in 1952 and 1953.
A modified 328 with a rear engine became standard in Formula One in the early 1960s.
It was known as the "Heck", the German automotive term for "back" or "rear".
This design later found success with the Cooper team.

In 1967 German Grand Prix, BMW entered Hubert Hahne in a Lola chassis powered by an larger BMW engine, and David Hobbs in the Lola with the standard smaller BMW engine.
For the 1968 German Grand Prix, Hahne returned and finished tenth, BMW's best result in Formula One to that date.
BMW then entered three of its own 269 F2 chassis for the 1969 German Grand Prix for Hahne, Gerhard Mitter and Dieter Quester.
Mitter was killed in a practice accident.
The remaining BMW team withdrew from the race.
BMW left F1 for a number of years.
The early years of the World Drivers' Championship saw private BMW racing cars, based on the pre-war BMW 328 chassis. They were entered in the German Grands Prix in 1952 and 1953. A modified 328 with a rear engine became standard in Formula One in the early 1960s. It was known as the "Heck", the German automotive term for "back" or "rear". This design later found success with the Cooper team.
In 1967 German Grand Prix, BMW entered Hubert Hahne in a Lola chassis powered by an larger BMW engine, and David Hobbs in the Lola with the standard smaller BMW engine. For the 1968 German Grand Prix, Hahne returned and finished tenth, BMW's best result in Formula One to that date. BMW then entered three of its own 269 F2 chassis for the 1969 German Grand Prix for Hahne, Gerhard Mitter and Dieter Quester. Mitter was killed in a practice accident. The remaining BMW team withdrew from the race. BMW left F1 for a number of years.
BMW in Formula One