Herbert Schnitzer, the final link of the Schnitzer brothers who steered BMW’s motorsport dominance, died at 85 on his birthday in Freilassing, surrounded by family.
Herbert Schnitzer Dies at 85
Christian Menzel, former racer, posted a photo of Herbert with half‑brothers Charly and Dieter Lamm on Instagram. “Now all three are together, Dieter and Charly, gone from us far too soon,” Menzel wrote, adding that Schnitzer embodied BMW’s values and inspired a team spirit that set a benchmark for racing teams.
From Mechanics to Motorsports
In Freilassing, the early 1950s saw Herbert trained as a mechanic by his stepfather, Karl Lamm. In 1963, he and older brother Josef rebuilt a damaged Fiat and entered it in local races, launching the family’s racing venture. The following year, the brothers opened a BMW dealership, ensuring the team and shop ran in tandem.
Josef’s talent culminated in 1964 when he won the German Touring Car Championship in a self‑tuned BMW 2000ti. By 1971, 16‑year‑old Charly Lamm joined the outfit, eventually becoming team manager and chief decision‑maker. Dieter Lamm handled technical logistics until his death in 2014.
The team expanded beyond touring cars, building Toyota‑based rally engines and crafting a Schnitzer‑powered engine that helped Jacques Laffite secure the 1975 Formula 2 European Championship.
Golden Years – Championships and Records
The 1980s marked a prolific era: three European Touring Car Championships, nine victories at Macau’s Guia Circuit, and five wins each at the 24 Hours of Nurburgring and Spa‑Francorchamps between 1989 and 2010. National titles followed, including the 1987 World Touring Car Championship and the 1989 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters with Roberto Ravaglia.
Further successes included a 1995 German Super Touring Car Championship title with Joachim Winkelhock, a 1998 STW title with Venezuelan Johnny Cecotto, and the 1999 overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the Williams‑designed BMW V12 LMR. That same year the team also won the 12 Hours of Sebring.
In 2001, a GT title in the American Le Mans Series was added to the résumé. From 2005 to 2009, Schnitzer Motorsport accumulated 25 WTCC wins and 57 podiums. The 2012 return to DTM produced a drivers’ title for Bruno Spengler, a team title for Schnitzer, and a manufacturers’ title for BMW, but the partnership ended in 2016, when the team was withdrawn by BMW Motorsport director Jens Marquardt.
Recent Decades – Return and Closure
After withdrawing in DTM, the team focused on GT racing, winning the 2018 GT World Cup in Macau with Augusto Farfus. Charly Lamm stepped down as team principal that same month and passed away weeks later. In 2020, the team returned to the podium at the 24 Hours of Nurburgring, finishing third with a BMW M6 GT3. BMW’s realignment of motorsport strategy, however, led to the dissolution of the partnership, a move that sparked widespread fan outrage.
Legacy Continues with Schnitzer Classic
Stefan and Yannik Trautwein, owners of the Schnitzer Classic, acquired a large portion of the former team’s cars and trophies. The workshop displays a central portrait of Herbert, Josef, Charly, and Dieter, a tribute that the German team says will remain “forever.” The Classic team keeps the engines of Schnitzer’s historic cars running, honoring Herbert’s lifelong passion for storytelling, racing, and engineering.
Herbert Schnitzer’s influence persists in every BMW racing chapter, from touring series to endurance legends, proving that a team’s spirit can endure beyond its active days.
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