BMW follows Audi to the Formula E exit

(Reuters) - BMW will be following Audi out of the electric Formula E series at the end of next year after announcing its departure on Wednesday.

Audi said on Monday it would withdraw as a works team to focus on the Dakar Rally and endurance racing including an eventual return to Le Mans.

BMW said in a statement a day after pre-season testing ended in Spain that its journey in Formula E was "hitting the home stretch" and the group's strategic focus was shifting.

"When it comes to the development of e-drivetrains, BMW Group has essentially exhausted the opportunities for this form of technology transfer in the competitive environment of Formula E," it added.

BMW's Formula E team is run by U.S.-based Andretti Motorsport.

"We look forward to announcing our own plans for the continuation of our Formula E program in due course," Andretti told roadandtrack.com.

Formula E's seventh season starts in Chile in January. Other major manufacturers involved include Mercedes, Porsche, Nissan, Jaguar and Citroen's DS brand.

The series, which is now an FIA-backed world championship, is due to move to a third generation of cars in 2022. India's Mahindra are so far the only manufacturer to have committed to that future.

(Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Toby Davis)