Botta Puricelli Milano (BPM) Formula 1 Engine
Full Name: Botta Puricelli Milano
Founders: Enrico Botta & Piero Puricelli (ex-Ferrari engineers)
Nation: Italy
Primary Business: Marine engines
F1 Participation: 1952 season only
Historical Background
Founded by ex-Ferrari engineers Enrico Botta and Piero Puricelli, BPM was primarily a marine engine manufacturer that briefly ventured into Formula 1. Their sole engine attempt never started a Grand Prix, making it one of Formula 1’s most obscure power units.
The project was commissioned by Cisitalia to power their D46 grand prix car, but the engine failed to appear at any championship event despite being entered for the 1952 Italian Grand Prix.
Technical Specifications
BPM L4 (1952)
A simple inline-4 engine adapted from BPM’s marine applications, modified for automotive use with limited success.
Configuration: Inline-4
Displacement: ~2,000 cm³
Origin: Adapted from marine engines
Teams: Cisitalia (entered but never raced)
Formula 1 Attempt
1952 Italian Grand Prix Entry:
- Car: Cisitalia D46
- Driver: Piero Dusio (Cisitalia founder)
- Result: Did not appear
The Cisitalia-BPM failed to arrive at Monza due to unresolved development issues, marking the end of BPM’s brief F1 involvement.
Why It Failed
- Marine Adaptation: Engine designed for boats, not racing cars
- Power Deficiency: Estimated 20% less power than contemporary F1 engines
- Cooling Issues: Marine cooling system incompatible with automotive needs
- Financial Constraints: Cisitalia’s bankruptcy in 1951 limited development
Historical Significance
Though unsuccessful, the BPM engine represents:
- Italy’s post-war engineering ambition
- Cisitalia’s attempt to revive their racing program
- The challenges of adapting marine technology to F1
- A footnote in Ferrari’s engineering history (through its founders)
The engine survives today in the Cisitalia Museum in Turin as a testament to this forgotten project.
