BMW has admitted that the premier German touring car championship could collapse.

Audi's shock departure post-2020 means that BMW will be the only manufacturer left on the DTM grid.

And board member Klaus Frohlich told Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper that BMW could now follow after this season.

"We have to wait and see what develops. There is a lot going on," the BMW official said.

"In the short term, the previous approach to the DTM has a problem and we may have to think outside the box. There will certainly be a pause for thought and maybe an interruption.

"But the DTM has been here before in its history and has come back," Frohlich added.

Making the situation even more fraught is the corona crisis.

"We have a new situation, which is not over with after such a short time," he continued.

"One thing is clear - our motorsport strategy follows the corporate strategy. But we are in a situation where BMW cannot race against itself in the DTM.

"Gerhard Berger and myself need to think about how to proceed," Frohlich added, referring to the DTM boss and F1 legend.