BMW is expected to announce further cuts to its motorsport programme on 5 December.
The German firm pulled out of Formula One earlier this year and is now expected to announce cuts to its World Touring Car Championship programme later this week.
BMW Motorsport boss Mario Theissen would only say that "a decision on next year's programme will be taken on December 5".
The firm supplied five works cars in this year's championship but this is likely to be cut down to two in 2010. Alex Zanardi announced his retirement from the sport this week and the ROAL Motorsport works BMW team, which ran Zanardi and his team mate Sergio Hernandez, is expect to quit the sport in the wake of the Italian's decision.
Schnitzer Motorsport, which ran two of the works cars, is expected to remain a BMW works team but its attentions will shift to running BMW M3 GT2s in the Nurburgring endurance series races. This will leave UK-based RBM to run two works 320si cars in 2010 instead of one, with Andy Priaulx and Augusto Farfus the likely driver line up.
In a further blow to the WTCC, Seat is expected to reduce its works effort from five cars to two. Chevrolet will run at least three works cars, with Lada supplying three Prioras once again.
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