BMW Quit F1

**A7ESK** Wed Jul 29, 2009 12:08 pm

BMW to quit F1 at end of season

BMW would be a loss to F1 - Croft

BMW will withdraw from Formula 1 at the end of this season.
The German car manufacturer, who took over Sauber in 2005, have cited "current developments in motor sport" as the reason for their pull-out.
BMW are the second major manufacturer to leave the sport in eight months after Honda's withdrawal in December.
F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone said BMW had given themselves three years to win the world championship, but they have only amassed eight points this season.
"It's not quite been like that so perhaps that's why they've [decided] to stop," he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

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"When you consider how much money they've spent and the results they've got, it's probably not such a good investment.
"They were quite sure that they were going to win the championship within three years, and I was hoping they would."
BMW, who currently have Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld as their drivers, held a meeting on Tuesday where they made the decision to quit the sport.
They will instead devote resources to the 'development of new drive technologies and projects in the field of sustainability'.
"Of course, this was a difficult decision for us, but it's a resolute step in view of our company's strategic realignment," said Dr Norbert Reithofer, chairman of the Board of Management of BMW.
"Premium will be increasingly defined in terms of sustainability and environmental compatibility. This is an area in which we want to remain in the lead.

"We are continually reviewing all projects and initiatives to check them for future viability and sustainability.
"Our Formula One campaign is thus less a key promoter for us."
BMW's takeover of Sauber in 2005 saw them enter their own team in 2006 and in their debut season they were fifth in the constructors' championship before being promoted to second in 2007 after the exclusion of McLaren-Mercedes.
They put up a strong challenge in 2008 but ended up third behind Ferrari and McLaren-Mercedes.
Their only grand prix win as BMW Sauber came when Polish driver Kubica won in Canada in 2008, while he also achieved the team's only pole position with his qualifying effort in Bahrain in 2008.
BMW motorsport director Dr. Mario Theissen added: "Of course, we, the employees in Hinwil and Munich, would all have liked to continue this ambitious campaign and show that this season was just a hiccup following three successful years.
"But I can understand why this decision was made from a corporate perspective. We will now focus sharply on the remaining races and demonstrate our fighting spirit and put in a good result as we bid farewell to Formula One racing."
BMW first entered Formula 1 as an engine supplier to Brabham in 1982 and the first victory of the pairing came in 1983 when Nelson Piquet won in Brazil on the way to claiming the drivers' crown.
But BMW pulled out as an engine supplier in 1987 before returning in 2000 as engine partners to Williams.
The duo were together for six years and ended up as constructors' championship runners-up in 2002 and 2003, while winning 10 grands prix and taking 17 pole positions.

Who next Toyota ???

Eddie King Sad

**GrumpyBodger** Wed Jul 29, 2009 6:08 pm

They should've done it years ago, before buying out Sauber.
They couldn't work together with Williams & Patrick head & just didn't have the experience to go it alone.
Theissen was unable to prevent a dog eat dog attitude in the power train development dept.
He probably even promoted it (I know I used to work for him Evil or Very Mad

)
With each person on the "team?" watching his own back how can success be expected
There's going to be a lot of highly paid F1 guys in Munich out of a job soon & goodness knows whart will happen to the Sauber guys.
Maybe they will have some money left over next year to re-employ me? Laughing

What sour grapes, me no never Wink

Generally speaking the European automobile industry is looking very ropey, others even more so than BMW. Everybody is looking for cost savings in order to save a struggling industry.
They reckon that in Germany 1 person in 6 earn their income directly or indirectly from that industry.
Bad times indeed.

"A grump from the bodger" Very Happy

Cheers
John

BMW Quit F1

BMW Quit F1

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