Craigy wrote:godlameroso wrote:I don't see BMW touching F1 with a 60ft pole.
Been there, done that. I agree with you. I don't see the Quandt family moving forward with an F1 program after the last time.
On the flipside of the coin, and just by way of "how might this be possible", however - read the following. Just suppose..
This year just closed (2016), for the first time since 2004, BMW are no longer the worldwide leading supplier of sporty exec cars, having lost their lead to Mercedes. Business logic (read: bizarre backwardsthink) might put 2+2 together and come up with an F1 programme to rectify the loss of sales leadership.
BMW compete with Audi and Mercedes for this position (USA centric would be BMW, Merc and Lexus, but Lexus isn't a factor worldwide) - BMW winning top spot back from Mercedes in 2005. You can bet the management at BMW will be tasked with coming up with a plan to win this back.
You can never tell what they will come up with; something will have to change though, so they may decide to go racing again.
It may also come to nought; BMW are at a low point in their model cycle and Mercedes are at a high point, so it may flip back again "naturally".
Just a thought.
I think the possibilities are wide open as of 2020. I would LIKE to see BMW back, SOON, but realistically concidered, it makes no sense to step into a V6TH era which is likely to transform into something different past 2020.
I think liberty media will open up the engine formula more as of 2020. That's what i hope most, but that's what i also expect a bit. There's still a decade or 2 to fill with hybrid cars before slowly shifting towards full electric. I don't see why there can't be a low-gasoline-consuming V12 Ferrari Hybrid supercar, or a V12 Aston Martin Hybrid Supercar, or a V10, V8, for that matter. I also could see potential for a 4 or 5 inline turbo engine.
Point is, at this moment, it's all a big question mark. If there would be a definative decision that V6TH engines will stay untill 2025, i could see BMW stepping in before 2020 even.
I hold the possibilities for a BMW return open as of 2020, not before at this point. It would be an interesting partnership, Mclaren-BMW.
My fantasy team-engine combo would be:
Ferrari - Ferrari
Mclaren - BMW
Williams - Honda
RedBull - Aston Martin TAG
Renault - Renault
Mercedes - Mercedes
Force India - Toyota/Lexus
Haas - Ford
Sauber - Audi
Toro Rosso - Nissan/Infinity