BMW to leave Formula One at end of 2009

[Terrible3]

Also VW may also want to take a look into F1 as well with this proposistion.

VW (Audi) is all ready committed to DTM and more importantly endurance racing. They just rolled out their R15 this year, and so they have at least another two years of development with that car. I cant see audi/VW moving to F1 since with the current rules for Le Mans they are able to make a TDI not only competitive but dominate (well not this year.. 908).

I don't expect any new team to replace BMW in time for the 2010 season. The fact that budget cap was removed also may scare away a couple new teams.

[axle]

This is a sad day. BMW has taken the same decision as Honda and will not supply engines.

Although he was not interested when interviewed some months ago (at the age of 66) Peter Sauber is widely expected to continue the team.

The decision is a surprise but one has to say that to a large degree it was caused by the chaotic politics of F1. BMW had the promise by the FIA that issues like environmental sustainebility and road relevance would be pursued. The politics of FOTA have ruined that aproach. The FiA decision to allow DDDs has distorted the 2009 championship and have put the team into a position where success was not possible any more.

It is expected that Toyota will follow BMW's exit very soon. Congratulations to FOTA for destroying Formula 1!

Absolute guff.

BMW's arrogance and mis-management has caused them to fall foul of their own predictions and performance measures.

The FIA's previous and continuing limitation on development potential of powertrains, materials and aerodynamics also forces all of the manufacturer based teams to question the relevance of F1 when their road cars are more advanced. F1 in it's current FIA status is only suitable as an advertising platform for a brand and not a genuine technical development sandpit.

It's nothing to do with FOTA...the rot set in a long time ago.

[DaveKillens]

Obviously, this is one drawback when a manufacturer is behind a racing team. Due to corporate decisions, they come and go.

This is also a sad reflection on how all the nasty politics and squabbling have damaged the reputation and sheen of Formula One. When something is covered in dung, it doesn't appear very desirable.

Interesting, that just five days ago (July 24th, 2009) the FIA released the new Condorde Agreement for teams to agree to and sign. To me, I believe, this is the straw that broke the camel's back. BMW must not have liked what was in the Concorde.

The obvious question ow, is what will happen to the team. Sold back to Sauber? Sold to a new party? Or just allowed to dissolve. One thing for sure, both Heidfeld and Kubica must have already been getting offers from the new start-up teams.

[Slife]

BMW (or anyone else) leaving has nothing to do with FIA/FOTA/DDD/the bushiness of Marios tache/whatever. The manufactureres are in F1 to sell more cars, team does well and more cars sell then great, team does crap and more cars sell then great, team does well or crap and less cars sell then they pull out. There doesn't need to be any other reason.

I think it is more a mix all the mentioned factors in this thread.

Have you guys read the FIA statement ?

---------------------------------------
FIA

The FIA regrets the announcement of BMW’s intended withdrawal from Formula One but is not surprised by it.

It has been clear for some time that motor sport cannot ignore the world economic crisis. Car manufacturers cannot be expected to continue to pour large sums of money into Formula One when their survival depends on redundancies, plant closures and the support of the taxpayer.

This is why the FIA prepared regulations to reduce costs drastically. These measures were needed to alleviate the pressure on manufacturers following Honda's withdrawal but also to make it possible for new teams to enter.

Had these regulations not been so strongly opposed by a number of team principals, the withdrawal of BMW and further such announcements in the future might have been avoided.

Nevertheless, as a result of a sustained cost-cutting campaign by the FIA, new measures are in the process of being agreed which should make it easier for new teams to enter and enable existing ones to participate on much reduced budgets.

It is no secret that these measures do not go as far as the FIA would have liked but a compromise was needed in the interests of harmony in the sport. Hopefully it will be enough to prevent further withdrawals and provide a solid foundation for Formula One.

As the guardian of the sport, the FIA is committed to ensuring that Formula One remains financially sustainable for all competing teams and it will always act to ensure that this remains the case.

http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre/pr ... 1_bmw.aspx
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Has BMW actually recieved taxpayer money ?

[axle]

FIA statement is pure pantomime, properganda.

They seem to ignore the fact they presided over the boom just as much as the bust...

FIA need to take a long hard look in the mirror.

DD Diffusers is not a real issue. BMW got caught with their pants down and got spanked. Bad KERS system, poor aero (not inc the DDD - as if it was that they would have vaulted fwd by now). Poor old Alfred is only as good as the people reading the rule book make him...

[WhiteBlue]

BMW's exit has a lot to do with FOTA. The FiA had a clear road map of environmentally friendly and road relevant developments agreed with the GPMA when the organization was chaired by Prof Göschel of BMW. This course has been completely wrecked by FOTA and the leading teams in FOTA. There was supposed to be agressive development of energy saving technologies which were supposed to become performance discriminators. Aerodynamics was supposed to be discontinued as the performance discriminatorby fixing down force legally because F1 aerodynamics have no relevance for road cars. Instead of this FOTA decided to abandon KERS and the leading FOTA teams (in the OWG) decided to continue the downforce battle with more waste of aerodynamic resources. So the promises of F1 going green and road relevant by competing by fuel economy were all broken. BMW's pulling out is simply the consequence of F1 abandoning their agreed objectives. I wonder how long they will be able to play the silly box game. There is no point in having an F1 team for an automotive company unless you are winning or you can synergize between race and road developments. Because few can win the loss of direction will kill the comittment of most manufacturers in this crisis.

[WhiteBlue]

FIA statement is pure pantomime, properganda...

Read the garbage FOTA published if you want to laugh. They are talking of third cars again. Who wants that?

[i70q7m7ghw]

This is a sad day. BMW has taken the same decision as Honda and will not supply engines.

Although he was not interested when interviewed some months ago (at the age of 66) Peter Sauber is widely expected to continue the team.

The decision is a surprise but one has to say that to a large degree it was caused by the chaotic politics of F1. BMW had the promise by the FIA that issues like environmental sustainebility and road relevance would be pursued. The politics of FOTA have ruined that aproach. The FiA decision to allow DDDs has distorted the 2009 championship and have put the team into a position where success was not possible any more.

It is expected that Toyota will follow BMW's exit very soon. Congratulations to FOTA for destroying Formula 1!

Complete nonsense. Theres only one sure thing to blame for BMW's exit, and thats the economic climate.

If BMW transforms back in to Sauber, or possibly another privateer I'd see this as more of a positive step for F1. The big car manufacturers have waded in over recent years all of them spitting out the same targets about dominating within x number of years and few of them have achieved it.

I would much rather see the departure of BMW, Toyota & Renault and see them replaced with the likes of Prodrive, Lola and more real racing organisations who aren't in the sport to just make money.

These super budgets were created by the big time manufacturers coming in and throwing their money about, once they are gone it'll be much easier to keep the costs down because the budgets of teams like Williams & Brawn are going to be much less.

Manufacturers should only be in the sport as engine suppliers, I think its completely wrong for teams like Prodrive to be denied entry, but for teams like Toyota to be allowed to compete when they keep talking about pulling out.

[xpensive]

I trade the USF1, Campos, Force India or whatever kit-cars for a third RBR, Ferrari, McLaren or Brawn any day of the week. Let me repeat that , any day of the week.

[timbo]

I don't think it's pure economics - BMW wants their name to be associated with success, and when things are not so bright they leave. Happened before.
Sadly the timing is bad...

I trade the USF1, Campos, Force India or whatever kit-cars for a third RBR, Ferrari, McLaren or Brawn any day of the week. Let me repeat that , any day of the week.

+1000

[Henning]

Are you all sure, the real reason isn't that they have pulled out is due to embarrassment of how ugly their car is, especially around the front wing end-plates (made from old cake-tins).

[mike]

I trade the USF1, Campos, Force India or whatever kit-cars for a third RBR, Ferrari, McLaren or Brawn any day of the week. Let me repeat that , any day of the week.

what do u mean?
you would rather a big team than a small team?
i hate the fact that BMW and Honda are out, but their reasons are clear to me "as long as they dont win they cant be bothered spending 300 mil/per year"
They dont care about racing like Ferrari, Mclare etc. im quite happy to see them do their "thing" outside of F1 instead of stealing drivers and cry about Brawn GP being too smart or even block another team from entering a race

[xpensive]

What I say is that I rather have a third Ferrari, McLaren, RBR or Brawn and a higher average quality of the field, than dumbed down, low-cost, kit-cars to fill the grid.

[James_graham]

I trade the USF1, Campos, Force India or whatever kit-cars for a third RBR, Ferrari, McLaren or Brawn any day of the week. Let me repeat that , any day of the week.

There was a time where Mclaren, Tyrell and the likes were called "kit Cars".

Small teams need a chance to become big teams! and innovation is likely in smaller teams (if they are given a chance to innovate)

I do kinda get what you mean tho

[xpensive]

Those were the days, Ron Dennis started out as a mechanic in the Cooper team and Frank Williams built his team from absolutely nothing.

But that was in them days when the rules allowed for technical innovation, what MrM is proposing for the future is something completely dead. As someone said, BMWs roadcars has more technology than their F1 equivalents. Then what's the point?

Might as well go watch a GP2 race.