Mixed conclusions following rule changes - Theissen

For the 2009 Formula One season, the BMW Sauber F1 Team had to cope with the most radical rule changes for many years. BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen talks about the team's positive and negative experiences with the new regulations.

"It has been very exciting for both the spectators and us, sometimes too exciting," says Theissen. "You see almost every team going out on two sets of fresh option tyres, even in first knockout phase of qualifying, in order to make it into the second phase. That is a scenario no-one expected and we haven't seen in the past 10 years."

The main goal of the extensive rule changes is to make overtaking easier, thus providing the crowds in the grandstands and the TV audience even more exciting motor racing. According to Theissen, this goal has only partially been realised. "When it comes to overtaking maybe we had expected a bit more from the new regulations," admits the German.

However, Theissen believes that while progress has been made in some areas, there still is room for improvement in others: "In the area of cost-saving, I think the progress has pretty much met expectations. The aero restrictions we currently have, however, are not as tight as we thought they would be, so I think we could do more."