BMW to announce withdrawl from F1?

[Sodemo]

Apparently BMW are to announce they are pulling out of F1 at a press conference tomorrow.

Cant say i'm surprised, their 2009 car has been something of a bad dream...

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77398

[Dead-Eye]

No surprise here either. Could Sauber continue as a private entry?

[bella]

yeah, maybe they'd continue supplying their engine to sauber as a private team...

[jab]

Heh, Mosley was right. Just because the team bosses wanted to sign the Concorde and stay doesn't mean the board agreed

This has been on the cards for a while so I'm not surprised. It's just come a bit out of the blue

[Born Racer]

Sad really. BMW looked good each year until this year, but we don't want teams dropping out just because they have a bad one. The inevitable problem with manufacturers though.

[Adam43]

I hear it is beacuse it wasn't good for their brand. Due to the aerodynamics in F1 you can't tailgate the car in front. (bella, that is just for you )

[the sniper]

Nah, it's probably not the F1 program, look at this:

Officials at BMW refused to comment about what the press conference was about, but they did confirm that it was 'important' news.

By confirming it's 'important' news, obviously they are going to announce they're pulling out of the WTCC.

[jab]

Originally Posted by the sniper

Nah, it's probably not the F1 program, look at this:



By confirming it's 'important' news, obviously they are going to announce they're pulling out of the WTCC.

Although I know you're joking, I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if they were pulling the plug on F1 and the WTCC, or even all their programmes

I seem to remember there being a rumour as long ago as the winter that they'd pull out if they won the title this year. Plus speculation in Monaco at the height of the political wranglings

Basically, this is concrete evidence of why manufacturers are no good for F1. They just leave you high and dry when it suits them. Ridiculous. They've had half a bad year and that's enough for them to pull the plug. Good riddance, if that's the case

Hopefully the team can be salvaged. But if not, Kubica and Heidfeld are now definitely on the market

[Down F0rce]

Can't see Nick driving for anyone other than BMW next year. I suspect this will be the end of the road for him. Kubica on the other hand could really shake up the driver market...

Will we see Prodrive on the grid after all next year?

[Adam43]

mmmm, grumble, the death of F1 and motorsport in general. We all knew that this day would come when F1 collapsed. Lets face it, it has been on the cards since the mid-90s when these manufacturers joined. We knew 15 years ago that it was a short term thing. In fact that day Renault won its first Grand Prix it was obvious that manufacturer involvement in F1 was doomed and 103 years later we are seeing that the soothsayers were correct.

I think they are quitting because they can't afford (justify) it anymore. As any team would do. Just like Team Lotus and Brabham, except for them it was their core business/activity so they went completely.

Still have a poor year and then leave does smack of quitting!

[jab]

Originally Posted by Down F0rce

Can't see Nick driving for anyone other than BMW next year.

I should think he'll get a drive with one of the new teams or Williams, as was previously rumoured. The rumoured BMW line-up was to be Kubica and Rosberg, although Nico has been linked to Brawn and McLaren as well

[Alfa Fan]

There's a grid slot for Prodrive now!

[Alwaysfirst]

Well BMW have been unhappy that there may not be a race in any of their biggest markets next year, dependant on Germany keeping a race. If you're not doing well & you're not racing in your biggest markets then the justification for spending the millions each year is just a teensy bit diminished...

[jab]

I hear Theissen's going to be leading a consortium to buy the team...it's going to be called Super Mario

[Sodemo]

I think they probably have a hard time justifying paying for a team when they are losing, and losing badly.

It would probably be a different story if they were winning races though.

Toyota and Renault next?

PS, thats a good point though, it could be about the WTCC, in fact, i'd be more gutted if it was.

[Dead-Eye]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

PS, thats a good point though, it could be about the WTCC, in fact, i'd be more gutted if it was.

So would I. F1 can survive losing BMW, I'm not sure the WTCC could.

[jab]

Joe Saward posted a rumour on his blog that Renault were going to sell their team to Alisher Usmanov, Uzbek multi-billionaire, owner of Renault sponsors MegaFon and Arsenal FC investor

[skycafe]

Originally Posted by jab

I hear Theissen's going to be leading a consortium to buy the team...it's going to be called Super Mario

[Marbot]

So,anyone interested in buying an F1 team based in Switzerland then ?

Don't all shout at once.

Mario Theissen: "So,what do you think our chances of winning both the WDC and WCC are ?"

Albert II: "Why are you asking me ?"

Who's next I wonder ?

[Tyrrell]

If they are pulling out of F1 it is a poor reflection on them I think. I wondered like others on here if it was the WTCC they were canning. It cannot be good however you look at it for the brand image of BMW to be no quicker and often slower than a Seat. I know Mr Ashman has not exactly endeared himself to BMW in recent years but even if they were on top would beating Seat and Chevrolet score big marketing-wise anywhere? Europe-wise they should be in the BTCC and/ or DTM. F1 is still 'cost effective' marketing worldwide, maybe combined with an attack on Le Mans and the ALMS if they can spare the Euros. Damned if they do, damned if they don't. At least they can reduce their tax liability if they do.

[jab]

The Mail and the Telegraph both implying that Toyota and maybe Renault could be about to follow them as well

This could be bigger than Honda going. BMW were considered one of the more stable manufacturers. With them going, it's not going to be easy for Howett, Briatore and maybe even Whitmarsh to persuade their parent manufacturers' boards to keep funding them

[Satorian]

I can't see BMW pulling out and consider that very unlikely (although, of course, not impossible). I'd give that a 1% chance of happening.

[LinkF1]

BMW is doing comparatively better than most of the other manufacturers in terms of car sales, but then again they also do that by being relatively conservative. I think what this comes down to is the new Concorde Agreement probably didn't have enough profit sharing for the Board to approve the signing of it, therefore they will be exiting the sport.

[the sniper]

Originally Posted by Marbot

So,anyone interested in buying an F1 team based in Switzerland then ?

Wurz/Superfund? A certain Mr Sauber?

Originally Posted by jab

The Mail and the Telegraph both implying that Toyota and maybe Renault could be about to follow them as well

All bailing out before the new Concord Agreement is signed...

Just shows, for all those who were getting all excited about an F1/FOTA split, the FOTA dream series would have faltered before it even got off the ground. These manufacturers aren't even willing to continue funding their current programs, let alone the predicted £100's of millions they were going to pour into setting up a new series.

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by Tyrrell

It cannot be good however you look at it for the brand image of BMW to be no quicker and often slower than a Seat.

You can't enter a series expecting to win all the time because your "brand image" is perceived to be better than other marks.....or maybe you can....I'm no longer sure why some manufacturers go racing.