Will BMW be a major power?

[Ralf's Girl]

Who thinks that Gerhard Berger is being optimistic when he says he wants Williams-BMW to be winning races by the end of 2001/beginning of 2002? The rate they're going, I don't think they will. I'm a big Williams fan (you can probably tell from my user name!) but they're such a long way off McLaren and Ferrari (look at the constructors gap) and I don't see how they can make that up in the space of a year. What does everyone else think?

[jarama]

Williams is a winning team, BMW has the technological backdrop and the german committment... IMO it's only a matter of time. Why not one year or so?

[EERO]

I have to disagree, Ralf's Girl, I think that the BMW engine has been more competitive than expected in its first season, I think that Ralfie is due that first win, and I think that Williams history as a front-running team over the long haul menas that it is only a matter of time before they are at the front. I also don't believe that McLaren can sustain their pace indefinately. BMW-Williams are the team best positioned to move up. I am also convinced that Montoya will be electrifying next year.

[fatbloke]

That all depends on how much you put the Williams revival down to it's powerplant. Even Gerhard Berger admits that much of the progress is down to the chassis.

Add to that, the fact that BMW is likely to be sold out to the highest bidder in the wake of the Rover shambles and it doesn't look promising... unless it's VW/Audi who buys them, in which case you can expect a whole lot more.

[Ralf's Girl]

I definitely think that Ralf is long overdue his first win - if anyone can make that car win, he can. He almost got last year's Williams on to the top step of the podium, and he's talented enough to do it with this one. But, while the engine has been stronger than people initially thought, it is not up to the standard of the Mercedes or the Ferrari, particularly the Mercedes, which has been the best F1 engine for about 3 seasons now. Williams need the whole package - they've got a good enough driver, but they need an engine good enough to compete with the likes of Ferrari and McLaren, and a chassis on equal terms with them. I think that in France this year, Ralf and Jenson were both showing the gaps that need filling. They were both having to drive the car harder than they perhaps might with another car, and that was a highlight of the fact that there is still a lot of work to be done before Williams can win again.

[Sharky]

I think that BMW have done well for their first season. I think that the problem was that when people saw Ralf on the podium at the first race everybody thought that they would be getting regular podiums (and perhaps) wins regularly.

However, don't forget that Berger's main goal for this season was to score some points, get some podiums, but mos important....finish races and so far the engine has done just that....with some glitches of course but.....I really have high hopes for the Williams BMW combination for the upcoming seasons.

[Jay]

I would not be surprised to see BMW Williams win next year, however after the past few races I have to wonder if BAR Honda may have the edge. The two teams are very close, and Honda will have more cash behind it next year and more control.

They are two teams to watch out for nexy year, however I would have to give the upper hand to BAR-Honda. Not because of BAR, but because of Honda. They have been improving almost every race this year, which is something Williams have not been doing. They came out of the gates with a bang, but have not made any progress lately, and Jacques Villeneuve now looks poised to move ahead of Ralf Schumacher in the drivers standings.

[Mr.S]

I get a sick feeling in my stomach when I think about some other f***ing huge company eating up BMW. They along with Honda and Porsche are the last three great self-owned marques, in this world of Daimler-Chrysler VW-Audi and the bottom-less pit of money that is the Ford motor company. But the problem is that every other company that has the money to buy BMW has cars that are in direct competition with Bimmers. Buying BMW would mean that they would have to restructure vary important brands, witch would cost hundreds of millions. BMW, Honda and Porsche are among that last manufactures that build great cars, centered on the driver, what he wants and feels. If you read car magazines then you will notice that these car company’s cars are always at the top of the comparison list.

In formula 1 I have no doubt that Honda will dominate within several years. In the next five years I see Honda Mercedes Renault BMW Ferrari and Toyota fighting it for first place. I see Honda and Mercedes at the top with the other four just a tenth of a second down.

[Ralf's Girl]

I think if Ralf can get in the points at Hockenheim, there is no reason why he shouldn't be able to keep Villeneuve behind him in the championship. He needs to concentrate on catching Fisichella too, and Austria was the first time all year Fisichella has failed to finish. Fisichella lacks a certain degree fo consistency when it comes to regular points-scoring, whereas Ralf hasn't finished a race out of the points this year. Fisichella has definitely had more luck and better reliability this season.

[EERO]

RG, the Williams were pretty unconvincing in Montreal. Had Villenneuve not pulled a stupid Banzai move on Coulthard in the Hairpin with four laps to go, Ralf would have finished out of the points.
Essentially, I agree with you, I think that Ralf has been more consistent than Fisi this year-The irony is I guess, that no one thought either Williams or Benetton would amount to much this season.

[Ralf's Girl]

People would have always expected more of Williams this season, because of their works engines and the fact that Ralf showed last year that he is much better than Fisichella. But generally, Williams are in the better position, with two points scoring drivers. Fisichella is having to shoulder the responsibility for Benetton all by himself - but I don't feel sympathy for him !