04/24/24
July 28, 2009
Another one bites the dust.: BMW have called a press conference for tomorrow. Described as "important" and about "current developments in motorsport", it's widely believed that BMW will be announcing their departure from Formula One at the end of the season.
posted by Drood to auto racing at 06:08 PM - 5 comments
Hard to believe how badly off track their project went this season, particularly considering their methodical rise in years prior. Lots of other teams were caught out by KERS and the diffusers, but BMW seems to have completely lost its way.
posted by dusted at 07:04 PM on July 28, 2009
BMW's collapse this year has been astounding. McLaren and Ferrari found their feet again but BMW have had a shocker.
Though I have to say as a fan of F1, this news, if it IS to announce their departure, pisses me off. They come in, and the first hint of it going wrong, they throw their toys out of the pram and go home.
This is why I will never be convinced F1 needs manufacturer teams. First hint of trouble they bugger off and leave the sport. Peter Sauber sold up to BMW, and now they leave, meaning we lose YET ANOTHER team.
It just frustrates me. Honda did it and now BMW. Honda was understandable as they'd failed for years, but BMW hit all their targets, right up to this year, and now it seems they're taking their ball home at the first hint of adversity.
As for KERS hurting BMW, it serves them right. Ross Brawn among others said they didn't want it but BMW kept pushing for it. Now it appears KERS was the ten ton anvil that crushed the team.
Makes me worry for Nick Heidfeld's future. Was a fan of Kubica but dear god that man has turned into a whiner of Mansell proportions this year!
We'll see I guess, but if this is the attitude BMW are carrying in F1, then all I can say is good riddance.
posted by Drood at 08:35 PM on July 28, 2009
Screw BMW. From what I've read this is pretty much a spur of the moment decision from them to exit the sport.
As I said, this is why I hate manufacturer teams. They have no interest in the actual SPORT, just what it can do for them.
Put this on top of Schumacher coming back to replace Massa and I'm fairly pissed off with the sport right now.
posted by Drood at 01:13 PM on July 29, 2009
BMW had hit all their targets in their brief tenure in F1 until this year. 2009 was to be the year that BMW challenged for the championship.
Nick Heidfeld is currently 13th in the championship, and Robert Kubica is 15th. The team are 8th in the constructors, with a mere 8 points. (To give this perspective, Brawn, the leaders, have 118 points.)
It was widely believed that a manufacturer would leave F1 this year, but the general belief seemed to be that Toyota would be that team.