BMW today announced that they will be quitting F1 at the end of this season, casting a shadow on the future of F1. With strategic realignment (whatever that means) given as the reason for the withdrawal, many are left wondering what this all means. The following is a look at online articles trying to explain what all this means to F1 as a whole.
REASONS FOR QUITING
'Since returning to Formula 1 as an engine supplier in 2000, BMW has regularly flirted with success without quite managing to fulfil its title-winning potential. AUTOSPORT looks back over its last decade in F1, as well as its previous involvement in the sport, when it emerged as a world champion power supplier'. Click here for the full article.
'You could point to the economic situation and the fact that they aren’t selling as many cars as they did in the past, and clearly there is a financial aspect to this'.
'Clearly, then, this is as much as anything about the damage to their brand from a lack of success, and frankly they only have themselves to blame for that'.
'They had a golden opportunity to win the world championship last year, and I always felt that they were bottling it and diverting too much attention to 2009'. Click here to read the full article on itv-f1.com
'BMW executives - in the usual daft jargon of business - have been waffling about “strategic realignment” being the reason for leaving. In plain English: they spent a shed load of cash and still couldn’t win'. Click here to read the full article at timesonline.com
'Last season BMW made up the Big Three with McLaren and Ferrari and driver Robert Kubica was a world championship contender'.
'But this year Kubica and team-mate Nick Heidfeld have been way off the pace of the front-runners.
They have scored just EIGHT points between them in ten races'. Click here to read at full article at thesun.co.uk
REPACATIONS
'BMW’s involvement in motor racing extends far beyond Formula 1. It runs the Formula BMW junior single seater champioship which unearthed such talent as Sebastian Vettel, and spawned an F1-supporting European class last year'. Click here to read the full article at f1fanatic.co.uk
BLAME
'F1's governing body on Wednesday suggested it is the bosses of other manufacturer-backed Formula One teams who are to blame for BMW's decision to quit the sport'.
'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," the FIA said on Wednesday'. Click here for the full article at motorsport.com
SUPPORT
'The FOTA group on Wednesday said it will support moves for the Hinwil based team to continue in Formula One following BMW's decision to withdraw from the sport'.
'FOTA teams have immediately consulted each other and are ready to assure all the necessary support to the Swiss based team, whose membership in the association is confirmed, to continue its involvement in F1," said the teams association's secretary general Simone Perillo'. Click here to read the full article on motorsport.com
THE FATE OF:-
'Drivers BMW’s withdrawal leaves Robert Kubica looking around for a drive. I’ve heard his name connected with Renault, and if and when Fernando Alonso moves to Ferrari – which looks pretty certain for next year now – I can see Kubica sliding into his seat'.
'I think Nick Heidfeld will struggle to find another drive in F1'. Click here to read the full article on itv-f1.com
'BMW Sauber star Robert Kubica is now a potential candidate to replace Felipe Massa at Ferrari, possibly even as soon as the European Grand Prix in Valencia, Spain'.
'Kubica is unlikely to jump ship unless it is 100 percent clear that he will get seven races this year, and he probably also will require a longer-term commitment from the team--in other words, that it becomes apparent that Massa won't be racing next year. In that case, Ferrari could end up with a Fernando Alonso-Kubica combination in 2010'. Click here to read the full article at autoweek.com
'Today's announcement could spark a battle for Kubica, with the talented 24-year-old a potential target for Ferrari or possibly Brawn GP if they decide to replace Rubens Barrichello, who turns 38 next year'. Click here to read the full article at thisislondon.co.uk
'Heidfeld, who has been with BMW Sauber since their inception in 2006, admits he was taken aback by the announcement'. Click here to read the full article at skysports.com
'Staff The fate of BMW Sauber's staff remains undecided, according to Laus Draeger - a member of the board of management at the car manufacturuer'. Click here to read the full article at inthenews.co.uk
POSSIBLE REPLACEMENTS
'Epsilon Euskadi would be interested in taking the BMW Sauber team's vacant slot in Formula 1 in 2010, if the German squad is not sold on to new owners'.
'Epsilon boss Joan Villadelprat said, "What we can say is that the people who were interested in helping us are still interested, which is something incredible. And if the opportunity arises, we are going to attack it, there's no doubts about it'. Click here to read the full article on autusport.com.
And work has already begun to examine the possibility of teams running three cars each.
That could take the grid up to 36 cars in 2010, the healthiest number in recent years. Click here to read the full article at mirror.co.uk
OTHER MAJOR MANUFACTURERS
'Committed Toyota has moved to quell speculation that it is set to follow BMW out of Formula 1, insisting it remains fully committed to the sport'.
'Mercedes-Benz, which is McLaren’s largest shareholder and also supplies engines to Brawn and Force India, likewise reaffirmed its commitment to F1'.Click here to read the full article at itv-f1.com
'Doubtful There are huge doubts that Toyota and Renault will carry on for much longer, which will leave Bernie Ecclestone and Max Mosley with some substantial fire-fighting to carry out if they are to douse the flames licking around Formula One‘s entire structure'. Click here to read the full article at timesonline.com
When Honda quit F1 last season, Brawn GP emerged but most importantly F1 took a long hard look at its finances and did something about it. BMW’s departure from F1 will not be as distractive as Honda’s because, the sport learned its lessons and finds itself better prepared to deal with the aftermath of BMW’s decision.
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