Confirmed: BMW Quits F1
Norbert Reithofer, BMW chairman, confirms his company's withdrawal from F1
BMW will quit at the end of this year
BMW confirmed in a press conference this morning that it is to quit the sport after four years as a full works team, having made the decision in a meeting yesterday.
Dr Norbert Reithofer, chairman of the Board of Management of BMW, said: "Of course, this was a difficult decision for us, but it's a resolute step in view of our company's strategic realignment. Premium will be increasingly defined in terms of sustainability and environmental compatibility. This is an area in which we want to remain in the lead."
Which, as far as we can work out, is a nice way of Mr Reithofer saying that F1 is no longer a priority for BMW, especially as he went on to say: "Our Formula One campaign is thus less a key promoter for us."
BMW is the second major manufacturer to quit the sport after Honda walked away at the end of last season. It had originally planned to win the championship after three years.
BMW has said that it will continue with its touring car and Formula BMW activities, and that BMW motorsport boss Mario Theissen will continue at BMW in that capacity.
You can read Mr Reithofer's statement below:
Yesterday, the Board of Management made the following decision:
• We will realign our motor sports activities.
• The BMW Group will end its Formula One activities at the end of the 2009 season.
• We will remain active in the field of motor sports, focusing on close-to-production motor sports and promoting young drivers.
• We will pool our expertise and financial resources in the fields of sustainability and new technology development.
In 2007, we set the foundation for a strategic realignment of the BMW Group by adopting our Strategy Number ONE. Now we are rolling out this strategy in all areas within the BMW Group.
In addition, we initiated an internal change process that goes hand in hand with a new mindset throughout our workforce.
All measures and activities aim for the same goal, namely to ensure our company’s future viability.
This is the focus to which we are dedicating our resources and capacities, while constantly adjusting them to new requirements.
The BMW Group is the world’s leading premium car company in the automotive industry. We believe that this demands accountability
• with respect to our products,
• with respect to who we are as a company,
• with respect to our social commitment,
• and with respect to the premium business model.
We are of the opinion that the premium segment has to remain a positive role model within our society.
By launching our Efficient Dynamics technology program, we began early on to reduce our vehicles’ fuel consumption and emissions significantly. Today, our BMW and MINI fleet in Germany consumes a mere 5.9 liters of fuel on average. This is below the average of Germany's largest-volume brand.
Sportiness and dynamics remain the key attributes of all BMW models, albeit paired with responsibility.
At the IAA, we will showcase a concept car as a“CO2 champion” to demonstrate a whole new dimension of driving pleasure with regards to efficiency with performance.
In line with our Strategy Number ONE, we are continually reviewing all projects and initiatives to check them for future viability and sustainability.
We made this clear with the initial announcement of our Strategy Number ONE. And, naturally, this also includes motor sports.
And I have always been clear about my position on making tough decisions that will help ensure the BMW Group’s success over the long run.
As our company places stronger focus on sustainability initiatives, our participation in Formula One becomes less a key promoter of this engagement.
It goes without saying that this step was very difficult for us—as well as for me personally.
On behalf of the entire Board of Management, I would like to express our immense gratitude to Mario Theissen for his commitment and successes.
Everyone knows that the BMW brand embodies sportiness with sheer driving pleasure. Sportiness and fair competition are firmly encoded in our DNA.
This is why we will remain loyal to motor sports. But we will do this in series that enable us to transfer technology more directly and to realize additional synergies, while strengthening our brand values. This is in our customers’ best interest.
As a company, we are making a paradigm shift based on our Strategy Number ONE. We are setting new priorities in an ever-changing environment.
The focus of the BMW Group will be towards sustainable development over the next years and decades to come.
Our vision remains clear: to be the leading provider of premium products and premium services for individual mobility.
We will pursue this vision with resolve.
I can see F1 ending at this rate:-( Whats the deal with other teams who wanted to enter next season? If BMW have pulled out then does that mean one of the rejected teams can now enter?
Back to the 70s perhaps? F1 survived in the finnacially hard 70s by relying on the "garagistes" - mostly (but not all) UK based. Many now look on that era as one of the most competitive and interesting in Grand Prix history. So it might not be bad at all that the big boys want out.
and if I was Kubica I'd be knocking on Monte's door now - looking to get into Ferrari now (if he could buy his way out of the BMW seat)
Massa's out - can't see him coming back to F1 (no pun intended). He's got a baby on the way - and i think he'll decide to retire.
Equally i don't see Ferrari keeping an open seat for him ?
(OK, I know they "inherited" the Honda set up - but BMW "inherited" Sauber.
Not surprised that they are leaving, obvious reason is the cost, although if they were winning races this year I doubt the cost would have been a problem!
My bigger worry is whether this is the decision that will give Toyota and Renault the confidence to quit for 2010 too. Then F1 will have gone from six manufacturer teams to just two in the space of one season. And losing that number of well-resourced teams from the good can't be good for the sport, there will be a lot less competition.
(OK, I know they "inherited" the Honda set up - but BMW "inherited" Sauber.
Not surprised that they are leaving, obvious reason is the cost, although if they were winning races this year I doubt the cost would have been a problem!
My bigger worry is whether this is the decision that will give Toyota and Renault the confidence to quit for 2010 too. Then F1 will have gone from six manufacturer teams to just two in the space of one season. And losing that number of well-resourced teams from the good can't be good for the sport, there will be a lot less competition.
I hope that the other FOTA teams give BMW a good drubbing for this one.
prodrive: come on through
(OK, I know they "inherited" the Honda set up - but BMW "inherited" Sauber.
Not surprised that they are leaving, obvious reason is the cost, although if they were winning races this year I doubt the cost would have been a problem!
My bigger worry is whether this is the decision that will give Toyota and Renault the confidence to quit for 2010 too. Then F1 will have gone from six manufacturer teams to just two in the space of one season. And losing that number of well-resourced teams from the good can't be good for the sport, there will be a lot less competition.
I hope that the other FOTA teams give BMW a good drubbing for this one.
prodrive: come on through
however; how many of the rejected new teams want to come to the party late because suddenly there is a spare chair? Besides, you would hope Peter Sauber has a buy back option and might be able to rescue his team. Although lord alone knows which engine he'll be able to stick in the back of it!
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