BMW Buys Sauber

[daydreamer]

So.....

What happens to Williams next year - aparently they still have BMW engines, but I can't see BMW being too happy about being beaten by a customer, so expect either sub standard units or a swift end to the contract

How many sponsors are BMW, how many are Williams

What happens to Jenson

Does Nick go to Sauber

Many, many questions, and more interesting than who screwed up last weekend!!!

Rich

[quote=autosport]
German carmaker BMW have purchased the Sauber Formula One team, it was announced in a press conference today.

The announcement ends months of speculation over the future involvement of BMW in the sports.

BMW is acquiring shares from Peter Sauber and will successively take over the shares held by Credit Suisse by the end of 2008. Peter Sauber will continue to hold some of his shares and will assist BMW as an adviser.

They said they would like to continue to provide engines to the Williams team, whom they have supplied engines to since returning to Formula One in 2000. Sauber's engines are currently supplied by Ferrari.

The relationship between BMW and the former World Champions has deteriorated in recent months with the German car maker frustrated by Williams's lack of success on the track.

Williams co-owner Patrick Head recently criticised BMW for airing their grievances in public and not sharing the blame for poor race results. Australian driver Mark Webber said this month that the speculation about BMW's plans had clearly destabilised the team.

"Regrettably, sadly, the relationship has been just too hostile for too long," said team boss Frank Williams on June 10. "It makes life very difficult. It does not compare well with (previous) Renault or Honda relationships, which we regret."

Williams raced with Renault engines from 1989 to 1997 when they won five constructors' championships and four drivers' titles. They also won two constructors' crowns and one Drivers' Championship with Honda between 1983 and 1987.

Sauber made their Formula One debut in 1993. [/quote]

[paolow]

daydreamer said:

So..... How many sponsors are BMW, how many are Williams What happens to Jenson Does Nick go to Sauber

well, a straight swap with nick for jenson was loosely being discussed. now though i think it most likely that nick -> bmw jenson -> williams and davidson will be promoted to a race seat at BAR.
seems to fit that way...

[jeremyc]

Wonder if they'll be using Continental tyres in a bid to keep it an all-German affair; none of this dodgy Froggy rubber for them.

[Killer2005]

What about JB to ferrari?

With barrichello possibly leaving ferrari at the end of next season, and i remember jean todt saying that he liked JB, could this happen?

[TeamD]

Michael wouldn't like the competition.

[telecat]

Seems rather futile to me. Sauber "Plateau'ed" a while back and don't seem able to make the car faster despite a lot of money spent on the engineering side of things. Looking at the teams situation they were on the way out as Red Bull withdrew the money to their own team and they had lost the Ferrari engine deal.

[flemke]

Killer2005 said:

What about JB to ferrari? With barrichello possibly leaving ferrari at the end of next season, and i remember jean todt saying that he liked JB, could this happen?

Possible, although Todt has been making it plain for a while that Raikkonen is his top priority. KR's contract expires at the end of '06.
A lot of folks think that MS will be retiring sooner rather than later, so there could be two vacancies to fill at FIArrari..

[Digital]

There's a train of thought that suggests Ferrari (Jean Todt especially) are only saying they like Raikkonen so much because they're actually trying to get Alonso on board.

Don't think the BMW takeover of Sauber will be especially good news for Jacques Villeneuve somehow

[mg511]

I think BMW have made a big mistake, what experience do they have of producing 'real' race cars (not touring cars)? even their Le Mans winner was designed and made by Williams (IIRC). There is a good reason why Sauber have never won a race, BMW will have to start from scratch, from less of a base than Toyota (who produced their own race cars and had a successful base). They'd be better off making the 1 series less ugly and trying to sell a few of them. Unless Williams have a trick up their sleeve (VW maybe) the future doesn't look too bright. Jenson to McLaren to replace Montoya, you read it here first!

[mutt k]

On hearing this news, Jacques said:

"As I said earlier this year, I think the Team is very efficient considering the budget that it has to work with so I can only see things becoming better in the future. I am of course ready to share my long term racing experience with BMW," concluded the former World Champion.

On hearing this news a BMW person was unable to reply as he was

[davidd]

mg511 said:

Jenson to McLaren to replace Montoya, you read it here first!

I'd considered that, I'd like to see JPM in a competitive car for a few years yet and as he finally seems to have figured out how to drive the mclaren it would be nice to see him give KR a run for his money.

I wonder if honda will do a deal with BMW and JB will go as part of it??

D

[aeropilot]

If Rubens does leave Ferrari, probably to BAR, I reckon the most likely candidate for the seat will be Massa, especially as he's tested for Ferrari and with the current Sauber links with Ferrari engines. And now with BMW taking over Sauber as well, odds on Heidfeld will be heading in Sauber's direction, to make way for JB at Williams.

With Honda being the first to run a new spec V8, and Williams uncertain about what engine they will have, Button would be a fool to leave BAR at the end of the season.

JPM leaving McLaren...??? Hmmnnn, well after this seasons disasters, I wouldn't bet against him moving, but where to...???

Sauber-BMW perhaps.....

Doesn't look like Fisi is all that happy at Renault at the moment, so it's not inconceivable that there could be a spare seat going there as well, but I'd guess Frank Montagny would be in line for that if that were to happen.

Ahh....the delights of the F1 silly season to ammuse us all.....