Are BMW kicking themselves?

[deadslow]

From James Allen's blog :

"I cannot help thinking that the team blew its chance to win the world championship last season when team boss Mario Theissen decided to switch development to the 2009 car after the win in Canada. You don’t get many chances to win world championships in F1 and, as Kubica pointed out at the time, you should always pursue the title if it is within reach..... I think he was thinking as a corporate man, driven by hitting targets, rather than a racer who sniffed an opportunity. That decision now looks wrong and has increased the pressure on him and the team at a difficult time for the car business. "

Can't help thinking this is exactly right.

http://allenonf1.wordpress.com/

[FourWheelDrift]

Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

[AlpineWhite]

"What ifs", though, isn't it.

If BMW had been able to find, say another 0.2 seconds per lap, would that have made a big difference in the last couple of races? In my opinion, the chances of BMW winning the championship were very very slim.

[deadslow]

FourWheelDrift said:

Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

This is true, but the point seems to be that if you can sniff the title, you go for it. BMW declined the challenge. Maybe they were wrong, irrespective (but also especially in light) of current form.

[skinny]

BMW claim that they didn't so much as give up on the championship last year - although they do say that they started diverting resources after their win to the '09 car, they were still bringing out updates to the '08 car, they just weren't as effective as they should have been.

still, luckily for them, these cars that everyone has been designing for '09 only need to last one season, it's new regulations again for '10 and who said that the teams can't save money!

[StevenJJ]

Looking at the front of their respective cars it looks like Renault and BMW went the same way:




Why are the nose cones so much wider on these cars compared to the field and what were they both pursuing with this philosophy?

Edited by StevenJJ on Sunday 26th April 20:27

[Alfa_75_Steve]

The Brawn has a very wide nose, too.

[stifler]

And Fernando keeps his lunchbox in the nosecone of the Renault.