BMW have bought Sauber

[Kirium]

The press conference is taking place right now, live on http://www.bmw-motorsport.com/

[mandarin]

The press conference is taking place right now, live on http://www.bmw-motorsport.com/


thanks for the link :D

[Sid447]

The press conference is taking place right now, live on http://www.bmw-motorsport.com/

Sounds like a Wiiliams divorce looming....
It was mentioned as a distinct possiblity in Autosport, thanks for the link.

[team illucid]

good post Kirium

[pagey]

cheers for the link.. i can't get any audio tho'..

[pagey]

never mind me.. got it now.. :doh:

[Kirium]

So now after all the speculation, it's official...


From crash.net
BMW will run its own team in the Formula One world championship from next season, having acquired a majority shareholding in the Sauber team, the German company revealed today [Wednesday].

The decision was taken at a BMW board meeting on Tuesday and means that, for the first time in company history, the Munich marque will be competing independently in the top flight.

The majority stake in the Swiss team will be bought from both current team boss Peter Sauber and major sponsor Credit Suisse, who will effectively hand over control between 1 January 2006 and the end of 2008. The deal will not only provide the platform for BMW to run its own team in the world championship, but will also secure the future of the Sauber factory at Hinwil, and the 300 employees working there. Indeed, the factory in Hinwil will continue to exist as a legally independent Swiss company affiliated to BMW Motorsport while, in order to achieve its established objectives, BMW will increase the number of employees based there.

BMW is acquiring Sauber's shares at the end of the current season, and will progressively 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, but withdraw from his operational responsibility.

"For Sauber, the partnership with BMW is an ideal solution as it supports the two goals which have always been paramount for me - firstly, to offer the team the possibility of improving their sporting performance, and secondly, to safeguard the site at Hinwil and the jobs of today's 300-strong workforce," the 61-year old team boss admitted.

"The involvement of six car manufacturers has resulted in significant changes to Formula One in recent years. For the private teams in particular, it has become increasingly difficult to secure solid financing which enables the achievement of sporting success as well. For some years, I have also been thinking in terms of succession planning which, in the light of the very specific demands of Formula One, is no easy matter.

"The partnership with BMW guarantees continuity. For that reason, too, it represents an ideal solution, because I know it will give the workforce a very good outlook. Over more than 35 years, I have guided this company through often stormy seas, which is why it is so important for me to know that it will be in goods hands in future as well.
The team's new structure - complete with managerial and key positions, including the driver line-up - and its new identity will be worked out by the takeover date, and the team officially presented to the public at the beginning of 2006."

BMW is keen to stress that the expansion of its Formula One involvement will not damage other motorsport projects, with the marque's 24-hour, touring car and Formula BMW programmes all remaining unaffected.

The company is also keen to retain its links with long-term partner WilliamsF1, and will be seeking talks as soon as possible to resolve issues arising from today's announcement.

"In the partnership with WilliamsF1, we have celebrated successes together and taken the team forward," Mario Theissen confirmed, "Both partners today are stronger than at the outset of our joint venture and are thus equipped for the future. What that future will look like will be decided over the next weeks.

"Irrespective of that decision, we are concentrating on the current season. We still have quite a few goals for this year and we will apply all our powers and professionalism to implement them together with WilliamsF1."

The wonderful union of my favorite constructor and my favorite car manufacturer comes to a premature end. So much potential, so little reward...

I can only hope now that Williams turn to Cosworth now for their allegedly excellent V8, and not Toyota, rebadged as Lexus.

[O5BRKY]

Just hope it doesn't stuff up Mark Webber.

[exploder]

Just hope it doesn't stuff up Mark Webber.

You'd think he'd be ok, after all Frank Williams wanted Webber, BMW wanted Heidfeld.

[all4ford]

You'd think he'd be ok, after all Frank Williams wanted Webber, BMW wanted Heidfeld.
I'd prefer if BMW wanted him, I think they are going to show a lot of great potential.

[Falcon Freak]

BMW to move Heidfeld to Sauber?

FF

[FPV GTHO]

I'd prefer if BMW wanted him, I think they are going to show a lot of great potential.

Its Williams Webber wants to be at though, he wants to be with Frank, Patrick Head and Sam Michael......Knowing this, BMW will know they'll be wasting their time trying to break his contract with Williams

[all4ford]

Its Williams Webber wants to be at though, he wants to be with Frank, Patrick Head and Sam Michael......Knowing this, BMW will know they'll be wasting their time trying to break his contract with Williams
Oh ok. Whose supplying the engines to Williams now?

[Kirium]

BMW will continue to supply engines this year, and are still under contract for next year, but it's likely Williams will want to change. possibly honda, toyota or cosworth... i think cosworth is could be their best bet.

[FPV GTHO]

Theyre in a long term contract till 2009, supposedly with various clauses to get out of it. Cosworth would be their best bet, the V8 formula was devised to reduce power down to about 700hp, and already Cosworth's V8 is punching out 800hp on the dyno.

[hsv423]

but minardis run cosworths..they do shit...¿ i cant see how cosworth will help.....and, yeh get rid of heidfeld, coz hes supposedly been flirting with offers from other teams, bring in Button, seeing BAR are doing so crap, hed prolly want out newayz

[Plan B]

This was decided by the BMW Board of Management on Tuesday. It means that, for the first time in company history, BMW will be competing independently in Formula One.

I'd call that Total Management.

[FPV GTHO]

but minardis run cosworths..they do shit...¿ i cant see how cosworth will help.....

Cosworth used to be the best engine manufacturer in the series, their DFV V8's used to fill half the grid. Ever since Ford got involved theyve been held back, their first year of being independant again they supposedly found 60hp in an engine thats supposed to last twice as long. Now they were supposedly using engines in the US with another 30hp ontop of that! Renault for instance were only talking of a 25hp increase before the season for their engines!


and, yeh get rid of heidfeld, coz hes supposedly been flirting with offers from other teams, bring in Button, seeing BAR are doing so crap, hed prolly want out newayz

Since when was considering your options a bad thing? Heidfeld was only signed up for 1 year, and it's widely known Williams want Button, he'd be an idiot NOT to look around. :rolleyes:

[Kirium]

but minardis run cosworths..they do shit...¿ i cant see how cosworth will help.....and, yeh get rid of heidfeld, coz hes supposedly been flirting with offers from other teams, bring in Button, seeing BAR are doing so crap, hed prolly want out newayz

Minardi cars have been among the fastest cars thru speed traps in races this year. Faster than Ferrari, Renault, Williams... The fact Minardi isn't doing well is a result of poor pay-drivers, lack of chassis and aero development, not the engine. The Toyota is probably the most powerful, but Williams wouldn't have the benefit of an exclusive contract with Toyota, but they would have a near-exclusive contract with Cosworth, where they wouldn't be sharing an engine with another top level team. The Cosworth engine is well known as a very powerful unit.. And the new V8 is also going to be very very good. The Honda V8 already revs to 20,000rpm, and I don't doubt the engineers at Cosworth are producing an engine with less than that.