Comments on: Why are BMW really quitting F1?

By: Rich

Rich — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 07:07:03 +0000

Its just business, and money talks.

By: Pink Peril

Pink Peril — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 23:30:57 +0000

I agree that they haven’t helped FOTA’s cause – but who is the member of FOTA? BMW or BMW-Sauber & Mario Theissen? Bit of a difference there. I’m sure Theissen remembers his obligations to FOTA, but sadly, he doesn’t have the final say. He is as much a victim of economic rationalisation as the rest of the BMW-Sauber team.

Personally, I think that if there were still races in the USA or Canada, we wouldn’t be having this discussion.

Blame Canada !

By: Maurice

Maurice — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 20:06:45 +0000

the BMW press relese is just greenwash and short termisam alot of teh otehr series they compete in 95% of the public havnt heard of.

the only other race with anything like the clout of f1 is Le Mans and thats Audi’s playground.

By: DB

DB — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 14:24:14 +0000

I think BMW did the right thing, although “we as fans” will miss them very much! But one things for sure we will always stay loyal to the Brand! Max and Bernie on the other hand are just racist scabs, and I think the world has seen that for themselves the sooner those bum bags dissapear from the F1 the better!! Long live BMW and may you prosper and achieve in other sectors as you always do! BMW SAUBER you came and showed the world what magnificent cars and engines you have, you will truely be missed!

By: toma

toma — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 00:53:37 +0000

Quality, Ronman. BMW copped out because let’s face it, being at the back of the grid was just too painful for a company which prides itself in being Germany’s sportiest manufacturer. All this codswallop about green is a diversion. Of course BMW is going green, but do you think they would be quitting if they were well in the points??

By: dsob

dsob — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 04:11:10 +0000

For all their faults, the FIA have been warning about this for years….

And for years it has been FiA, well of course read that “Mosley”, that has done everythig possible to drive a stake through the heart of the manufacturers.

From back when Mosley was legal advisor to Formula One Constructors Association-which did NOT include the manufacturers-Mosley has held no great love for the manufacturers and has, at any possible opportunity, done whatever he could to hurt them.

By: dj

dj — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 03:38:41 +0000

This call came right from the top (BMW board),when you devalue a Brand name like Max the Nazi and Bernie Hitler right before the German GP you know heads are going to roll…it’s not about cost. An just a side note HP will be out of F1 soon

By: Jay Menon

Jay Menon — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 02:20:28 +0000

There’s been a lot of discussion about manufacturers in the past couple days, I think I stand by the notion that manufacturers should just supply engines, or have a joint venture like Mclaren and Mercedes.

The problem with the big time mnaufacturers is that, F1 is just a another facet of their businesses, not like Ferrari, where F1 racing is the embodiment of the company brand and its products. The big guns go into F1 with deep coffers and they tend to exercise their financial clout, because they can. But, as in all businesses, basic economics will come into play. If your returns don’t add up to your capital, it wouldn’t make sense anymore.

This was the case with Honda, now BMW and soon to be Toyota, maybe Renault too. Honda spent billions, and they got 1 win, excluding Brawn’s success. Toyota are in the same boat, Renault did win two World Championships, but they’ve been going backwards since then.

BMW have had reasonable success, but for the amount they spent, they would probably have been expecting to be consistent front runner by now, this season especially after last seasons success. If it wasn’t for the economic downturn, they probably would have considered writing off this season and seriously focus for next season.

The same can be said about all the other manuacturers. If the economy was rosy..we wouldn’t be having this conversation now would we?

By: K

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 00:12:54 +0000

lol I thought it was Rooisbos.

By: Bernard

Bernard — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 21:42:12 +0000

The regulations are no excuse for poor performance, all of the teams are in the same boat. As Ross Brawn said a few months back, BMW were opposing any amendments to the new rules back in 2008 because they claimed they had already got a good grasp of the design for their 2009 challengers. As it happens they had designed some seriously underperforming wastes of money and now they are paying the price for their short-sightedness.

I hope FOTA helps to get the team back up and running for the 2010 grid as they mentioned in their latest press release.

By: Ken

Ken — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 21:26:50 +0000

Sad for a prestigious name like BMW leave F1.

Probably pointless for them to keep investing money
into something when the rules are aways changing.

They were really close last year and got caught off by the
new regs.

The results are tarnishing the name

By: Kathryn S

Kathryn S — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 21:25:01 +0000

Hi, IDR,

You’ve been expressing this point of view since the FIA/FOTA clash came about…and I think it really keys into the problems.

From my point of view in the US, the recent embarrassments with Max and Bernie have really made the problem much worse. The only time non-F1 fans hear about F-1 in the US is when the powers that be do or say ridiculous (for a lack of a better word) things. What reputable company wants to their name to be associated with such goings on.

By: HounslowBusGarage

HounslowBusGarage — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 20:47:15 +0000

Good memory/research Jim N. Is there any possibility that Reithofer would allow BMW to revert to their previous position of engine supplier, or is he totally anti-F1?
And will Thyssen survive the boardroom punch-up?

By: YeaMon

YeaMon — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 20:35:24 +0000

I could careless about why BMW did quit (not to sound arrogant). I like their production cars but in the world of motorsports when I think of BMW, I think of a lack of commitment. They have all the resources, all the personnel, and yet they never seem to have much success or continue to build off success.

By: Bartholomew

Bartholomew — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 20:09:18 +0000

BMW was very upset about the ambiguity in the rules, this past year, that lead to some teams developing KERS and others not to, some teams having a double diffuser while others did not, etc.
This past winter it was like rolling the dice for the teams : what do we do ? and for some teams the dice rolled the wrong way and they ended up with an uncompetitive car. It happened to several of the best teams.
For a serious company like BMW, that associates good work with good results, this crazy lottery of F1, with Bernie, Mosley, Flavor Flav and Lou in charge, must seem like an improper place to be.
And now, if we end up with Todt “Newman”, even worse. BMW would pay a lot of money to not be associated with such an unsavory individual.

By: Bernard

Bernard — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 18:47:37 +0000

To be honest, I’m with Ferrari on this. I don’t particularly care why BMW have chosen to leave though of course I would have preferred them to stay. Any excuse they have is weak in my opinion, they have pulled out due to lack of performance and they don’t like competing for left overs at the back of the field.

Formula One is about rapidly evolving, high tech competition where success comes from innovative human ideas rather than corporate muscle and long may that continue.

BMW have proved that you can’t just buy a team, throw money at it and expect to win the championship. They were severely deluded to even think they could do so.

By: Obster

Obster — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 17:18:18 +0000

Before the season, BMW was a real champion of the KERS concept.

I think they should be where McLaren is now-with a car revised to meet the clarified aero rules for 2009 plus a cracking KERS system to boost them up the final two places in the Manufacturers Standings from 08.

I am betting on a return to LeMans for them.

By: Brian

Brian — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 16:24:46 +0000

I really wish that somone would put their foot down and put a stop to M.M. and B.E’s destruction of F1. Those two belong in a Mental institute.
First of all: The teams should be able to go out and make an agreement with any engine company they think will give them an advantage. Ex: If USF1 wanted to use a dodge engine instead of Cosworth, they should be allowed to do it.
Second: They need to go to tracks where they KNOW FOR A FACT that fans will show up!!! Montreal 300,000 people swaped for a track that atracted only what? 35,000! C’mon, Bernie, do some research before decided to be greedy! What an A$$. I had been saving up money for months to go to that race, then one day in October I find out it got removed from the calender!!! I can’t tell you how many garbage cans i kicked over that day.
I won’t pretend to know exactly why BMW pulled out, but you can’t tell me it had nothing to do with the current advertising opportunities.

By: TMAX

TMAX — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 16:13:30 +0000

Though when the news is first heard it might look a little cowardly repeating the pattern of Honda where in once an under performance is seen. Move out ASAP.

But Over all I feel BMW is one of the smart companies. They are all set to take over as the highest seller of Luxury brand in US this year. http://bit.ly/fuUOd

Maybe all these are some reasons.
1) BMW was unhappy when F1 moved out of US. Now there is no F1 in the entire North America which is their biggest segment. Though F1 is a world sport what is the use of competing only in countries which potentially can only sell these premium cars in 1000s and neglecting the ones in the 200000s like North Am.

2) Though F1 has a unique glaze about it, They can focus on specific categories of racing in different parts of the globe and still carry the brand identity without being in F1.

3) The F1 Management is not the most thrilling entity today with all sorts of news surrounding it for the wrong reasons.

4) A Premium brand like BMW fighting with Torro Rosso and Force India would be more damaging to their image than quitting.

5) And Most Importantly MONEY……. It definitely is a very expensive sport. In this tough global economy why spend on it with no sorts of ROI from it.

I am sure they will comeback after 5 or 10 years when things stabilizes and when they feel the need to get to other markets and up the brand image.

By: Fandysilalahi

Fandysilalahi — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 16:07:42 +0000

By the way, Mercedes has managed to trickle the Kers technology to a roadgoing car, in the form of the fully electric variant of their upcoming SLS gullwing revival roadster.