A BMW Sauber press release sent out over the weekend showed a new logo for the team (above) and referred to the team as ‘Sauber Motorsport’.
The team has not officially announced the change of name and have not yet responded to questions about the new logo.
It makes sense for the team to drop the ‘BMW’ part of their name as the car manufacturer no longer runs the team, who now use Ferrari engines.
However changing their name may lose their claim to television revenue earned by the team from FOM last year. In which case, they may leave the name unchanged unless they acquire a title sponsor.
Update: Here’s what the team had to say: “Sauber Motorsport is the name of the company. The name of the team is unchanged: BMW Sauber F1 Team.” Doesn’t seem to rule out a change in the future.
Tom
8th March 2010, 9:51
New car colours too? I liked the white and black on their new car, but can understand them wanting their own identity. Does anyone know?
Maybe they’ll have “See you in Melbourne” on the side…
Sush Meerkat
8th March 2010, 10:18
with regards to revenue, surely they still deserve some of it, last year they were called BMW Sauber because Pete Sauber still had 25% stake in the team.
So they should get 25% of revenue right?
PJA
8th March 2010, 10:48
I wouldn’t have thought Sauber would change their name if it wasn’t guaranteed that they would still get their TV money, I would also have thought that the FIA, FOM and FOTA would allow them to change their name rather than have BMW Sauber Ferrari.
tomforpresident
8th March 2010, 10:54
safeways anyone?
IDR
8th March 2010, 11:11
“However changing their name may lose their claim to television revenue earned by the team from FOM last year”
Typical bureaucracy nonsense.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
8th March 2010, 11:52
Indeed.
Rob Wilson
8th March 2010, 11:17
Well it would make sense.
sato113
8th March 2010, 11:30
they’ve been loyal to the sport for almost 20years, I think they should be able to keep their money and change their name just like Brawn/Mercedes did.
come on!
meow
8th March 2010, 11:33
just give it to them
maybe it’s different owner now but it’s pretty much the same team
plus, it’s a private team, no huge mclaren-like budget, not even a title sponsor some more
just give it to them for the sport’s sake
Bertie
8th March 2010, 11:57
It is probably because they are using ferrari engines.
Robert McKay
8th March 2010, 12:52
I suspect they will officially still be BMW Sauber but will just start referring to themselves as Sauber. A bit like how officially it’s HRT but everyone is just going to call them Hispania.
Scribe
8th March 2010, 17:03
yes, like BMW Sauber was always just BMW.
J.A. Summers
9th March 2010, 18:46
I called BMW Sauber “BMW Sauber” or even “Sauber”.
inc0mmunicado
8th March 2010, 19:25
Correction, everyone’s gonna call them Campos!
Magnificent_Geoffrey
8th March 2010, 21:11
That’s what I think I’ll end up doing!
Atticus
8th March 2010, 18:13
I actually think it’s going to be HRT but maybe I’m wrong. Time will tell.
BMW Sauber-Ferrari would be really ugly. We can call them Sauber here but I also hope the official timings would do the same.
TommyC
9th March 2010, 4:47
definitely not here in australia. that’ll confuse the flip out of casual fans…
inc0mmunicado
8th March 2010, 19:23
Ironic though. One of my friends told me that “sauber” means “to clean” in German, which Google Translate confirms. And yet Sauber (the team) can’t get the stain of BMW’s name & past off them!
eggi
8th March 2010, 23:25
Sauber means just “Clean” and not “to clean”…
wasiF1
9th March 2010, 2:11
I am hating this why will I hang BMW’s name when they are not there? I hope in 2011 they come up with only Sauber.
diogenese
9th March 2010, 7:44
If they are sticking with the BMW name to get money from the TV rights, then surely the same will apply next year too?
J.A. Summers
9th March 2010, 18:47
I wish they would paint the car red…