BMW about to pull out of F1?

That's just stupid. Bad BMW! Bad!

What will happen to the engineers? Hopefully another team will buy them...
 
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77595

FIA re-opens team selection process

By Simon Strang Saturday, August 8th 2009, 11:26 GMT

The FIA has re-opened the selection procedure for the final place on the 2010 Formula 1 World Championship entry list, in the wake of BMW's announcement that it is withdrawing from the sport at the end of the year.

AUTOSPORT understands that yesterday, FIA president Max Mosley wrote to the seven teams on the 'reserve list' - those under consideration for a place on the grid that did not receive an automatic entry in July - as well as BMW Sauber, to inform them that a place on the grid has become available.

Peter Sauber is still working with BMW to put a rescue package in place for the team he is a 20% partner in, but the Swiss was not able to secure the necessary funding in time to meet last Wednesday's deadline to sign the new Concorde Agreement.

Therefore, while sources suggest that Sauber is making progress to secure the budget to save his eponymous outfit, the FIA is inviting whatever BMW Sauber should become to tender its application alongside the other seven hopefuls selected from the original 15 applications, to pitch for the final place on the grid.

Epsilon Euskadi has already signalled its intention to re-apply, while David Richards' Prodrive outfit is believed still to be interested should the conditions be right to enter F1.

Epsilon Team boss Joan Villadelprat told AUTOSPORT last week: "We are still working on the project, at a much slower rate obviously because we don't have the security [to be on the grid].

"What we can say is that the people who were interested in helping us are still interested, which is something incredible. And if the opportunity arises, we are going to attack it, there's no doubts about it."
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This is an obvious sign that BMW don't want the team to survive under another guise after they're gone. Sort of a "scorched earth" policy. Maybe they want the facilities to use them for something else, a return to DTM is rumoured for 2011 when the championship gets new regulations, but...
 
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Epic bump, but... BMW finds a buyer and the team will most likely go back to being Sauber.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/78655

BMW finds buyer for Formula 1 team

By Pablo Elizalde Tuesday, September 15th 2009, 11:08 GMT

BMW has announced that the Qadbak Investments company has agreed to purchase the Formula 1 team based in Hinwil.

The German company had revealed earlier this year that it will quit Formula 1 at the end of the season, and had been in talks with interested parties since then.

On Tuesday, BMW said it had signed the contract to sell the team to Qadbak, a Swiss-based foundation which represents the interests of certain Middle East and European-based families.

"A strong investor has therefore been found for the Hinwil-based team," BMW said in a statement.

"Qadbak's interest in the team will be represented by Lionel Fischer, a Swiss national. BMW wishes Qadbak and the Sauber Team every success for the 2010 season and beyond."

The sale of the team coincides with the FIA having announced the 13th entry for the 2010 championship went to the Lotus outfit, with BMW as a possible 14th entry in case a current team fails to race next year.

The FIA also said it would talk to the teams about the possibility of increasing the grid size to 28 cars to allow the Hinwil squad to race next year.
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Still only on the reserve list though, despite being more credible than Manor, Campos or USF1, and I think the FIA recognise that. There's a strong likelihood of this team being on the grid next year, as Renault's participation in the sport is very questionable, and there hasn't been much news to excite us regarding the other three, especially Campos. 28 cars would be indeed something, would we see a return to the old pre-qualifying days?
 
Red_Bull said:
28 cars would be indeed something, would we see a return to the old pre-qualifying days?
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Not a chance, no team is going to put the kind of investment needed in if there is a chance they won't even be in the race.
 
Peter3hg said:
Not a chance, no team is going to put the kind of investment needed in if there is a chance they won't even be in the race.
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I think they might not have a choice on some cases because there would not be enough space in the pits. Modern tracks should have enough space but Monaco would most certainly be a problem, and some other older circuits might have the same issue as well.

edit: Nevertheless, we are getting way ahead of ourselves. At least I'm still sceptical all 13 teams with previous entries will make it to the grid.
 
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