BetterMakeWay

Thanks for the advice and again i couldn't agree more. It hurt me also to see BMW lag behind so much in this season. IMHO the main reason that stood for BMW's lack of performance was the rear double diffuser that team contested it at the beginning of the season. As i understood BMW withdrew their development plans for the end of the 2008 season, which we all know was a mistake as Kubica had some hopes at the title or at least a 2nd place. The car ran pretty well in 2008 but BMW thought that if they start early they will get the best car in 2009. And then came FIA with their regulations and teams that were "smart" enough interpreted regulations in their own way, so BMW was out before you knew it. We all know the season is also compromised for also Mclaren and Ferrari, which together with BMW and Renault made up from what F1 IS (as all other second teams use factory engines or other parts).

So we should also thank again FIA. FREAKING IDIOTS.

swajames

All the teams work under the same rules and all the teams got the rules at the same time. The reality here is pretty simple - other teams did a better job of innovating within the rules, the diffuser being perhaps the best example, and BMW's driver line up just isn't strong enough (particularly Heidfeld). It's a shame to see them go, as they absolutely should be in F1 and should be performing strongly in F1 - but the issues this year simply speak to poor leadership and not thinking as creatively as other teams. This particular episode can't be blamed on the FIA - the things that led to the decision to pull out are wholly down to BMW themselves.

Rudy

Here's the text of a speech by Norbert Reithofer:

Statement by Norbert Reithofer Press Conference on the Realignment of BMW AG?s Motor Sports Activities
29.07.2009

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thank you for joining us at such short notice here today.

Yesterday, the Board of Management made the following decision:
? We will realign our motor sports activities.
? The BMW Group will end its Formula One activities at the end of the 2009 season.
? We will remain active in the field of motor sports, focusing on close-to-production motor sports and promoting young drivers.
? We will pool our expertise and financial resources in the fields of sustainability and new technology development.

In 2007, we set the foundation for a strategic realignment of the BMW Group by adopting our Strategy Number ONE. Now we are rolling out this strategy in all areas within the BMW Group.

In addition, we initiated an internal change process that goes hand in hand with a new mindset throughout our workforce.

All measures and activities aim for the same goal, namely to ensure our company?s future viability.
This is the focus to which we are dedicating our resources and capacities, while constantly adjusting them to new requirements.
The BMW Group is the world?s leading premium car company in the automotive industry. We believe that this demands accountability
? with respect to our products,
? with respect to who we are as a company,
? with respect to our social commitment,
? and with respect to the premium business model.

We are of the opinion that the premium segment has to remain a positive role model within our society. By launching our Efficient Dynamics technology program, we began early on to reduce our vehicles? fuel consumption and emissions significantly. Today, our BMW and MINI fleet in Germany consumes a mere 5.9 liters of fuel on average. This is below the average of Germany's largest-volume brand.

Sportiness and dynamics remain the key attributes of all BMW models, albeit paired with responsibility. At the IAA, we will showcase a concept car as a?CO2 champion? to demonstrate a whole new dimension of driving pleasure with regards to efficiency with performance.

In line with our Strategy Number ONE, we are continually reviewing all projects and initiatives to check them for future viability and sustainability. We made this clear with the initial announcement of our Strategy Number ONE. And, naturally, this also includes motor sports. And I have always been clear about my position on making tough decisions that will help ensure the BMW Group?s success over the long run. As our company places stronger focus on sustainability initiatives, our participation in Formula One becomes less a key promoter of this engagement. It goes without saying that this step was very difficult for us?as well as for me personally.

On behalf of the entire Board of Management, I would like to express our immense gratitude to Mario Theissen for his commitment and successes. Everyone knows that the BMW brand embodies sportiness with sheer driving pleasure. Sportiness and fair competition are firmly encoded in our DNA. This is why we will remain loyal to motor sports. But we will do this in series that enable us to transfer technology more directly and to realize additional synergies, while strengthening our brand values. This is in our customers? best interest. As a company, we are making a paradigm shift based on our Strategy Number ONE. We are setting new priorities in an ever-changing environment.

The focus of the BMW Group will be towards sustainable development over the next years and decades to come.

Our vision remains clear: to be the leading provider of premium products and premium services for individual mobility.
We will pursue this vision with resolve.

Thank you for your attention.

flyingpuck

This thread is actually a couple of threads here today! No surprise really, it IS a big story in the BMW world!

JetBlack5OC

This is the original thread. The others were about 5 hours too late.

Rudy

Yes, this the original thread but technically, BMW's exodus was discussed earlier here at 1:34am, almost three hours earlier:
https://5series.net/forums/index.php?s=&amp...st&p=957658

(by you, of course!)

pigapumbu

Dont forget the damn KERs. I said it was a lousy idea then and it still is. BMW put too much into their KERs which as we know was not as good as the Merc system. What a waste of resources. Again,.. we can thank FIA for all this. Talk about cutting costs. What a laugh!!!

I read somewhere that BMW were comparing their 2009 car with ferrari's car and thought they were on a roll. What a cockup there cause ferrari turned out to be a slow car.

In the end, BMW realised that they were not going to win either the driver or manufacturer prize and the costs were going up. They have a choice... F1 or BMW coporation. I think I would have done the same. There are many articles of where BMW went wrong and many focused on their recent problems.

Me though, I say BMW's entry into F1 was already doomed when they first signed up with Williams. Like those two (frank & Patrick) should have retired ages. Having joined up with two Mr. I-Know-it-all, even if BMW gave them the BEST engine, both frank and patrick would have messed it all up. And they did... frank on the way the car design went (remember the Fugly front) and Patrick with his endless mistakes on race days. Racing has moved on a whole lot. Frank and patrick are still stuck in the 19th century. hahaha..

That was the beginning and end to BMW. Merc were lucky they tied up with a team that was hungry to win and would do anything to get there.. even if it meant cheating. But it worked for Merc. BMW was not lucky in that sense.

cheers