45 replies to this topic

[chumma]

According to PitPass:

http://t.co/cI3IsuNr2T

Great for F1, Williams tie up anyone?

[David Lightman]

"According to PitPass"

 

Hmmm

[HistoryFan]

don't see that happen. 

[Steve99]

According to PitPass:

http://t.co/cI3IsuNr2T

Great for F1, Williams tie up anyone?

Haven't Williams just committed to Mercedes?

[chumma]

Haven't Williams just committed to Mercedes?

I don't know the length of the contract, their contract with Renault was only for 2 years.

[CoolBreeze]

They should not. They way they ran away from F1 was embarassing.

[scheivlak]

I don't know the length of the contract, their contract with Renault was only for 2 years.

 

According to http://www.autosport...t.php/id/107758 "Williams has confirmed it will switch to Mercedes engines next season in what it describes as a "long-term" partnership"

 

"I'm delighted to announce our new association with Mercedes-Benz for the 2014 Formula 1 season and beyond," said team principal Frank Williams.

 

Apart from that, Williams and BMW parted not in the most harmonious way......

Edited by scheivlak, 04 September 2013 - 09:54.

[Tommay]

Sticking to V8's for another year would hurt McLaren

[Baddoer]

Just no.

[Shiroo]

Well they should just get a team like Caterham or so. So we will have more manfacturers that can produce top cars. Or at least take someone like FI, Toro Rosso or so. 5-6 top teams would be frickin awesome.

As only engine supplier, can't see happening. First of all. Who they would supply? RBR, McLaren, Mercedes, Lotus, Ferrari are all no. Williams is supposed to have long term with Mercedes as well. Toro Rosso is RBR junior so they will have Renault as well. Sauber has connection to Ferrari so it is a no as well. Force India seems geniuely happy with Mercedes as well and after McLaren deperture from 2015 onwards it would be normal for Mercedes to stick with 3 teams.

Only teams that are left are Caterham and Marussia.

why the heck they would come back to Formula 1, just for sake of being on the back of the grid. 0 exposure, and silly jokes about the "how shitty the engine is".

 

So they could come back ONLY if they would buyout one team. or buy a spot in Formula 1.

 

Though I would like to see Mario Theissen back 

[boldhakka]

They've consistenly rubbished such rumors before.

[JHSingo]

No chance. Pure dream and fantasy. BMW denied having any interest at all when Bernie made that bizarre comment (which I found rather funny - good on a manufacturer putting Bernie in his place!), stating that they're only interested in DTM and sports car racing (in America with the Z4 GTE) anyway, so I don't really know where the evidence to this is from.

 

Additionally, I seem to recall after BMW pulled out of F1 the last time, that they said they'd be focusing primarily on production based racing for a while, meaning touring cars/GT.

Edited by JHSingo, 04 September 2013 - 12:03.

[EthanM]

So they could come back ONLY if they would buyout one team. or buy a spot in Formula 1.

 

 

no way in hell will they go down that road ever again. Theissen had clearly bit off way more than he could chew and it all went embarassing for them pretty quickly.

 

But providing engines isn't all that incredible, inspite of the engine manufacturers complaining about the R&D costs they get a lot of environmental goodwill with ERS etc, and that's marketing gold for them right now.

[undersquare]

BMW will be hating seeing Mercedes' F1 success, especially after their own failure.  I could well see them being tempted to come back as an engine supplier.

 

Or even as a team, in time.  They may feel they've learned the lesson about being in Motorsport Valley not Switzerland, and how to pick an effective TP.

 

It's an itch, after all.  Some manufacturers have it.

[PayasYouRace]

Fair enough if they want to add their name to the list of engine suppliers. I'm sure at least one team would be willing to partner up with them. I do not want to see more manufacturers buying out teams in F1, especially BMW after they nearly killed off Sauber last time they pulled out.

[Disgrace]

BMW is much more likely to be running a factory MotoGP team by 2016.

[Fastcake]

No I don't see them coming back. They're involved in plenty of other things at the moment, and unlike Honda there appears to be no desire to return any time soon.

[eronrules]

if and a big IF, they do decide to return as a engine supplier and tries to find a competitive team to act as their factory team, the only viable (and attractive) option is LotusF1, the enstone team needs a good tie in with a stable engine manufacturer to prosper and 'bring back the glory' of yesteryears. 

[Anderis]

Great for F1, Williams tie up anyone?

AFAIR, Williams has a deal with Mercedes for 2014-2016.

[MikeV1987]

Won't happen as long as they're focusing on DTM.

[chumma]

BMW is much more likely to be running a factory MotoGP team by 2016.

After withdrawing from WSBK didn't they b;atantly say no to MotoGP ?

[DinocoBlue]

I know diddly squat, and while I doubt the rumour is anything more than that, I guess its still a possibility. After all, folk were dimissing talk of Honda contemplating a return so soon...

[Atreiu]

They should not. They way they ran away from F1 was embarassing.

Who cares? Better to have more engine manufacturers involved than people staying away afraid of past failures.

[hogstar]

I would like to see BMW back and there is space on the grid. Ideally, they are better being engine suppliers only, but there are no obvious suitors. However, if the engine is good (and reliable) enough, then some contracts may not seem as water tight as they initially seemed...

[ViMaMo]

Hope they come back soon as a engine supplier !

Edited by ViMaMo, 05 September 2013 - 01:37.

[punknhedd]

Just don't see it happening.  I don't think Honda really wanted to leave, but the downturn really whacked the Japanese automakers.

 

BMW already has lots on it's plate.

[Dalton007]

I can see them coming back because of the rules and, more importantly, relevance to road cars. By then we might have 18" rims too. Strictly as engine suppliers, though.

[Clatter]

Sticking to V8's for another year would hurt McLaren

What?

[dau]

Won't happen as long as they're focusing on DTM.

DTM may be nice for the German market, but if they want to advertise their brand worldwide, it's pretty much useless. They may want to return to a series of global importance anytime in the future. Doesn't have to be F1, of course.

[saudoso]

Just don't see it happening.  I don't think Honda really wanted to leave, but the downturn really whacked the Japanese automakers.

 

Bull. Honda withdrew the name but still funded Brawn for a whole year. They where just ashamed of losing too much and took the opportunity to fly.

 

Same with BMW and Toyota, sore losers.

Edited by saudoso, 05 September 2013 - 11:18.

[Seanspeed]

Would be fantastic.  BMW have great racing pedigree and had a lot of potential with the BMW/Sauber partnership. 

 

I've love for them to come and take that Merc vs BMW rivalry right here into F1.   

[Clatter]

Quite a number of people have said Honda will be at a big disadvantage as they will be a year behind in race experience with the new power plants. How much worse would it be for BMW being two years behind?

[OSX]

They should not. They way they ran away from F1 was embarassing.

 

That may be so but it would be good for the sport to get BMW back.

[noikeee]

Joe Saward seems to think it's a genuine possibility albeit nothing's very solid yet, but like everyone else in this thread I'm not seeing which team can they back. Lotus? I don't think they'll turn their backs on Renault that readily, there's an obvious close connection there. Williams have bad blood with BMW and have just signed a Mercedes contract. Force India as a works BMW team doesn't sound right. Returning to Sauber doesn't sound right. A backmarker would be pointless if they want to advertise a winning brand. I don't know, I don't think they fit in at the moment even if there's a genuine interest.

[DutchQuicksilver]

BMW will not come back as a manufacturer I think. The way they left F1 was a complete farce. They were on their way te be the team behind Ferrari and McLaren, yet after one poor season, after three very succesful ones, they called it quits. Shame on them.

[Seanspeed]

BMW will not come back as a manufacturer I think. The way they left F1 was a complete farce. They were on their way te be the team behind Ferrari and McLaren, yet after one poor season, after three very succesful ones, they called it quits. Shame on them.

It was during the height of the recession.  I don't think I can ever hold it against a company for not wanting to spend frivolously at the time.  They didn't just quit because they were sore losers.  Anybody who thinks that has very little understanding of the bigger picture.

[DutchQuicksilver]

It was during the height of the recession.  I don't think I can ever hold it against a company for not wanting to spend frivolously at the time.  They didn't just quit because they were sore losers.  Anybody who thinks that has very little understanding of the bigger picture.

 

I believe it was more Honda and Toyota who decided it on the recession.

[Seanspeed]

I believe it was more Honda and Toyota who decided it on the recession.

Why do you believe that?

 

I certainly think that BMW's fairly successful 2008 year could have had some bearing on them staying into 2009, but I don't doubt for a second they were already considering pulling out.  Its simply not a coincidence that you had 3 major manufacturers bow out in such a short period of time.

Edited by Seanspeed, 05 September 2013 - 12:48.

[kimifan88]

Have looked up the @joesaward and PitPass articles and both seem to be on the same lines. Two different takes on this are good enough for me to take it seriously. Theres no smoke without fire unless one copied the other and the first had a questionable origin. Anyone know which of these articles came first?

[peroa]

Well, it would be good for F1, problem is who will they supply? Williams and Sauber are certainly out of the question. 

Lotus-BMW sounds good, though.

Edited by peroa, 05 September 2013 - 21:02.

[William Hunt]

Sauber would be the most likely candidate, they could even buy a share in the team back and invest in it. Still I think it's more likely that BMW would enter Moto GP.

[peroa]

You really think Peter Sauber would want to have any business whatsoever with BMW again?

[Tron]

BMW will not be racing in Superbikes from next year.

A similar pattern like in F1 where they committed themselves towards a long term project, won races, became championship material, and suddenly pull out.

So would any team really want to chance with them again?

[jimctu]

I hope they comeback.they were a great team...

Edited by jimctu, 05 September 2013 - 21:52.

[CoolBreeze]

And the same thing they say about VW. I don't see it happening at all.

[eronrules]

They've consistenly rubbished such rumors before.

just like HONDA