The BMW squad will leave Formula One at the end of 2009, it was confirmed this morning, after the manufacturer suffered an awful season in the sport. Though the official reason given was a "strategic realignment".
The expected news was confirmed in a press conference at the BMW headquarters in Munich, with the chairman of the BMW board Dr. Norbert Reithofer claiming that the decision was down to the fact that they were changing the company's strategy for the future.
"Of course, this was a difficult decision for us. But it's a resolute step in view of our company's strategic realignment," he garbled to the media.
He went on to emit a baffling paragraph of corporate nonsense, saying: "Premium will increasingly be defined in terms of sustainability and environmental compatibility. This is an area in which we want to remain in the lead. In line with our Strategy Number ONE, we are continually reviewing all projects and initiatives to check them for future viability and sustainability. Our Formula 1 campaign is thus less a key promoter for us.
"Mario Theissen has been in charge of our motor sports program since 1999. We have scored a large number of successes in this period, including some in Formula 1 racing. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Mario Theissen and his team for this."
Theissen, the BMW motorsport boss whose prickly-lipped features have graced the F1 paddock since BMW entered the sport as an engine supplier to Williams in 2000, was unhappy, but said that he understood the reasons for the withdrawal.
"Of course, we, the employees in Hinwil and Munich, would all have liked to continue this ambitious campaign and show that this season was just a hiccup following three successful years," he muttered, "But I can understand why this decision was made from a corporate perspective. We will now focus sharply on the remaining races and demonstrate our fighting spirit and put in a good result as we bid farewell to Formula 1 racing."
Dr. Klaus Draeger, the head of development with the company, admitted that the chronic lack of results in 2009 were a factor in the decision to leave the sport.
"It only took us three years to establish ourselves as a top team," he claimed, "Unfortunately, we were unable to meet expectations in the current season.
"Nevertheless, our ten years of Formula 1 experience have had a major impact on our development engineers. We have racing to thank for numerous technological innovations as well as the competitive spirit that drives us to develop mass-produced cars."
Earlier, Bernie Ecclestone had also highlighted the lack of results this season as the reason for BMW's decision to run away and hide.
"Recently when I spoke to Mario Theissen, the team manager, he said they had three years to win the world championship," Ecclestone revealed to the BBC, "That's what he wanted to do and he was quite confident they would. But it appears it's not quite been like that, so perhaps that's why they've (chosen) to stop."
BMW re-entered Formula One in 2000 as an engine supplier to Williams. They secured their first win in the 2001 San Marino Grand Prix, and helped the Williams of Juan Pablo Montoya challenge for the 2003 world championship, before choosing to buy out the Sauber team and go it alone in 2006.
Robert Kubica took the only victory for the team as a standalone constructor in last season's Canadian GP, but the Pole remained as a title contender almost to the end of last year. This year though, the team has slid to the back of the field, with BMW currently having just 8 world championship points, and sitting 8th in the constructors championship.
No decision has been made yet on whether the team will be mothballed completely or sold to another interested F1 party.
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