BMW to pull out of F1?
Chances are high says Beemer boss
The chances of BMW's pulling out of F1 appear to be high, according to an interview of a high-placed source inside BMW in the German newspaper Der Spiegel. Apparently there simply isn't the return for the €200 million investment.
BMW-Williams, the team Jenson Button wants to join, has not done as well recently as it's accustomed to.
In 1996, it topped the constructor's table with 175 points against its nearest rival Ferrari's 70 and a year later had less of a lead over the red team with 123 versus 102.
Williams' best result since its tie-up with BMW was in 2002, when it finished second to Ferrari, 92 points playing 221. And after just four GP races this year, the team currently lies fourth, behind Renault, Toyota and McLaren-Mercedes.
"When we're always falling behind, the money is a poor investment", said BMW chief Manfred Schoch.
Yet only last week, Dr. Helmut Panke, BMW's chairman of the board stood up and hailed the company's 2005 financial year a huge success, with "new records in retail, revenues and earnings", and retail sales up 9.4 per cent -- an astonishing achievement in a flat economic year.
If they add to the specials market, limited run cars, that would be nice.
www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?PO_ID=32774
Only time will tell i guess
Rob
Gassing Station | General Motorsport | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff