(Translated by https://www.hiragana.jp/)
BMW in Formula One - Wikipedia Jump to content

BMW in Formula One

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Midgrid (talk | contribs) at 14:32, 9 August 2007 (→‎2007: + image). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Template:F1 team

BMW Sauber F1 is a Formula One team with bases in Hinwil, Switzerland and Munich, Germany. The team was formed at the end of 2005 by the takeover of the existing Sauber Formula One team by German car manufacturer BMW. The team scored two podium finishes and came fifth in 2006, its first season in Formula One.

Origins

Sauber

Main article: Sauber

Peter Sauber built his first car in 1970. Sauber competed in sports car racing during the 1970s and 1980s. In 1989 it became the Mercedes-Benz works team, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1989 and the World Sportscar Championship in 1989 and 1990.[1]

The Swiss team entered Formula One in the 1993 season, with support from Mercedes. The partnership with Mercedes lasted until 1994. Sauber used Ferrari engines, badged as Petronas, from 1997 to 2005. Sauber never scored a race win, pole position, or fastest lap in Formula One. The team's most successful season was 2001, when it finished fourth in the constructors' championship.[1]

BMW Motorsport

Main article: BMW Motorsport

German car manufacturer BMW competed in Formula One as an engine supplier from 1982 - 1987 and from 2000 - 2005. Nelson Piquet won the 1983 drivers' world championship in a Brabham-BMW. During 2005 BMW ended its engine supply agreement with the Williams team and bought Sauber.[2] Peter Sauber remained with the team as a consultant.

BMW Sauber F1

2006

BMW Sauber put "Thank You" messages towards Michael Schumacher on the back of their cars for the German's last Grand Prix in Brazil.

For the 2006 season BMW Sauber signed Nick Heidfeld from Williams to be their lead driver, while 1997 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve had his existing Sauber contract confirmed. Pole Robert Kubica was signed as the team's third driver. The team continued to use Sauber's facilities, mostly for chassis construction and wind tunnel testing, while BMW's headquarters in Munich were responsible for building the new P86 V8 engine.

Former Sauber title sponsor Petronas renewed their contract with the new team, as a simple team sponsor, as did Credit Suisse. For the new season BMW Sauber announced a technical partnership with Intel, claiming that it will eventually lead to technological improvements available on BMW road cars.[3]

The new livery, unveiled in Valencia on 17 January 2006, was the traditional BMW blue and white with a hint of red.

Jacques Villeneuve scored the team's first points with a seventh place finish at the 2006 Malaysian Grand Prix, after Heidfeld retired from fifth with an engine failure late in the race. Over the first two thirds of the season the drivers picked up points with a succession of seventh and eighth place finishes.

The team ran a radical "twin towers" aero enhancement on the front of the car for the race in Magny-Cours, France, which was meant to direct airflow to the rear and thus improve performance.[4] This unconventional add-on was promptly banned by the FIA as it was adjudged to impede the drivers' vision and thus compromise safety.[5]

Heidfeld scored the team's first podium at the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix from 10th on the grid. Kubica stood in for Villeneuve, BMW stating that Villenueve couldn't drive due to medical complications following his accident at the German Grand Prix. Kubica finished seventh, although he was later disqualified for an underweight car.[6] After the Hungarian Grand Prix, BMW announced that Kubica would complete the season for the Swiss team, spelling the end of former world champion Villeneuve's F1 career.[7]

Kubica scored BMW Sauber's second podium of the season at the Italian Grand Prix, after running in third place for most of the race and leading briefly during the first round of pit stops. Heidfeld struggled in the race and barely earned a point by finishing eighth. The team's fifth place in the constructor's championship was cemented by Heidfeld's two further points at the 2006 Chinese Grand Prix, and Toyota's early double retirement from the 2006 Brazilian Grand Prix.

2007

Nick Heidfeld driving for BMW Sauber at the 2007 British Grand Prix.

On 19 October 2006, it was announced that Robert Kubica would partner Nick Heidfeld for the 2007 with Sebastian Vettel taking the test and reserve driver role. On 21 December, it was announced that Timo Glock had been signed as the team's second test driver. [8] The team launched their 2007 car, the F1.07, on January 16 2007.[9]

The new car showed promising form in winter testing, topping the times sheets on occasions. However, team principal Mario Theissen declared some reliability concerns before the season's opening race in Melbourne. Robert Kubica duly retired from 5th place mid-race with gearbox trouble, but Nick Heidfeld proved their pace in winter testing was no fluke as he raced to 4th place. Heidfeld has continued this success with two more 4th places in Malaysia and Bahrain respectively. Kubica finished 6th in Bahrain after retiring in Australia and mechanical trouble in Malaysia.

Their performance thus far has been such that many are saying a race win is likely after firmly establishing themselves as the best team behind championship leaders Ferrari and McLaren. Although the perceived performance gap between the two leaders and BMW Sauber is a fair amount, it is still less than that between BMW Sauber and the teams behind them.[10]

The Canadian Grand Prix brought mixed fortunes for the team. While Nick Heidfeld scored a 2nd place finish, Robert Kubica suffered a huge crash that resulted in a long safety car period. The media was initially told Kubica had broken his leg, but it later proved that he had escaped with only a sprained ankle and concussion. [11]

Sebastian Vettel took his place in the US Grand Prix, finishing in 8th place and therefore becoming the youngest driver to score a Formula One World Championship point.

After the European Grand Prix, it was announced by Scuderia Toro Rosso that Sebastian Vettel would take the second driver seat from Scott Speed.

Complete Formula One Results

(key) (results in bold indicate pole position)

Year Chassis Engine Tyres Drivers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Points WCC
2006 BMW Sauber F1.06 BMW V8 M BHR MAL AUS SMR EUR ESP MON GBR CAN USA FRA GER HUN TUR ITA CHN JPN BRA 36 5th
Nick Heidfeld 12 Ret 4 13 10 8 7 7 7 Ret 8 Ret 3 14 8 7 8 Ret
Jacques Villeneuve Ret 7 6 12 8 12 14 8 Ret Ret 11 Ret
Robert Kubica TD TD TD TD TD TD TD TD TD TD TD TD DSQ 12 3 13 9 9
2007 BMW Sauber F1.07 BMW V8 B AUS MAL BHR ESP MON CAN USA FRA GBR EUR HUN TUR ITA BEL JPN CHN BRA 71[12] 3rd[12]
Nick Heidfeld 4 4 4 Ret 6 2 Ret 5 6 6 3
Robert Kubica Ret 18 6 4 5 Ret Inj 4 4 7 5
Sebastian Vettel 8

References

  1. ^ a b Sauber www.grandprix.com Retrieved 2 February 2007
  2. ^ BMW www.grandprix.comRetrieved 2 February 2007.
  3. ^ BMW nets Intel sponsorship news.bbc.co.uk Retrieved 2 February 2007
  4. ^ Villeneuve sets Magny Cours pace news.bbc.co.uk Retrieved 2 February 2007
  5. ^ BMW ordered to remove nose fins news.bbc.co.uk Retrieved 2 February 2007
  6. ^ 2006 Hungarian Grand Prixf1.warnerleach.co.uk Retrieved 2 February 2007.
  7. ^ It's the end of the road for Villeneuve www.timesonline.co.uk Retrieved 2 February 2007
  8. ^ "Glock signed as BMW second driver". Grandprix.com. 2006-12-21. Retrieved 2006-12-21.
  9. ^ "The new BMW F1.07". Grandprix.com. 2007-01-16. Retrieved 2007-01-16. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. ^ http://www.formula1.com/news/5984.html - Interview with Mario Thiessen.
  11. ^ "Kubica escapes injury after crash". BBC. 2007-06-10. Retrieved 2007-06-10.
  12. ^ a b Season ongoing
Wikimedia Commons has media related to BMW Sauber.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=BMW_in_Formula_One&oldid=150184897"