13 – BMW Sauber F1

Stats

• Team Principal: Peter Sauber
• Factory: Hinwil, Switzerland
• Website: bmw-sauber-f1-team.ch
• Drivers: Kamui Kobayashi
• F1 Debut: South Africa 1993
• Championships: 0

Full WCC Results

• 1993 – 7th
• 1994 – 8th
• 1995 – 7th
• 1996 – 7th
• 1997 – 7th
• 1998 – 6th
• 1999 – 8th
• 2000 – 8th
• 2001 – 4th
• 2002 – 5th
• 2003 – 6th
• 2004 – 6th
• 2005 – 8th
• 2010 -

2010 Preview

From the F1 Digest 2010 Season Preview:

The team formerly known as BMW Sauber have turned into, oh wait, they are still BMW Sauber. I can’t really figure out why they still have BMW in the name, as the manufacturer have pulled out of the sport, Peter Sauber has regained full control, and they have Ferrari engines. I can’t imagine the Italians are particularly happy about powering a team with their automotive rival in the title, but there must be some contractual obligations still to be sorted out.

When BMW announced they were leaving, it was an instant concern. We spent a lot of last year’s off-season wondering what was going to happen to ex-Honda, and we didn’t want to go through another winter of wonderment. Former boss Mario Theissen did his best to sort out a future for the team, and for a while it looked as though they were going to be bought out by some less than savoury characters, but thankfully, it was Peter Sauber who took the reigns and reluctantly returns to leading the team after a four year break. Sauber has been involved throughout BMW’s tenure, so he knows exactly what he’s got to do to keep the team competitive, and perhaps return to their Kubica winning form.

Their new car is the C29, launched with a plain white and grey livery, somewhat lacking in sponsorship. The nose is different to a few of the others on the grid, in that it doesn’t dip downwards, but remains smooth to the end. There is an added shark fin towards the back, and the sidepods seem nice and compact to give the car a pretty neat appearance. If BMW were tailing off their development towards the end of their tenure in the sport, then Sauber has brought it right back on track. It remains to be seen whether he’s chosen the right direction or not. In early pre-season testing, the car seems relatively stable, but of mid-field pace – that is not counting for any variables in fuel loads or setups, though. The lineup of Pedro de la Rosa and Kamui Kobayashi is a fascinating one – the epitome of youth paired with experience. We know that Kobayashi is fiesty on track, whilst de la Rosa may be more reserved, but has plenty to share when it comes to testing, setup and development. This must be a transitional year for Sauber, but they aren’t starting from nothing, so I am hoping to see them pick up some points in 2010.