New name and logo for BMW Sauber?
BMW Sauber have dropped a hint that they may be changing the name and logo of their Formula 1 team, to Sauber Motorsport. It makes sense, too, given that BMW are no longer associated with the team.
The above, new logo was displayed on a press release previewing the Bahrain Grand Prix on the BMW Sauber media site.
However changing their name could cause its own issues – to change a F1 team name after already registering another, is difficult and could result with the loss of the team’s claim to TV revenue earned in the 2009 season. Another theory is that Peter Sauber may be waiting for a title sponsor before filling in the name-change form.
Key in for Rampf at BMW Sauber
(L to R) James Key, Willy Rampf
The 56-year-old German Willy Rampf has stepped down as technical director at the BMW Sauber team, after 10 years in his position at the Hinwil-based team.
Rampf is to make way for 38-year-old Englishman James Key, who will take up his position at the team on April 1st.
Key started off designing cars at Lotus, before launching his Formula One career in 1998 as a data engineer with Jordan. After becoming Takuma Sato’s race engineer, Key then spent a year in the aerodynamics department, before he was made head of vehicle dynamics. Key was appointed Technical Director in season 2005, when the team was renamed Midland. He retained this position when the team became SpykerF1 and then Force India. Key was in charge of the VJM02 with which the private team took a pole position, a podium place and a fastest race lap in 2009.
Key said:
“The first time I saw the facilities in Hinwil, I knew straightaway the kind of opportunities open to me there. The wind tunnel, the supercomputer, the machine park and the expertise of the team were extremely persuasive. There is significant potential at Sauber, and with the ever-changing world of F1 I think the team is very well placed at present. I am grateful to my old team for the past 12 years I spent with them, but now I very much look forward to starting my new job. I would like to thank Peter Sauber and the team for this great opportunity.”
James Key
BMW Sauber team boss Peter Sauber commented:
“Despite his young age, James looks back on more than a decade of experience in Formula One – and the 2009 car in particular proved quite a revelation. James comes from a private team and knows how to work around a limited budget. With us he will enjoy high-level technical opportunities. Willy and James will be devoting April to the handover. I have known about Willy’s plans for some time, of course, and fully understand his decision. He has achieved great things for our team. I had managed to get him on board as race engineer for season 1994. Then in 1998 he temporarily left the team to pursue his Paris-Dakar Rallye dream and ran BMW’s motorcycle involvement – a successful interlude, as we know. In 1999 he returned to the fold with the clear aim of becoming Technical Director. It was practically his first Formula One car that was out on the grid in 2001, and we finished fourth in the Constructors’ Championship as a privately-run team. We have Willy to thank for a great deal.”
Peter Sauber
Willy Rampf said:
“When you’re Technical Director of a Formula One team, the job comes first and everything else is subordinate to it. I have done my job with a passion for ten years, but now it’s time to hand over the baton. Peter Sauber gave me the chance to enter this league of motor sport and I greatly value all my years spent working with the team.”
Willy Rampf
Sauber reveal C29 (Gallery)
Sauber have today launched thir 2010 challenger – the C29 at the Ricardo Tormo race track in Valencia.
“The last few months have been very intense for us,” says team boss and owner Peter Sauber. “First we had to battle to secure the survival of the team and then we focused on putting a strong set-up in place for the future. The technical preparation of the 2010 car has continued uninterrupted and according to plan since the spring of 2009, despite all the turmoil. We have a long tradition of bringing together an up-and-coming youngster and an experienced campaigner as a driver combination – and it’s an approach that has brought us a lot of success. Pedro has been working at the highest level technically for many years and for a top team, and we can benefit as a team from this experience. Young Kamui also has a lot to offer us, and last year he impressed me particularly in Abu Dhabi.”
For De la Rosa, a long-harboured hope has been realised: “At last I can feel like a proper racing driver again. I’ve really missed the competition out on the track. At the same time, though, I’ve learned a lot technically and on the systems side, and now I want to bring that knowledge to the team.”
Kobayashi can’t wait to tackle his first full season in Formula One: “I’m very proud that Peter Sauber has shown so much faith in me and I’m determined not to disappoint him. My aim is that he will end up being proud of me as well.”
BMW Sauber C29
Rampf explains: “The development of the BMW Sauber C29 has seen the team build on the experience gained last year and the improvement in performance over the final third of the season. However, the new regulations banning refuelling during the race and stipulating a reduced width for the front tyres have required significant changes to the car’s design.”
The increased length of the fuel tank means the car has grown longer overall. And because they are slimmer, the front tyres will be more heavily worked, requiring weight to be shifted further towards the rear of the car.
An eye-catching feature of the C29 is its highly intricate raised nose. Also very distinctive is an extremely long undercut at the transition from chassis into underbody. These and other aerodynamic measures also help to ensure optimum airflow to the double diffuser. Further changes were required to integrate the Ferrari engine and, in particular, the Ferrari gearbox.
Specification
Chassis: Carbon-fibre monocoque
Suspension: Upper and lower wishbones (front and rear), inboard springs and dampers, actuated by pushrods (Sachs Race Engineering)
Brakes: Six-piston brake callipers (Brembo), carbon pads and discs (Brembo, Carbon Industries)
Transmission: Ferrari Seven-speed quick shift gearbox, carbon, longitudinally mounted, carbon-fibre clutch
Chassis electronics: MES
Steering wheel: BMW Sauber F1 Team
Tyres: Bridgestone Potenza
Wheels: OZ
Length: 4,940 mm
Width: 1,800 mm
Height: 1,000 mm
Track width, front: 1,495 mm
Track width, rear: 1,410 mm
Weight: 620 kg (including driver, tank empty)
Gallery
BMW Sauber reorganisation announced
The BMW Sauber F1 team has announced the restructuring of its management, following the purchase of the team by Peter Sauber near the end of last year.
Peter Sauber is now the President of the board of directors, but will not have any operational duties at the team’s Hinwil base. This will be left with the management in Hinwil.
His son, Alex, is now in charge of the marketing department. He previously worked in Neue Grasshopper Fussball AG, a Swiss football team.
Willy Rampf remains as technical director. Urs Jampen returns to the role of finance director after 18 months. Jurg Flach is now the director of operations, with overall responsibility of production. Monisha Kaltenborn is the new managing director, who has been promoted from Head of Legal Affairs.
When asked about the reorganisation, Peter Sauber said:
“Formula 1 is constantly changing.This division of responsibilities not only meets the demands of the sport, but also freshens things up within the company. I will keep myself informed on all important developments, but will leave operational matters to the management in Hinwil.”
Sauber to launch car before Valencia test
Sauber are the first team of the 13 to announce their launch date – January 31st at the Valencia circuit, before testing kicks off there the next day.
Despite BMW selling the team to Sauber, the official team name will remain BMW Sauber – for the time being, at least as team boss Peter Sauber has “not decided” when an application to change the name of his Hinwil based Formula One team will be made.
F1 testing dates 2010:
February 1st – 3rd – Valencia
February 10th – 13th – Jerez
February 17th – 20th – Jerez
February 25th – 28th – Circuit de Catalunya
De la Rosa for Sauber in 2010?
According to the Swiss daily newspaper Blick, Sauber will confirm Pedro de la Rosa to drive alongside Kamui Kobayashi in 2010 for the new team.
The newspaper said that an announcement will be made soon, barring “an earthquake in Hinwil.”
The 38-year-old Spaniard has had two previous stints in an F1 race seat from 99-02 with Arrows and Jaguar and from 05-06 at McLaren, before become a full time test driver for McLaren. In his 72 races, he collected 29 points with just 1 podium, and 0 wins.
Last week team owner Peter Sauber was quoted as saying that “an experienced man” with “new knowledge for the team” has been signed to partner Kobayashi in 2010 – a bill perfectly fitted by de la Rosa.
Christian Klien and Nick Heidfeld are other drivers in the running for the seat.
Kobayashi confirmed at Sauber
Sauber have today confirmed their first driver for 2010 – Japanese former Toyota driver Kamui Kobayashi.
Kobayashi stood in for an injured Timo Glock at Toyota in the last 2 races of last season to make his F1 debut. He finished 9th and 6th but won himself an instant fanbase due to his aggressive style. Kobayashi has previously won the GP2 Asia Series, Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 and Formula Renault 2.0 Italia. He said:
“Ever since the start of my career I have dreamed of racing in F1. Now this dream has come true. I am very happy that my two races in 2009 have earned me a cockpit place.
“I will do my very best for Peter Sauber’s team and I am proud to be able to carry on flying the Japanese flag in F1.”
Team boss Peter Sauber said:
“I’m very much looking forward to working together with Kamui. In the final two Grand Prix of last season he was granted an unexpected chance to show his skills, and he made impressive use of it.
“Particularly in the Abu Dhabi race he demonstrated not only that he can drive fast and aggressively, but also his ability to successfully implement a strategy. I am convinced he has a great deal of potential and will be able to make the most of it in our team.”
Kobayashi at Sauber in 2010?
It has been reported that Kamui Kobayashi will drive for Sauber in 2010 after an impressive showing at the the end of the season.
Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat alleges that a deal has been made but that no confirmation will be made until both race seats have been filled.
Kobayashi had hoped for a race with Toyota, but the Japanese manufacturer have pulled out of the sport.
Giancarlo Fisichella, Nick Heidfeld and Pedro de la Rosa are believed to be on Sauber’s shortlist, and Peter Sauber has already expressed a desire for a blend of youth and experience behind the wheel.
It is also rumoured that Belgian driver Bertand Baguette (what a name!) will get the test and reserve driver role in Sauber, if you believe comments made by his manager. Baguette drove for BMW Sauber during the last day of the youngsters’ test in Jerez.
Turun Sanomat has also reported Malaysian oil company Petronas will maintain it’s backing of the Swiss team.
Sauber want youth and experience
The returning Swiss Sauber team want an experienced head and a young rookie to lead their title charge in 2010.
The team, who will be filling the slot vacated by Toyota have yet to sign any drivers, and there’s a lot of talent still seeking seats for next year. On the driver issue, boss Peter Sauber said:
“In the past weeks, many drivers have asked about us, but we couldn’t really negotiate when we didn’t have an entry. Now it’s different.
“I wouldn’t like to give any names, except to say that I assume we will have an experienced driver and a driver of the new generation.
“We have often had that mixture in the past and it worked well.”
It will be interesting to see if Sauber opt for one of their former drivers, with Nick Heidfeld, Giancarlo Fisichella and Jacques Villeneuve all still looking to secure a slot on the grid.
Qadbak deal falls through as Sauber buy BMW.
Former team owner Peter Sauber will have a team back in F1 in 2010, provided that they are allocated grid places after he bought the outgoing BMW team.
Sauber were previously an F1 team from 1993-2005 before they were purchased by BMW. They competed 206 times and scored 6 podiums, despite never taking a race win.
Sauber has bought the team after the deal that BMW seemed to have in place with Qadbak Investments Ltd fell through. This deal fell through as Qadbak did not have the necessary funds and that there was no bank guarantee. Bahrain Capital International, who were supposed to give such a guarantee, turned out to be a shell company of controversial businessman and senior Qadbak representative Russell King, with no assets.
Dr. Klaus Draeger, a member of the Board of Management of BMW AG said;
“We are very happy with this solution. This fulfils the most important requirement for a successful future for the team. Our relationship with Peter Sauber has always been excellent and marked by absolute respect. We would like to express our thanks to Peter Sauber and the whole team for the excellent cooperation during the recent four years.
“I am very relieved that we have found this solution. It means we can keep the Hinwil location and the majority of workplaces. I am convinced that the new team has a very good future in Formula 1, whose current transformation with new framework conditions will benefit the private teams.
“Our staff here are highly competent and motivated, and I look forward to taking on this new challenge together with them. I would like to thank BMW for four shared years, that have in the main been very successful.”