Active years: 2006-2009
History
BMW only became an official F1 constructor in 2006, but this followed two spells as an engine supplier. The first, in the 1980s, saw it break ground with the first turbo engine to power a driver to world championship success in 1983.
It returned in 2000 with Williams and was winning Grands Prix the following year. But the partnership failed to deliver a championship, so the Munich marque took over the ailing Sauber team. Robert Kubica scored BMW’s first win in the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix.
However after an unsuccessful 2009 and feeling the effects of an economic downturn, BMW pulled out of F1, though its name remained officially attached to the team in 2010.
Headquarters
BMW are based at Hinwil, Switzerland (above) and their engines are built in Munich, Germany.
BMW F1 pictures
F1.06 BMW F1 car pictures
F1.07 BMW F1 car pictures
F1.08 BMW F1 car pictures
Major team personnel (2009)
Motorsport director: Mario Theissen
Technical director: Willy Rampf
Head of powertrain: Markus Duesmann
Chief designer: Christoph Zimmermann
Head of aerodynamics: William Toet
Team manager: Beat Zehdner
Race engineer to Nick Heidfeld: Giampaolo Dall’Ara
Race engineer to Robert Kubica: Antonio Cuquerella
Head of sponsoring and business relations
BMW head of sport communication: Jorg Kottmeier
Previous identity: Sauber