BMW Sauber may be 14th team on grid in 2010

[H4LFY2nR]

It's speculated that they'll be Ferrari powered next year, assuming the other teams agree to let them join. So with the addition of Lotus/MalaysiaF1 that makes 14 teams for next year, as long as Toyota doesn't pull out lol.


http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2009/9/9935.html
Agreement reached on sale of BMW Sauber team
BMW Sauber’s hopes of staying on the grid next season received a boost on Tuesday after BMW confirmed it has reached agreement on the sale of the team. The German car maker is pulling out of Formula One racing at the end of 2009. Qadbak Investments Ltd, a Swiss-based foundation which represents the interests of certain Middle East and European based families, has agreed to purchase the team, based in Hinwil, Switzerland. Qadbak´s interest in the team will be represented by Lionel Fischer, a Swiss national. “BMW wishes Qadbak and the Sauber Team every success for the 2010 season and beyond,” said BMW in an official statement announcing the deal. The recent uncertainty surrounding BMW Sauber’s future means they do not have a confirmed entry for next season. However, the FIA has said it will be pressing for a 14-team field in 2010, with BMW Sauber guaranteed the final slot if the necessary rule changes can be agreed.


http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/090915133946.shtml

http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/090916101243.shtml

[Chris Elyea]

Personally, I'm not excited about this. I've never thought the problem with F1 was that there weren't enough cars on the track. The biggest problem is that there aren't enough competitive cars!

Adding more teams does not solve this, unless they're looking for more competition from midfield on back. It was somewhat interesting to watch the Toyotas dicing with each other at Monza, but it was also completely pointless - does anybody care who comes in 11th? Does anybody enjoy watching the leaders pass backmarkers under waving blue flags? We don't need any more underfunded teams creating mobile chicanes.

[urban.one]

Some of the best racing on the track happens mid-field.

Also, the smaller teams are the ones who often develop drivers and give many drivers their chance to get into F1. Not everyone gets a first ride like Hamilton.

Although this season is somewhat of an anomaly, it would be pretty boring if you didnt have the backmarkers of recent years racing. Jenson and Reubens believed they would be out of a job up until the start of the season. Not too many would have shed a tear but where would this season have been without Brawn and other midpackers and backmarkers.

[Mibz]

Originally posted by urban.one
Also, the smaller teams are the ones who often develop drivers and give many drivers their chance to get into F1. Not everyone gets a first ride like Hamilton.

Although this season is somewhat of an anomaly, it would be pretty boring if you didnt have the backmarkers of recent years racing. Jenson and Reubens believed they would be out of a job up until the start of the season. Not too many would have shed a tear but where would this season have been without Brawn and other midpackers and backmarkers. This. With no in-season testing this gives up and comers a chance to drive the cars instead of doing straight-line tests.

[Chris Elyea]

Bah! You want to watch developing new drivers, check out GP2. With spec cars, the racing is way more competitive there, too.

Since most of the passing happens in the pits, I'd say there isn't much racing anywhere in the field. Eliminating refuelling isn't going to change this because they'll still be stopping for tires. But that's another issue, so I won't dwell on that.

Have we not spent years watching the leader circulate by himself with only occasional cuts to watch racing further back in the field? Do you think the TV directors are going to do it differently in the future?

Brawn is hardly an underfunded team! Honda spent a fortune developing the car. Did Reubens and Button have to bring sponsors with them to get their rides, like so many of the smaller teams in the past? No, there was enough money to pay them. So that's not a good example for you. Better to talk about Force India or last year's Toro Rosso. But great performances from teams with smaller budgets are still an anomaly, aren't they? True, until this year, Honda wasn't getting much back for its investment, and Toyota never has, so a big budget doesn't guarantee success. It can't hurt though, can it?

[parabs]

Williams has historically had success as a smaller budget team, however ever since Sam Michael became the technical director, that team has been in a funk.

They need to add some in season testing, or add a 3rd car on race weekends to allow some of the up and comers a chance to get some experience in F1.

[Chris Elyea]

Originally posted by parabs
They need to add some in season testing, or add a 3rd car on race weekends to allow some of the up and comers a chance to get some experience in F1.

They sure do! It would also help competition. It takes some teams a long time to figure out what the successful teams are doing and catch up. Things just start to get racy at the end of the season and then the rules change again.

And another thing, it would help when a driver destroys a car in practice or qualifying. Webber had to sit out qualifying last week. It wouldn't take much more for someone to sit out a race. Worse, a car repaired in a hurry is not going to be as reliably safe as a 3rd car.