BMW Threatens to Quit F1

Engine supplier BMW could quit Formula One if they are unhappy with new regulations set to be introduced next season, according to a board member from the German company.

The FIA plans radical changes to reduce performance and costs for next year, and under the proposed new rules engine capacity would be reduced to 2.4 litre V8s from three litre V10s, with each unit having to last two races.

BMW, engine partner to Williams, is believed to be one of the obstructive forces against the introduction of the FIA's new proposals.

"Racing is important for our image of sports cars makers, but if the regulations of the Grands Prix change in a penalising way, we may even decide to put our efforts on other categories," BMW's Burkhard Goeschel told the Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper.

"By going from 3,000cc V10s to 2,400cc V8s we would get very close to the performance of some road cars. As for saving money and improving safety, it would be better to research them elsewhere: the usage of carbon fibre, the aerodynamics, the tyres."

Goeschel added that BMW's position is shared by Mercedes, Toyota and Honda, and he claimed the GPWC members, who plan their own championship from 2008 when the existing Concorde Agreement expires, were still committed to the breakaway series.

He said the manufacturers "aren't in tune with [F1 supremo's] Bernie Ecclestone anymore. Months ago we signed a memorandum of intents in view of the expiration of the Concorde Agreement, but Ecclestone did not respect it.

"At this point we re-launch the idea of an alternative series from F1. The thing is that the Concorde Agreement expires in 2007 and Bernie still has no idea how the championship will be organized then and this is not acceptable by us constructors.

"We need long term certainties to know where the money we invest will end up to."