BMW Not Expecting Instant Success

Although the German car manufacturer's decision to buy Sauber was fuelled by the failure of its partnership with Williams to have secured the World Championship in the five-and-a-half years they have been together, BMW chiefs believe that they cannot expect an instant turnaround in fortunes with Sauber.

BMW board member Professor Burkhard Goeschel said: "We do not expect to have instant success, but we always have a long-term objective. We want to improve our chances, our possibilities, and we want to be a world champion in this class."

Although BMW have yet to be informed by Williams about whether their engine-partnership deal will continue. Goeschel claimed that if they could continue then the company would have a good basis for future victory.

"We have two teams, one is our engine team and (the other is) the team of Mr. Sauber - we believe that both teams have a great potential for success."

BMW motorsport director Mario Theissen is equally sure that the company will need to up its efforts in Formula One to make the most of the opportunity it has with Sauber.

"I believe all of us have a lot of work to do in the near future," he explained. "In the last few years we have proven that we can produce an excellent F1 engine, maybe the best, but now we are faced with a more complicated and sophisticated task to cover everything else.

"We need a lot of stamina and perseverance - and from this moment onwards we are going to expand our resources and we will push a lot in this respect."