BMW Sauber staff's fate undecided

BMW only decided on Tuesday that it was to quit Formula 1, and it confirmed the news in a press conference in Munich on Wednesday morning.

That short timescale means that no decision has been made about whether the outfit will be shut down completely, or sold on to another company.

Dr. Klaus Draeger, member of the board who is responsible for development, said BMW would evaluate the situation carefully.

"Since we only made this decision yesterday, we cannot provide any more precise information," he said. "We will develop and assess various scenarios and do our best to find a solution for the employees in Hinwil and the staff members involved in the Formula 1 project in Munich. We are aware of the responsibility we shoulder and will inform the staff as soon as we can make a clear statement."

BMW is the second car manufacturer to pull out of F1 in less than 12 months, with Honda having announced last December that it was withdrawing from the sport.

Honda's announcement led to months of uncertainty about the fate of its Brackley team, before it was sold to Ross Brawn.

BMW returned to F1 in 2000 with the Williams team, scoring ten victories as an engine supplier before becoming a team owner with BMW Sauber from 2006.

It made steady progress, finishing second in the 2007 constructors' championship following McLaren's exclusion and won its maiden race in Canada in 2008.

BMW's 2009 challenger has been a disappointment however, and its struggle will likely have played a bit part in the decision to quit.