BMW to supply second team in 2006?

[luke]

While the relationship between BMW and Williams remains rock solid, the German manufacturer has not discounted the idea of supplying customer engines to another team when the 2.4 litre V8 formula comes on stream in 2006.

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“From the capacity point of view it would be possible to give engines to another team beyond 2005, but there is no decision about that yet," ITV report BMW Motorsport boss Mario Theissen as saying. "If such a decision has been taken, we would announce it.”

Toyota join Ferrari in supplying a second team with engines in 2005. Toyota took the decision to supply Jordan with engines as the longer life engines create spare capacity thus enabling the team to supply a second team. Ferrari have supplied Sauber with customer engines since the start of the 1997 season.

In supplying a second team, Theissen believes BMW could benefit from the additional data they would be able to collect as restrictions on testing become more prevalent.

BMW produce on of most powerful engines in Formula One, so a supply of engines would be pursued hotly by the existing independent teams as well as potential new teams.

[GTRMagic]

But who would BMW choose to supply?

Sauber, Jordan, Minardi or Red Bull, none of who has a shot at the bigtime

[ASCII Man]

Minardi BMW... hmmm...

[BootsOntheSide]

Theoretically the Dubai team would be Mercedes-powered, and Midland oculd end up with close Honda links, so those are unlikely to be options. Given the right engine Jordan can be competitive again, and it remains to be seen how good Red Bull could prove, so I don't think either of those are automatically bad choices.

[Silk Cut Jaguar]

Team Dubai has yet to prove it actually exsists past the idea stage and it's probably a given IF they appear it will be with a Mercedes block in the back.

Out of the possible teams to get the BMW power I'd have to wager on either Sauber or Minardi.

[jetsetter]

It'd be great if Minardi could get use of BMW engines & finally have the benefit of some decent horsepower.

[Silk Cut Jaguar]

Considering what Minardi do on a fraction of a decent F1 budget, it makes you wonder what they would be capable of doing with a bit of decent support even if it was only in the way of a good engine and a few BMW mechanics.

[flor]

Red Bull would probably get them

[climb]

From what I know, Midland still has to find an engine, and if I was mr DShnaider I'd be very glad to grab a BMW engine for my cars.

[ralf fan]

how about Ferrari-BMW..

[Gabrio]

Sauber's contract with Ferrari expires end 2005.....I think Theissen might be thinking about supplying Sauber...

[Led ZeppF1]

Red Bull perhaps...

[Kicking-back]

Red Bull is most likely - their boss has spoken openly about the possibility and is a friend of Gerhard Berger.

[Silk Cut Jaguar]

I suppose Red Bull's decision will be based on how good the next Cosworth and following upgrades are.

[BootsOntheSide]

Ther'es no way Cosworth can catch up with BMW in the near future, especialyl with all the management upheval they've had. Red Bull-BMW should be a competitive preposition.

[Kicking-back]

Which would then leave a supply of Cosworths available to a new team...

[Gabrio]

Which engine for Sauber in 2006 then ?

[ASCII Man]

It'll probably be Sauber Mercedes again if Mercedes wants and/or can supply a third team besides Team Dubai...

[Kicking-back]

Good thinking, that man!

[Silk Cut Jaguar]

As much as I'd love to see a Sauber-Mercedes again (with Schumacher in the seat? ) you'd have to think Mr. Sauber would stay with Ferrari, them having the dominant engine and all... Although with the Mercedes engine being nearly half the price he'd be silly not to I guess.

VW have used that windtunnel of his a lot though...

Either way come 2006 there's potentially a spare Toyota, Mercedes, Cosworth, BMW and Ferrari engine up for grabs if some teams switch. Now that'll send silly season into overdrive.

[ralf fan]

Dubai are going for Mercs i think... especially with their close ties to Macca..

if BMW want to supply, it would have to be Midland or Red Bull. If RBR do choose BMW, it would be bad news for Cosworth as RBR are their only midfield team and with Jordon and Minnie having limited testing anyways with their lack of finances, development could be hampered.

Sauber might prefer to stay on Ferrari engines.. at the moment they are getting several new parts from ferrari and Peter would probably want to keep the bond between the two teams strong.

[StickShift]

Apparently Sauber has flirted with the idea of making his own engines inhouse. With support from Petronas and Proton. Unless they can do something special, it doesn't make sense for them to leave Ferrari, or even turn down BMW.

Otherwise, I think BMW.Red Bull.F1 is the most realistic option.

[Kicking-back]

"The bond" between Sauber and Ferrari is essentially customer and supplier - and it is very expensive.

[Red]

Sauber does flirt with the idea of making their own engine, that's why the Proton deal. Actually that was the plan in the first place. And as a matter of fact, the Petronas-badged Ferrari engine is not really a Ferrari (wasn't anyway, before the 1 engine rule(s)). Furthermore, Ferrari does provide them technical support. The "bond" is expensive, but I think it was worth it's money. Anyway, after all those years, they should actually gather enough experience and data, and I wouldn't be that much surprised if they decide to go on their own.

[ASCII Man]

When was the last time a privately owned team had it's own inhouse engine development thing going on, excepting Arrows in '99 ofcourse?