[Barryrich]

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20090729/...e-3fd0ae9.html

BMW has confirmed it will leave Formula 1 racing at the end of 2009 for image reasons - as the German car maker tries to focus on sustainability and the environment. first honda now bmw - who will be next? and that beggers the question - in 5 years time , who will be left?

[bDvYaQfM]

Apparently they had a three year 'to win the championship' goal, I wouldn't be surprised if the bosses decided that its just not worth the money and effort to be losers.

[womberte]

...if the bosses decided that its just not worth the money and effort to be losers.

I personally never understood how, for example, Minardi stayed in the F1 game for as long as it did: okay, they ran on a "shoe-string" budget compared to the likes of Maclaren or Ferrari, but they still spent millions of pounds each to effectively come last. Even more puzzling is how they managed to accumulate any sponsorship to begin with: okay, you're company is getting some global TV coverage but the association isn't something you'd imagine a PR team would relish.

BMW's decision is a very sensible one, to my mind: the racing in F1 just doesn't justify the cost anymore. I personally think the FIA/F1G just aren't doing enough to ensure the longevity of the sport: they're too deep into the financial greed of F1 to be willing to take risks. Compared to MotoGP, where the organisers are trying multiple things to increase the number of teams, decrease the costs and protect its future, F1 still reeks of a bygone era.