Team story
Origins
BMW chose to become a team owner after its years supplying engines to Williams. The purchase of Sauber in 2005 brought together Hinwil's chassis and wind tunnel with the engine work carried out in Munich. The F1.06 made its debut in 2006 with Nick Heidfeld and Jacques Villeneuve, retaining Sauber in the name of the new industrial programme.
The Formula 1 journey
Heidfeld secured the first podium in Hungary in 2006, while Robert Kubica joined the line-up during the same season. The high point came at Montreal in 2008: Kubica won ahead of Heidfeld, a year after his serious accident at the Canadian circuit. The Polish driver had already taken the team's sole pole in Bahrain and remained in title contention for much of the season.
Historical timeline
Three chapters in the story of BMW Sauber
Three episodes to revisit the people, cars and races that shaped this journey.
First appearance · Bahrain Grand Prix
Nick Heidfeld · Bahrain Grand Prix 2006. The recorded position is P12; this number alone does not show whether the driver completed the race distance. This is the first recorded race start, or the first entry if the team never started a race.
Sporting landmark · Canadian Grand Prix
Robert Kubica · Canadian Grand Prix 2008. The recorded position is P1; this number alone does not show whether the driver completed the race distance. This marks the first win or podium where one exists, otherwise the highest recorded placing for this constructor.
Latest recorded appearance · Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Robert Kubica · Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2009. The recorded position is P10; this number alone does not show whether the driver completed the race distance. This is the last race start attributed to this constructor in the archive, not necessarily the end of the organisation behind it.
A distinctive way of racing
Mario Theissen led a programme that controlled both the chassis and the BMW V8, rather than supplying its engine to a customer team. Its progress took BMW Sauber to second in the 2007 Constructors' Championship, after McLaren's exclusion, and third in 2008. The F1.09, with the new aerodynamic regulations and KERS, did not maintain that competitive level.
What remains
BMW announced its withdrawal in 2009, and Peter Sauber bought the team back. In 2010, the BMW Sauber name survived on the entry, but ownership had changed and the engine was a Ferrari: the archive separates that season from the industrial phase of 2006–2009. The Montreal one-two remains that programme's only victory, without a World Championship title.
