Interview with Mario Theissen
By BMW Sauber F1 Team
June 17 2008
For Mario Theissen, the Grand Prix success in Montreal is confirmation of the painstaking development work carried out by the BMW Sauber F1 Team over the past few years. In an interview, the BMW Motorsport Director speaks about the importance of the victory at the Canadian Grand Prix, and what lies in store for the team over the rest of the current Formula One season.
June 17 2008
For Mario Theissen, the Grand Prix success in Montreal is confirmation of the painstaking development work carried out by the BMW Sauber F1 Team over the past few years. In an interview, the BMW Motorsport Director speaks about the importance of the victory at the Canadian Grand Prix, and what lies in store for the team over the rest of the current Formula One season.
What does this one-two result mean for you personally and for the BMW Sauber F1 Team?
BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen: “Montreal was a first for the BMW Sauber F1 Team: now we all know how sweet victory tastes – not just a victory, but a one-two, of course. This was reward for the enthusiasm, the commitment and the expertise which marks us out as a team. It has been less than three years since the decision was taken to put the team together. We set ourselves ambitious goals and embarked on a two-year development programme which has laid the groundwork for achieving these aims. As things stand we are right on schedule – and in this respect, the result in Montreal represents confirmation of the work we’ve been doing. We are heading in the right direction and will continue along this path.”
The one-two means you have already achieved the aim for the season of recording a race win. Are you now setting your sights higher?
Theissen: “Our target for the 2008 season was to turn the two-horse race at the top of the standings into a three-way battle and to win our first race. Our one-two result in Montreal means we have achieved both goals after just seven races of the season. Clearly, we are not about to sit back and relax now. The whole team is hugely motivated and is looking to build on our success so far. However, that does not mean that we will be deviating from our course. The next goal is always the next race, and that is where our focus lies. For us it is all about using our strengths and ensuring that we are there to take advantage if our rivals make mistakes. With this attitude within the team, I think we have a good chance of exceeding expectations again this season.”
Do you see Robert or the BMW Sauber F1 Team as serious contenders in the battle for the World Championship title?
Theissen: “Nobody who is at the top of the Drivers’ World Championship after seven races is there by accident. The team and drivers have been working their way gradually towards the top of the standings over two years. We certainly won’t be taking our foot off the gas now, but instead pushing forward at full power. We can talk about the results at the end of the season.”
Where do you stand in terms of driver negotiations for next year?
Theissen: “Good results attract covetous glances. Other teams think one or other driver is responsible. And other drivers think the credit lies with the car. As far as the driver situation at the team for 2009 is concerned, we are in no rush with our discussions. We won’t be commenting on any developments in this area until they reach a conclusion.”
Now that you’re in with a chance of winning the World Championship, will you be channelling resources away from the development of the F1.09 in order to make the F1.08 even faster?
Theissen: “The challenge, of course, is to keep up with the development pace of the big teams over the course of this season and, at the same time, to push ahead with conceptual work on the F1.09. To this end, we will assign the available capacity very precisely to the areas where we need it, especially when it comes to aerodynamics.”
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| 17 Jun, 2008 14:21 | Report |
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BMW Sauber F1 (IP Logged) Unregistered User |
| 17 Jun, 2008 16:17 | Report |
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German Rocket (IP Logged) Registered User |
Date Joined: Apr, 2007 Location: Posts: 776 |
Re: Interview with Mario Theissen
A question was asked regarding BMW´s focus on development for 2008 and 2009. Here´s what James Allen said on ITV F1 site;
That’s an excellent question and very relevant. BMW’s stated aim for 2008 was to win a race. They’ve now done that.
Even if they do nothing to develop the car from now to the end of the season, they will probably not be beaten to third place in the championship.
So that allows them the luxurious position of being able to throw 100% of their development resources onto the 2009 car which, as you know, will be very different technologically and aerodynamically from the 2008 cars.
That’s a big advantage because in the mean time, Ferrari and McLaren will have to keep working flat out on 2008, because they are in the title fight, whilst also trying to put as much resource as possible into 2009.
And bear in mind that much of the 2008 development work will be irrelevant to the 2009 car.
If I were Mario Theissen I’d say to myself, “We’ve fulfilled our 2008 goals, let’s take advantage of the situation, go full steam ahead on 2009 and try to get level or even ahead of Ferrari and McLaren and win the title next year.”
They are not yet on McLaren and Ferrari’s level as a group, but they are so well organised that if they really went for broke on 2009 from now on, they might just get in front of the big two next year…
When aksed about Heidfeld´s morale in the team;
It reminds me of David Coulthard at Jerez in 1997. He was asked to move over to let Hakkinen through. Later in the race, when Villeneuve needed only a couple of points to secure the title after Schuey went off trying to take him out, he let the McLarens through for a 1-2 finish, Hakkinen getting his first win.
In Canada, BMW had to let Kubica through because Nick was fat with fuel and Robert was light. If he’d stayed a moment longer behind Nick his strategy would have been wrecked and although Nick would still have won the race for BMW, Alonso might have beaten Robert.
So it made sense but it also gave Kubica the race.
Nick’s been some way off him all year. He says it’s because his style doesn’t get the best from the tyres, just as Kubica’s style didn’t get the best from the 2007 car.
It feels more fundamental than that to me.
Ever since I saw him on Friday in Montreal in 2006, I’ve believed that Kubica is a prodigious racing talent and now he’s really hitting his stride.
That’s an excellent question and very relevant. BMW’s stated aim for 2008 was to win a race. They’ve now done that.
Even if they do nothing to develop the car from now to the end of the season, they will probably not be beaten to third place in the championship.
So that allows them the luxurious position of being able to throw 100% of their development resources onto the 2009 car which, as you know, will be very different technologically and aerodynamically from the 2008 cars.
That’s a big advantage because in the mean time, Ferrari and McLaren will have to keep working flat out on 2008, because they are in the title fight, whilst also trying to put as much resource as possible into 2009.
And bear in mind that much of the 2008 development work will be irrelevant to the 2009 car.
If I were Mario Theissen I’d say to myself, “We’ve fulfilled our 2008 goals, let’s take advantage of the situation, go full steam ahead on 2009 and try to get level or even ahead of Ferrari and McLaren and win the title next year.”
They are not yet on McLaren and Ferrari’s level as a group, but they are so well organised that if they really went for broke on 2009 from now on, they might just get in front of the big two next year…
When aksed about Heidfeld´s morale in the team;
It reminds me of David Coulthard at Jerez in 1997. He was asked to move over to let Hakkinen through. Later in the race, when Villeneuve needed only a couple of points to secure the title after Schuey went off trying to take him out, he let the McLarens through for a 1-2 finish, Hakkinen getting his first win.
In Canada, BMW had to let Kubica through because Nick was fat with fuel and Robert was light. If he’d stayed a moment longer behind Nick his strategy would have been wrecked and although Nick would still have won the race for BMW, Alonso might have beaten Robert.
So it made sense but it also gave Kubica the race.
Nick’s been some way off him all year. He says it’s because his style doesn’t get the best from the tyres, just as Kubica’s style didn’t get the best from the 2007 car.
It feels more fundamental than that to me.
Ever since I saw him on Friday in Montreal in 2006, I’ve believed that Kubica is a prodigious racing talent and now he’s really hitting his stride.
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| 17 Jun, 2008 19:21 | Report |
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popilirol a.k.a. rolren (IP Logged) Registered User |
Date Joined: Apr, 2007 Location: Posts: 1252 |
| 18 Jun, 2008 12:26 | Report |
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asoft (IP Logged) Registered User |
Date Joined: Apr, 2007 Location: Posts: 313 |
Re: Interview with Mario Theissen
I believe the team will continue to push F1.08 development trying to match the big two whilst doing also work on F1.09. That will be sort of a training how to work under pressure because when we get into title fight next year and on we will constantly have to work under much pressure. It would serve nothing - apart from a year of stellar performances - to dedicate all our resources on next year, at least at this point of the season. In the latter third we will gradually start dedicating more and more resources to next year's hopeful title challenger F1.09!
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| 18 Jun, 2008 16:15 | Report |
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sessions (IP Logged) Registered User |
Date Joined: Apr, 2007 Location: Posts: 3580 |
Re: Interview with Mario Theissen
German Rocket,
After reading your post, It sounds like on Friday in 2006 was the moment in Montreal when MT decided Robert was a prodigious racing talent,
Funny how quickly things can change in life, no ?
Jacques crashes, and MT's Friday's practice impression of RK must have been the straw that broke the camel's back for JV.
Sessions
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2008:06:18:22:48:34 by sessions.
After reading your post, It sounds like on Friday in 2006 was the moment in Montreal when MT decided Robert was a prodigious racing talent,
Funny how quickly things can change in life, no ?
Jacques crashes, and MT's Friday's practice impression of RK must have been the straw that broke the camel's back for JV.
Sessions
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2008:06:18:22:48:34 by sessions.
Reply•Quote
| 18 Jun, 2008 18:04 | Report |
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German Rocket (IP Logged) Registered User |
Date Joined: Apr, 2007 Location: Posts: 776 |
Re: Interview with Mario Theissen
Quote:sessions
German Rocket,
After reading your post, It sounds like on Friday in 2006 was the moment in Montreal when MT decided Robert was a prodigious racing talent,
Sessions
It was James Allen´s opinion since Montreal, not MT. MT had already decided it since day 1, that´s why he ¨sacked¨ JV. JV was the sitting duck in BMW all along, waiting to be shot down in the slightest chance, in my opinion. He was in BMW because of Sauber´s contract and I think they needed a bit of continuity as well ( you know much more about JV than me, so feel free to correct me ).
Worth mentioning is that JV was against TC and driver´s aid, often complaining that his feedback was negated by all the computational aids/mapping and so on. Sauber to a certain extent, and BMW didn´t like it because they believed and adapted it almost obsessively until the ban of TC. The ¨irony¨ is that now, Kubica is singing the same tune about the electronics that JV was humming all along.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:06:18:18:07:05 by German Rocket.
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| 18 Jun, 2008 23:10 | Report |
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sessions (IP Logged) Registered User |
Date Joined: Apr, 2007 Location: Posts: 3580 |
Re: Interview with Mario Theissen
German Rocket,
Oh I knew MT's stand on JV, all his fans did. So did Jacques ! As you said, "He was a sitting duck waiting to be shot down at the slightest chance"
The deck was stacked and that's why I have no ill feelings towards Kubica, it was all MT's doing. RK was an up and comer taking advantage of what ever came his way. He worked very hard to get where he was and more power to him.
I just wish Pollock had bowed out of JV's life when he got the axe at Honda. JV also should have exited Honda at that time to be on his own and just maybe something would have been salvageable with another good team. Oh well, water over the damn. Today is today and maybe a sponsor will surface for Jacques to enter that dreadful form of racing called Nascar.
I'd rather see him test drive for better team in F1 than see him and JPM circle jerk themselves off at Nascar.
Sessions
Oh I knew MT's stand on JV, all his fans did. So did Jacques ! As you said, "He was a sitting duck waiting to be shot down at the slightest chance"
The deck was stacked and that's why I have no ill feelings towards Kubica, it was all MT's doing. RK was an up and comer taking advantage of what ever came his way. He worked very hard to get where he was and more power to him.
I just wish Pollock had bowed out of JV's life when he got the axe at Honda. JV also should have exited Honda at that time to be on his own and just maybe something would have been salvageable with another good team. Oh well, water over the damn. Today is today and maybe a sponsor will surface for Jacques to enter that dreadful form of racing called Nascar.
I'd rather see him test drive for better team in F1 than see him and JPM circle jerk themselves off at Nascar.
Sessions
Reply•Quote
| 19 Jun, 2008 11:13 | Report |
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pgj (IP Logged) Registered User |
Date Joined: Apr, 2007 Location: Posts: 7312 |
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