BMW Sauber restructures technical department


By BMW Sauber F1 Team
June 26 2008

The BMW Sauber F1 Team is restructuring the management of its technical department. Walter Riedl will be responsible for business operations and line management as of 1st November. Willy Rampf, currently Technical Director, will take up the post of Technical Coordinator on 1st November 2008.

Rampf will continue to be responsible for the vehicle concept and lead the team at the race track in his new role. However, responsibility for business operations and line management will pass to Walter Riedl, who already heads up operations at the Hinwil plant and overall project management in his capacity as Managing Director. Riedl will also retain these functions.
The change has come about at the express wish of Willy Rampf, who has been keen to reduce his work schedule: "I have been Technical Director since April 2000, initially at Sauber, and now for the BMW Sauber F1 Team. It has been an extremely enjoyable but also very intense phase of my life. The idea of cutting back professionally has been growing in my mind for some time already. I discussed the subject with Mario Theissen and we have found a solution together. I'm looking forward to focusing on my original technical responsibilities again and am in no doubt that we can continue to build on our success."

BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen added: "I can totally understand that Willy Rampf wants to cut down on his workload. I'm pleased that we have found an internal solution with the new structure, one which fits in with the philosophy of the team. All responsibilities will continue to lie in the hands of experienced managers who have played a key role throughout the development phase of the young team. At the same time, the team will continue to benefit from Willy's expertise and great experience. His contribution to the team - both before and after BMW acquired a majority stake - deserves the utmost respect. His record is extremely impressive, and our one-two victory in Montreal represents the crowning moment of his time with us so far." 

Walter Riedl will take over responsibility for the BMW Sauber F1.09 development process with immediate effect, while Rampf will continue to look after the further development of the BMW Sauber F1.08. As Riedl explains: "I have already been working very closely and very effectively with Willy Rampf, and this cooperation will now reach another new level. The new structure guarantees continuity and ensures that the BMW Sauber F1 Team is in good shape for the future."

Riedl joined BMW as a development engineer in 1983 and has worked in a leading position in Formula One for nine years. Since 1999 he has been the responsible manager for the BMW Formula One project. Riedl took over the management of the Hinwil factory on 1st January 2006 following the company's decision to acquire a majority stake in Sauber. He has also been responsible for project management across both locations since the summer of 2005.
 

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BMW Sauber restructures technical department
Discussion started by BMW Sauber F1 (IP Logged), 26/06/2008 15:49
BMW Sauber F1
BMW Sauber F1
26/06/2008 15:49
BMW Sauber restructures technical department

mq_328ci
mq_328ci
26/06/2008 15:40
The BMW Sauber team have announced a restructuring of the management of their technical department, with current technical director Willy Rampf taking up the post of technical coordinator in November.

The team said Rampf will continue to be responsible for the vehicle concept, but his responsibility for business operations and line management will pass to Walter Riedl.

complete article -->>[www.autosport.com]

TheContrarian
TheContrarian
27/06/2008 00:24
Good for Willy. Seems to be getting what he wants. Deserved.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:06:27:00:24:59 by TheContrarian.

bluesun99
bluesun99
27/06/2008 02:38
He was burned out.

German Rocket
German Rocket
27/06/2008 05:52
Good news for Willy Rampf. Will we be seeing the effects soon ?

MESSAGES->author
Raid Phoenix
27/06/2008 15:01
Way forward IMO.

Willy has some very good tech skills, and this will allow him to work more closely in the car concept. It could help avoiding the problems during off season we had due to a complex but not refined initial concept/preparation.

Interesting that it will take place when the season is over, which indicates:

1st BMW knows it has to focus for the real deal, make it or break it, year, 2009.

2nd This restructuration (unlike other teams) is not because of any internal problems (in that case it would take place almost with inmediate effect).

3rd This can be the first step of more re-organization steps (including a few more engineers joining) for the Championship aspirations of BMW Sauber, and will allow the team to work more effiently (currently Willy was overloaded, especially during the GP's, as we discussed once in the off-season).

4th Willy needed some more time for his life, which is something very understandable, and could help him doing better his job too.

Win-win situation, isn't it?
Lets hope i pays off next year.

Racing against the machine!

MESSAGES->author
barteks
27/06/2008 15:36
Quote:
J-Raid
2nd This restructuration (unlike other teams) is not because of any internal problems (in that case it would take place almost with inmediate effect).

Ahmadi was a problem last year and BMW replaced him only after the season. This time could be the same...

Bogs
Bogs
27/06/2008 16:28
Does Nick have a different race engineer from last year?

MESSAGES->author
barteks
27/06/2008 17:19
No Bogs. I meant Rampf tongue sticking out smiley

MESSAGES->author
barteks
29/06/2008 10:42
I think now it's clear why such decision was taken...


TS:
Kubica said in Barcelona test that new front wing is not helping, but Heidfeld was positive about it and team decided to use it. In the end, Kubica was right, it didnt work. Both drivers had similar problems in the race.

ITV:
Kubica: "Unfortunately when we did tests in Barcelona, I saw some things but we decided to do something different because the team was convinced it was the right way to go"


That was the last nail to Rampf's coffin...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:06:29:12:06:01 by barteks.

German Rocket
German Rocket
29/06/2008 12:39
Quote:
barteks
I think now it's clear why such decision was taken...

That was the last nail to Rampf's coffin...




Iīm not sure about this. You see, Rampf will be dedicated to the development of the f1.08 from now on.


I think its more of a nail to Robertīs coffin for the WDC title chances. Just joking.

rolren
popilirol a.k.a. rolren
03/07/2008 05:57
Maybe Robert is right. I mean, if we look at it from Nick's persepective, his pace didn't improve at all but on the contrary, it deteriorated even more. And if we look at it from Robert's perspective, his pace also deteriorated. So what? The only explanation is that I don't blame any of them and I guess it proves how much helpless was that step taken on the car, the step that Robert is talking about.

BMW Power

anatol
anatol
03/07/2008 11:08
No need to build conspiracy theory.

IMHO
1) bad decisions taken during one weekend
2) BMW Sauber restructurisation
are no related at all.

qlka
Qlka
26/04/2009 20:08
I though Rampf has been degraded to the technical coordinator, but now he is head of engineering. (Sm119)

MESSAGES->author
barteks
26/04/2009 20:27
Yeah, it's quite strange, he was expected to be sacked but it seems that nothing happened.

2008 Prediction Champion

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