Mario Theissen: the highs and lows of BMW’s F1 journey

F1: Beyond The Grid

karenellenbevan

Leisure, Sports, Technology, Automotive

4.8 • 5.2K Ratings

🗓️ 9 May 2023

⏱️ 69 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

BMW have been in and out of Formula 1 since the inaugural Drivers’ World Championship in 1950. As BMW’s Motorsport Director, Mario Theissen oversaw their most recent return at the start of the 21st century. Firstly with Williams and then with Sauber, the following 10 seasons provided plenty of ups and downs before the company decided to pull out of F1 altogether at the end of 2009. Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Mario shares his memories of an unforgettable decade in the sport. Williams enjoyed a couple of years as ‘best of the rest’ during an era of Ferrari and Michael Schumacher dominance in the early 2000’s, but relationships within the team started to falter and the partnership ended in 2005. BMW bought Sauber and Theissen became team principal from 2006 onwards. He recalls the emotions he felt when Robert Kubica suffered a horrifying crash at the Canadian Grand Prix in 2007, before leading a 1-2 at the same track a year later. Mario reveals why he and Kubica had a dispute as he challenged for the drivers’ title in 2008, why BMW’s decision to leave came as a surprise and how the introduction of the double diffuser played a part in their destiny.

Plus, hear why Sebastian Vettel showed wisdom beyond his years at the very beginning of his career.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	BNW's most recent Formula 1 venture was full of unforgettable moments.
0:11.5	For the first time in 20 years Williams wins at Monaco, one Montoya wins at Monaco, a memorable
0:20.2	memorable day for everybody in the Williams BNW team.
0:24.2	Ten victories across six seasons with Williams was impressive when you consider that Ferrari
0:29.6	and Michael Schumacher dominated the early 2000s.
0:33.4	BMW then bought Sourba and achieved more success as their own Formula 1 entity, so you can
0:39.3	see why Mario Tyson, the company's motorsport director, wasn't expecting BMW to leave Formula
0:46.1	1 at the end of 2009.
0:48.6	I have to say I was surprised and it was really most impressive how the teams started together
0:55.4	and we didn't want to finish on a low after such a successful three years.
1:02.5	It was the sad time but it was still something to be proud of.
1:11.5	Hello and welcome to F1 Beyond the Grids with me Tom Clarkson.
1:16.0	Dr Mario Tyson is my guest this week, a brilliant engineer in his own right.
1:20.9	He oversaw BMW's return to Formula 1 with Williams in 2000 and later became team principal
1:27.6	of BMW Sourba.
1:29.4	There was plenty of success early on.
1:31.6	BMW Williams finished second behind Ferrari in the Constructor's standings in both 2002
1:38.1	and 2003 but best of the rest was as good as it got with Williams and relations became
1:44.2	increasingly strained.
1:46.1	They parted company at the end of 2005 but that wasn't the end.
1:50.6	BMW bought Sourba to form their own team for 2006.
1:55.6	There were podiums almost immediately and 2008 proved to be their high water mark.
	...

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