BMW has released a press conference this week indicating their highly researched and tested KERS will not be on the car for both Spain and Monaco. Further frustrating Dr. Mario Theissen and drivers Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica. Yet more devastating information to a team that put so much into the 2009 season and their KERS.
It has been obvious that BMW have not achieved any of the objectives set forth for this year. The very epicenter of this years title challenge was dumped into a black box that makes energy and now comes news after four rounds of the season, that the system will be absent for Spain and Monaco. Now this has to be the last thing the men from Bavaria want to hear. Millions have been spent on a system that was not even mandantory for this year. In an attempt to get a jump on the competition this year, BMW has spent what seems like more than the U.S. Government on corporate bailouts to develop the KERS technology and it now seems the team may never use it. BMW has tauted a large number of upgrades for their car due at the Spanish Grand Prix. While the KERS would be a stretch for the very large Kubica, the system does not have as large an effect on German pilot Nick Heidfeld.
This teamed with BMW’s recent statement saying they would join Ferrari in leaving the sport, has me concerned that BMW may not stick around for much longer. As we have seen with Subaru in the WRC and Honda in F1, it is times like these that see teams look for any reason to punch out. Time will tell and the upgrades in Spain will also be another telling issue.
