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

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

F1 Beyond The Grid vor 3 Jahren

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1:03:44

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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