BMW WilliamsF1 Team-Interview with Mario Theissen

Munich, 28 July 2003


Interview with BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen
before the German Grand Prix


?: Mario Theissen, do you regret the lack of opportunity to test due to the
ban until the  Hungarian Grand Prix?

BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen: "No, we certainly aren¹t twiddling
our thumbs. We haven¹t put our feet up either in Munich or in Grove. By far
most of the BMW Motorsport workers are not directly affected by the test
schedule anyway. Only ten of our over 200 employees belong to the test team.
This detail demonstrates  that it¹s business as usual for most of the staff
during the break in testing. As far as engine development is concerned, only
specific tuning operations, measurements and occasional endurance tests are
carried out. The lion¹s share of engine development takes place on the test
benches in Munich. Of course, it¹s quite a different story if we¹re talking
about developing race cars and tyres. Most of that kind of testing is
carried out on the test track. That¹s why it¹s a good thing that we¹ve taken
a big stride forward in that respect before the break in testing. I take my
hat off to WilliamsF1 for this effort to catch up when working under the
stress and pressure that comes with the active race season."

?: What progress has been made on the BMW engine for 2004?

Theissen: "We¹re well on schedule. Last year saw the engine for the next
season started up on the test bench for the first time on 31 July. This year
it sprang into life a few days earlier. This is the most exciting point in
the season for the engineers designing the engine. Just as last year,
everything ran smoothly for the first test run."

?: To what extent did the ruling that the same engine has to be used for the
entire race weekend exert an influence on development?

Theissen: "This new factor exerted a very substantial influence. The
regulation effectively doubles running time from 400 to 800 kilometres. This
means that each individual part has to be designed to be more stable. That
affects the design, selection of materials, and manufacturing processes. The
fact that in 2003 we were already having to compete in the second qualifying
session and the race with a single engine was excellent experience for the
P84."

?: Are there any cost-savings to be found from these changes?

Theissen: "Definitely not as far as development is concerned, but there are
certainly savings to be made in racing and testing simply because fewer
engines are built over the season."

?: Will the 2003 World Championship be decided on tyres?

Theissen: "The tyres constitute the last link between the vehicle and the
road. As such, they play an extremely important role. When we were living in
a world of monopolies, this has had virtually no effect between the
different teams. However, the heat of a competitive situation between two
tyre manufacturers and the regulation allowing tailormade tyres presents a
very different situation. It¹s truly amazing to see just how much lap times
can be improved by the tyres. However, the best rubber mixture is no good at
all if the rest of the package with chassis, engine and driver isn¹t capable
of achieving victory."

?: Will you miss your colleague Gerhard Berger?

Theissen: "I still find it a pity that he is hanging up his spurs at the end
of September. But I can understand why he¹s doing it and I respect his
decision. We remain in contact on virtually a daily basis. He was heavily
involved in the contractual negotiations right up until the agreement was
signed with WilliamsF1. And even now, he certainly hasn¹t disappeared off
the scene. We have developed a close friendship over the course of a number
of years of working together. As far as the activities that he carried out
are concerned, he¹s right when he says that the timing is appropriate. The
initial phase is now behind us. The team that we set up together now has a
good structure and has significant potential."

?: How do you rate the opportunities of the BMW WilliamsF1 Team for the
remaining five Grands Prix?

Theissen: "Generally speaking, I believe that we¹re currently witnessing the
most exciting Formula 1 season for years. The last eleven Grands Prix were
won by seven different drivers and three teams have the opportunity of
winning the constructors¹ title. As an automobile manufacturer, this is
naturally extremely important to BMW. We¹re currently ten points behind
leaders Ferrari. A double victory like the two recent achievements rewarded
us with 18 points. I don¹t anticipate that the end of the season will be
dominated by a single team. I believe ­ and hope ­ that the 2003 season will
remain exciting to the wire."