By BMW Sauber F1 Team
October 9 2006

In the Track Talk following the Japanese Grand Prix, BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen reflects on the race in Suzuka, as well as the career of Michael Schumacher. Even without the seven-time world Champion, Theissen is convinced the pinnacle of motorsports will remain attractive. Dear motorsports friends,

In the qualifying session, we were able to lay the groundwork for the race result. Based on our grid position, we assumed we might just be able to slip into the points at the Japanese Grand Prix. Nick Heidfeld managed to do so and collect a valuable world championship point. This enabled us to defend fifth place in the constructors' championship and now lets us travel to the season final in Brazil with a lead of one point ahead of Toyota.

At the same time, this Grand Prix was the second to last Formula One race in the career of Michael Schumacher. When speculations and rumours concerning the retirement of a single driver keep the Formula One on the edge of its toes for nearly an entire season, it must be a special occasion. And indeed: In Sao Paulo, the most successful driver's career in the history of Formula One will come to an end. Michael Schumacher has set the standard for more than 15 years, he collected every imaginable record, and now he has deserved a prominent place in the history books of the pinnacle of motorsports. I was even more impressed by the way he turned into a real team leader during the years of developing the team than his class as a driver. His contribution to the team's success surpasses the mere cockpit work by far. Based on his fitness and his qualifications as a driver, he could easily have continued to drive for two more years.

On first sight, his retirement is an obvious set-back for Formula One racing in general and particularly for the German fans that will lose a driver they were able to identify with. On the other hand, we have already seen many top drivers come and go, and this will now be the case once more. In the long run, Formula one racing will not suffer. On the contrary, the future of the sport is bright.

On the one hand, I am convinced we will continue to see German stars in the pinnacle of motorsports. Many young talents are lined up and ready to go, some of which we are keeping a very close eye on. I am certain the new generation will be able to thrill the audience just as much as Michael did throughout hi career.

On the other hand, Formula One racing is a global sports event. In Spain, Fernando Alonso's success has caused an unprecedented boom. The Formula One has overtaken motorbike racing in popularity and recently achieved a double-digit increase in TV coverage. In Poland, a country with no motorsports history to speak of, Robert Kubica's achievements have caused a real sensation and have made the sport popular overnight. In Japan, the duel between the manufacturers Honda and Toyota is at the centre of all attention. And when I look at the Chinese market with 1.3 billion people, there is still a lot of potential for a bright future of the pinnacle of motorsports.

Yours sincerely,

Mario Theissen