BMW Sauber head into the 2006 season as a constructor in its own right after purchasing the Swiss-based Sauber Petronas team. BMW supplied its V10 engines to Williams in what was a technical partnership between the two parties and under the BMW Williams banner, would secure ten race wins with the squad over five years.

Perhaps restless at not being able to gain Championship glory, the Board at BMW announced mid-way through the 2005 season that they would take control of Sauber Petronas.

Nick Heidfeld joins the BMW Sauber team in 2006 while the team has yet to confirm the identity of his team-mate. Mario Theissen remains in charge of BMW’s motorsport activities and has vowed to increase staffing levels at the team and invest in the engineering side of the team.

Race wins may not come from the outset, but it is clear that BMW are not in the sport for any other reason that to win.