Sauber applies to drop ‘BMW’ from official name

UPDATE (GMM) F1's Swiss team will keep the 'BMW' in its name until the end of the season. After the F1 Commission meeting on Monday, it emerged that the BMW Sauber F1 Team had applied to change its name to simply Sauber Motorsport. The next step was the approval of F1's governing body, who met for a World Motor Sport Council meeting in Geneva on Wednesday. A spokesman for the Hinwil based team said on Thursday that the FIA approved Sauber's request, with the change to take effect after November's season finale in Abu Dhabi.

06/22/10 (GMM) The word 'BMW' is set to be officially dropped from the title of formula one's Hinwil based team.

Although the German carmaker pulled out of the sport at the end of last year, Peter Sauber's once-again independent team retained the official title BMW Sauber F1.

It is believed the reason was so that the commercial rewards due from Sauber's participation in the 2009 world championship, resulting in sixth place in the title, were not jeopardized.

However, the situation means the C29 has been known officially and awkwardly as the BMW Sauber-Ferrari, due to the use of a Ferrari customer engine.

But although initially using clearly visible signage, the team has increasingly moved away from even mentioning BMW, now running a red 'S' logo and Sauber Motorsport branding.

According to Germany's motorsport-total.com, the F1 Commission met on Monday ahead of a Geneva meeting of the World Motor Sport Council on Wednesday.

Sauber reportedly lodged a request with F1 Commission members – among them key stakeholders including FOM, fellow teams, promoters and sponsors – for a name change.

The next step is the approval of F1's governing body.