Theissen steps down as team boss

Mario Theissen has left his role as BMW Sauber team principal after their sale back to founder Peter Sauber.

Theissen had previously said he was undecided whether to stay on as head of the team in the wake of July's announcement that the German manufacturer would withdraw from the sport at the end of the season.

However, in a statement released on Monday, BMW said that Theissen would remain in his overall role as the company's motorsport director.

"He is staying with BMW," a spokesman said. "He will not be involved with Sauber. After BMW announced they were pulling out it was left up to Mario to decide and he has said he will stay as motorsport director."

In reaching a deal with Sauber to hand back control of the team he first took into Formula One in 1992, BMW pulled out of a previous agreement with Qadbak Investments.

In deciding to withdraw, however, BMW has left the team without a place on next season's grid as it did not sign up to the Concorde Agreement which commits teams to the sport until 2012.

However, Sauber appear poised to secure the 13th and last slot following Toyota's recent decision to pull out.

Source: Theissen steps down as team boss - Planet-F1 News - from planet-f1.com