In the midst of the three new teams for 2019 being announced prior to the Belgian V-Prix, the hundredth race in Formula Virtual history, the paddock was left shocked by the news that BMW - current engine supplier to North Star Racing - will be leaving the sport at the end of the 2018 season. Since returning to the sport in 2016, BMW have been providing engines to North Star exclusively, the partnership's high point being an unexpected victory at the 2017 Canadian V-Prix. However, the German marque claims its decision was made due to a 'lack of opportunities', with most speculating this refers to its failure to secure additional customer teams.
The 2019 season will see the introduction of development bonuses to teams running the same engine, to which North Star team principal Nick Forrest voiced concerns that it could lead to a number of engine manufacturers leaving the sport if customer teams could not be found. "It's hugely disappointing," Forrest told reporters gathered outside the North Star motorhome. "BMW have been a fantastic partner since we started out in Formula Virtual, back in 2016, we've had some amazing successes together, and this decision has come completely out of left field for us." "We already had the contract for next year," he explained, "but with the situation with other teams on the grid, and the new engine development regs coming into force, evidently they just don't think it's worth it anymore, and it's a great loss to Formula Virtual to see another engine manufacturer disappear at the end of the season." When asked if this threatened North Star's place on the grid next season, Forrest was very straight in his response. "Absolutely not," he told reporters, "North Star -will- be racing in Formula Virtual next season. The design team back in Perth is still working on next year's car, they haven't just stopped because BMW are leaving, and we are gonna be on the grid in Melbourne, ready to race." Forrest was then asked if there was any direction he was leaning as to which engines North Star would be running next season. "We don't know, do we?" he replied, "BMW only announced they were leaving yesterday, but there's definitely some options out there. Honda, DS and the like, maybe Alfa depending on what happens with Ocelot. We'll have to move fairly quickly, though, if we don't want to hold up our development too much, so we should be able to make a decision by the end of this season, at least." North Star remains one of only two teams yet to announce their engine supplier for next season, along with Meteor, who will split from Virgin after three years. Comments are closed.
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