BMW expect to be beaten by former partners Williams

BMW expect their new Formula One team to be beaten by former partners Williams when the season starts in Bahrain on March 12.

"It will be an interesting comparison. Certainly Williams starts from a higher level," BMW motorsport director Mario Theissen said.

"I expect Williams initially to be stronger than us and we have to catch up. In our first season we will be mainly gathering experience."

BMW were Williams' engine partners for six seasons, winning 10 races together before the German carmaker decided to buy Swiss-based Sauber in June. They took control formally this month and renamed the team BMW Sauber F1. Former champions Williams, the third most successful team in Formula One after Ferrari and McLaren, finished last season fifth overall to Sauber's eighth.

The British-based team will be racing with Cosworth engines this year while BMW can harness all their expertise and resources to Sauber's benefit.

Theissen pointed out that Williams have 500 employees while Sauber had around 280 before the BMW takeover. The team plans to add more than 100 staff at the Hinwil factory in Switzerland.