It was driven by German Nick Heidfeld, who joined from Williams, and Canadian Jacques Villeneuve, who had spent one season with Sauber before it was bought by BMW.

The F1.06 was a contender for points throughout the season, and its form culminated with two podium finishes: one for Heidfeld at the Hungaroring, and the other for Kubica at Monza.

The team's innovation even caused controversy: a "flexible" rear wing was stiffened early in the season and two vertical pylons in front of the cockpit were banned after an appearance at Magny-Cours.

They received a new sponsorship such as Intel and O2, a computer hardware company, Dell was started at European Grand Prix.

The team's new livery, which was maintained throughout its tenure in Formula One, consisted of the traditional BMW blue and white with a hint of red.