The news of BMW abandoning F1 has been received with sadness in Maranello, even though over the years the Scuderia has seen many teams and big names come and go in the sport. Even though the current economic crisis has been blamed for their demise, it still came asa shock to most involved in the sport as the teams were all so close to signing a new deal that would see them committed to the sport until 2010.

When the news came down that BMW were calling a press conference to discuss their motorsport program, many believed it would be their participation in the World Touring Car Championship that would come to an end. But now, as the news begin to sink in, thoughts of how many other manufacturers would follow suit begin entering everyone’s minds.

While there is still doubts on Renault and even Toyota, Ferrari took this time to confirm to their fans that no matter what, they would continue racing at the highest level...

“Over the last 60 years of the continuous participation of Ferrari in the Formula 1 World Championship we've seen many teams and some important constructors come and go,” a spokesperson for the Scuderia said. “This is a characteristic of this sport, although we are sad about BMW's decision. Ferrari will continue to engage itself wholeheartedly for a new era in Formula 1, composed of stable rules and extreme technological research accompanied by paying close attention to the environment and a growing spectacle as well as greater participation of the fans and of all our sport's components.”