View Full Version : 2008 Formula One Thread
Today’s unveiling of the BMW Sauber F1 08 car seems to provide a great reason to start a thread for the 2008 Formula 1 season.
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BMW Sauber F1 08 unveiled in Munich.
01-14-2008 Press Release
Munich, 14th January 2008. The BMW Sauber F1 Team took delivery of the fastest car in the BMW range at BMW Welt in Munich today (Monday). The team was presented with the BMW Sauber F1.08 against the futuristic backdrop of the brand’s new vehicle delivery centre. The presentation, which took place before an audience of several hundred media representatives from around the world, included a spectacular cameo from Nick Heidfeld. As the longest-serving F1 driver in the BMW ranks, the German took the new car for a spin inside the vast building. The serious testing, however, will begin tomorrow (Tuesday) with the roll-out of the car at the Valencia race circuit in Spain. The BMW Sauber F1.08 is eye-catching with its imposing front wing and extremely slim rear, and boasts a wealth of innovative technology.
The BMW Sauber F1 Team has completed its development phase, motivation is strong and its plans are ambitious: in what will be its third season on the Formula One grid the team is aiming to close the gap to the leading teams and has targeted a first race win. “We’re setting our sights high,” admits BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen, “and we’ll have to make further improvements in all areas to achieve what we want to. However, the past two years have instilled confidence within the team. We met our goals in both 2006 and 2007, we are heading in the right direction, and everybody in Munich and Hinwil is focused on the job in hand. If we continue our progress along this path we will also fulfil our aims for 2008.”
The team will take on the challenge with the same race drivers as in 2007 – Germany’s Nick Heidfeld (30) and his Polish team-mate Robert Kubica (23) will be at the wheel of the BMW Sauber F1.08 for the 18 grands prix which make up the 2008 FIA Formula One World Championship. The team will not name a test driver until the end of January.
“It is generally very difficult to define expectations and make prognoses. But I hope that our plan works out and we are able to win our first race in 2008,“ said Heidfeld, who once again accounted for the largest share of the points earned by the team in 2007 and finished on the podium twice. “I expect us to move forward in all areas – particularly as far as reliability is concerned – and to learn from our mistakes. This development process is essential in what we’re trying to achieve.”
And Kubica adds: “I will also be looking to achieve greater consistency in my results during my second full season in Formula One. Retirements and that crash in Canada – which also prevented me from starting in the USA – cost me points in 2007. We all need to take further steps forward in 2008 and make maximum use of every opportunity that presents itself.”
Theissen holds his two drivers in high regard: “In Nick and Robert we have a strong and evenly matched duo. For our young team, which in 2006 and 2007 had to drive forward its development in terms of structure and personnel alongside its World Championship campaign, consistency is also a great asset. We know that these two drivers will get the maximum out of the machinery we give them. The F1.07 was a good car, so on this basis the F1.08 should be even better.”
The new BMW Sauber F1.08.
For Technical Director Willy Rampf the philosophy behind the race car for the 2008 season boils down to what he calls “evolutionary new development”. In other words, last year’s car already provided the engineers with a sound basis for the BMW Sauber F1.08, and they did not have to spend time correcting faults. Instead they were able to use knowledge gained over the course of the 2007 season and channel their energies into the development of innovations which build on this basis.
The engineers’ development work focused on achieving a high level of aerodynamic efficiency coupled with a stable aero balance: the lower the loss of downforce through corners, the faster the car can travel and the greater the confidence it gives the driver. Other development aims included improving mechanical grip in order to make the best possible use of the standard tyres and reducing the weight of various components to allow maximum use of ballast in optimising weight distribution.
A particularly eye-catching feature of the F1.08 is the mighty front wing. Having said that, the car’s nose has actually slimmed down – in equal measure to the rear end. The narrower engine cover has been designed with all-new extra wing elements. Another new and immediately noticeable feature are the hub caps, or “rim shields”.
Two changes to the regulations have had a major effect on the construction of the cars for the 2008 season: the introduction of standardised electronics (SECU) and the new running time stipulation for the gearboxes (developed in Munich), which must now endure over four grands prix. Since the SECU does not allow for traction control, among other functions, mechanical grip and sensitive accelerator control will gain in importance.
“The data which the F1.08 has delivered ahead of its roll-out is extremely promising,” says Rampf. “The development work will continue at full speed up to the start of the new season. Indeed, another aero package will be added to the F1.08 at the forthcoming test, and this will also alter the external appearance of the car once again.”
Development phase reaches its conclusion.
The BMW Sauber F1 Team was consistently the third-strongest team in 2007 and finished the season in second place in the standings following the exclusion of McLaren Mercedes from the Constructors’ World Championship. The team completed its debut season of 2006 in fifth place in the World Championship. Its drivers recorded two podium finishes in each of its first two years – three third places and one second place.
Alongside the unrelenting schedule of the race and testing calendar, the BMW Sauber F1 Team also had to focus on the development of the team in terms of personnel and logistics during its first two years on the grid. Rigorous expansion work has been carried out at its Hinwil base near Zurich since BMW took over the team on 1st January 2006. With its workforce having grown by some 150 people, the team moved into the new extension to the Swiss plant in late 2007. The development and construction of the entire powertrain still takes place in Munich – under the watchful eye of Markus Duesmann – next door to the BMW Research and Innovation Centre (FIZ).
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Formula One 2008.
16.03...................Grand Prix of Australia / Melbourne (AUS)
23.03...................Grand Prix of Malaysia / Sepang (MYS)
06.04...................Grand Prix of Bahrain / Sakhir (BHR)
27.04...................Grand Prix of Spain / Barcelona (ESP)
11.05...................Grand Prix of Turkey / Istanbul (TUR)
25.05...................Grand Prix of Monaco / Monte Carlo (MCO)
08.06...................Grand Prix of Canada / Montreal (CAN)
22.06...................Grand Prix of France / Magny-Cours (FRA)
06.07...................Grand Prix of Great Britain / Silverstone (GBR)
20.07...................Grand Prix of Germany / Hockenheim (DEU)
03.08...................Grand Prix of Hungary / Budapest (HUN)
24.08...................Grand Prix of Europe / Valencia (ESP)
07.09...................Grand Prix of Belgium / Spa-Francorchamps (BEL)
14.09...................Grand Prix of Italy / Monza (ITA)
28.09...................Grand Prix of Singapore / Singapur (SGP)
12.10...................Grand Prix of Japan / Fuji Speedway (JPN)
19.10...................Grand Prix of China / Shanghai (CHN)
02.11...................Grand Prix of Brazil / Sao Paulo (BRA)
rkasal
01-14-2008, 01:06 PM
It's just not the same without Michael. I notice the BMW is photographed at the customer pick-up center. Will they be offering a rental version? :brad
dlearl476
01-14-2008, 01:08 PM
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"Dude, did you crap youself in my car?"
"No, I swear Nick. It was like that when I got in."
Sadly, there's no date on 17/6. Thanks Tony George. Good job.
It's just not the same without Michael. I notice the BMW is photographed at the customer pick-up center. Will they be offering a rental version? :brad
The car will make its track debut tomorrow in Spain.
I miss Jimmy Clark and Schummi
If you have a F-1 license you may be able to have a drive:laugh
canada.com ( http://www.canada.com/topics/sports/story.html?id=bcffea62-7283-4829-ad89-356290779db9&k=23240)
BMW prepared to supply engines to other F1 teams
Positive start to BMW Sauber F1.08 testing in Valencia.
01-15-2008 Press Release
Valencia (Spain), 15th January 2008. The maiden laps of the BMW Sauber F1 Team’s new car went off according to plan. The doors of the pit garage opened at 12.00, and seven minutes later Robert Kubica emerged with the BMW Sauber F1.08 for its first installation lap on the Valencia circuit.
BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen was clearly satisfied: “The roll-out of the BMW Sauber F1.08 went-off absolutely hitch-free. All systems were functioning from the word go and Robert has gained a positive first impression of the new car’s handling. It means the most suspenseful moment for the engineers and technicians has resulted in a positive outcome. In the next few days we will be testing the technology in detail before tackling the job of further honing the BMW Sauber F1.08 for performance.”
It was the first time that Kubica had been given the honour of taking a Formula One car out on its maiden drive. The Pole enjoyed the task, commenting: “It was a good start. I’ve only driven a few laps so far, but I have the impression that everything is heading in the right direction. The car feels more stable than its predecessor and it builds up more grip. I’m looking forward to the test days to come.”
His team-mate Nick Heidfeld had already taken the car out on a few demonstration laps at BMW Welt, the company’s futuristic-looking delivery centre in Munich. In Valencia he drove the F1.07 on Tuesday, and Thursday will see him at the wheel of the F1.08. “I really enjoyed driving the old car as well,” said Heidfeld. “During the winter break there were a few weeks when I hadn’t been in the car. The F1.08 is the most beautiful vehicle I have seen in my F1 career. It has a lot of interesting details. I’m really excited about getting inside it on Thursday!”
Technical Director Willy Rampf appeared both satisfied and relieved: “The entire team has been looking forward to this day with feverish excitement,” he explained, “and we are all accordingly delighted to have encountered no problems whatsoever on the first outing with this completely new vehicle. Now all the car’s systems and entire sensor technology will be checked in detail before the start of the further test programme.”
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The_Veg
01-15-2008, 12:19 PM
It may be fast, but DANG it's ugly! :sick
dlearl476
01-15-2008, 12:39 PM
It may be fast, but DANG it's ugly! :sick
Eye of the beholder and all that. I think it's sex on 4 wheels. I hope they can manage a few wins this year. BMW is always a sentimental favorite for me.
I'm going out on a limb and picking Alonso and Renault this year.
You wanna see ugly? I'll show you ugly:
http://www.seriouswheels.com/pics-2004/2004-BMW-WilliamsF1-FW26-Front-Nose-1280x960.jpg
http://www.ddavid.com/formula1/images/pete16.jpghttp://i7.ebayimg.com/03/i/03/ef/ab/3a_1_b.JPG
http://www.ferrari-modelle.de/Formel_1/1970-1979/Ferrari_312_T4_kl.jpg
And finally, one so ugly I don't even want to post the likeness here.
http://www.italiaspeed.com/2007/motorsport/others/gp_live_donington_park/ferrari_312b3_spazzaneve/gallery_gp_live/102.html
cheesewhiz
01-15-2008, 12:41 PM
It may be fast, but DANG it's ugly! :sick
I beg to differ.............
The IRL P.O.S. or the Grand Sham car(?) now THOSE are FUGLY!
Anyway, how could anything with the roundel be ugly, hmmmmmm?
:german
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Kbrick
01-15-2008, 05:59 PM
I miss the good old days, now this is a beautiful Formula 1 car!
535is
01-16-2008, 10:50 AM
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Jeez, they couldn't even wait 'til the first race to set one on fire? :banghead
Jeez, they couldn't even wait 'til the first race to set one on fire? :banghead
ala TS Garp - Burn one up in the unveiling and you disaster-proof your season:laugh
leeines
01-16-2008, 11:06 AM
Wow, I would like to know what each and every one of the aerodynamic devices on the new BMW F-1 car is supposed to do for the performance of the car. More wings on it than a Foker WW 1 plane.
The_Veg
01-16-2008, 12:19 PM
Wow, I would like to know what each and every one of the aerodynamic devices on the new BMW F-1 car is supposed to do for the performance of the car. More wings on it than a Foker WW 1 plane.
That's part of why I think it's ugly, especially with all those weird multiple wavy bits on the nose. Speaking of noses, the current trend of long high up-pointy F1 noses is probably that part I find ugliest.
But I'm biased. The mid-late 1980s was when I was big into F1.
Here are a couple of short pieces from Formula1.com on the Ferrari F2008 and McLaren MP4-23 and the various wings on them.
nose cone (http://www.formula1.com/news/technical/2008/0/495.html)
rear bodyg work (http://www.formula1.com/news/technical/2008/0/500.html)
cheesewhiz
01-16-2008, 01:55 PM
For the amount of $ they spend developing those cars, I'm sure the investors would rather win the race than win the beauty contest.
Also, unless you've seen them in person it's hard to fathom just how quick these cars are when accellerating, braking, and turning.
My personal fav is the FW14 that Nige drove to the '92 title. :thumb
:lurk
BTW: Thanks for posting those pics! Good stuff.
RocketCowboy
01-16-2008, 10:22 PM
Also, unless you've seen them in person it's hard to fathom just how quick these cars are when accellerating, braking, and turning.
And there's no comprehending just how incredible those cars sound until you're there in person. TV just doesn't do it justice.
Positive start to BMW Sauber F1.08 testing in Valencia.
01-15-2008 Press Release
Valencia (Spain), 15th January 2008. The maiden laps of the BMW Sauber F1 Team’s new car went off according to plan. The doors of the pit garage opened at 12.00, and seven minutes later Robert Kubica emerged with the BMW Sauber F1.08 for its first installation lap on the Valencia circuit.
BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen was clearly satisfied: “The roll-out of the BMW Sauber F1.08 went-off absolutely hitch-free. All systems were functioning from the word go and Robert has gained a positive first impression of the new car’s handling. It means the most suspenseful moment for the engineers and technicians has resulted in a positive outcome. In the next few days we will be testing the technology in detail before tackling the job of further honing the BMW Sauber F1.08 for performance.”
It was the first time that Kubica had been given the honour of taking a Formula One car out on its maiden drive. The Pole enjoyed the task, commenting: “It was a good start. I’ve only driven a few laps so far, but I have the impression that everything is heading in the right direction. The car feels more stable than its predecessor and it builds up more grip. I’m looking forward to the test days to come.”
His team-mate Nick Heidfeld had already taken the car out on a few demonstration laps at BMW Welt, the company’s futuristic-looking delivery centre in Munich. In Valencia he drove the F1.07 on Tuesday, and Thursday will see him at the wheel of the F1.08. “I really enjoyed driving the old car as well,” said Heidfeld. “During the winter break there were a few weeks when I hadn’t been in the car. The F1.08 is the most beautiful vehicle I have seen in my F1 career. It has a lot of interesting details. I’m really excited about getting inside it on Thursday!”
Technical Director Willy Rampf appeared both satisfied and relieved: “The entire team has been looking forward to this day with feverish excitement,” he explained, “and we are all accordingly delighted to have encountered no problems whatsoever on the first outing with this completely new vehicle. Now all the car’s systems and entire sensor technology will be checked in detail before the start of the further test programme.”
Test in Valencia - Day two
01-16-2008 Press Release
15th – 18th January 2008
Day two – Wednesday
Weather conditions:
Extremely windy but, apart from some rain at lunch time, dry all day
Temperatures: Air: 15-17°C, Track: 15-20°C
Number of drivers participating: 2 (exclusive BMW Sauber F1 Team test)
Circuit distance: 4.005 km
Robert Kubica
Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.08-02 / BMW P86/8
Test kilometres today: 420,525 km (105 laps)
Nick Heidfeld
Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.07-06 / BMW P86/8
Test kilometres today: 300,375 km (74 laps)
Programme:
The first scheduled proper test day with the new F1.08 driven by Robert in Valencia was hampered by adverse weather conditions as there were very strong winds in Valencia. Therefore it was impossible to gain any useful test results today. The BMW Sauber F1 Team concentrated on system checks on long runs with the new car.
Nick was at the wheel of the F1.07 and carried out set-up work with the standard ECU and race start simulation.
What comes next:
Tomorrow Marko Asmer will be driving the F1.07B. It is the second time the young Estonian (23) will get behind the wheel of the team’s Formula One car. Also tomorrow Nick will have his first drive with the new BMW Sauber F1.08. The team hopes for better weather conditions and productive set-up work with the new car to verify the wind tunnel data.
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BMW Sauber F1 Team - Valencia Test - Day three
01-17-2008 Press Release
Weather conditions:
Dry all day, good conditions in the morning, some gusty winds in the afternoon.
Temperatures: Air: 10-18°C, Track: 9-18°C
Number of drivers participating: 2 (exclusively BMW Sauber F1 Team test)
Circuit distance: 4.005 km
Nick Heidfeld
Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.08-02 / BMW P86/8
Test kilometres today: 467 km (117 laps)
Marko Asmer
Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.07B-06 / BMW P86/8
Test kilometres today: 296 km (76 laps as scheduled)
Programme:
The BMW Sauber F1 Team had a productive day’s testing in Valencia. Wind wasn’t a major issue any more, although in the afternoon some gusty winds came up again. Nick had his first day of testing with the 2008 car. The team is happy with the mileage achieved with the F1.08 today and began testing changes in the mechanical and aero set-up to see and evaluate the reaction of the car, which responded as expected.
Marko enjoyed his second test with the F1.07, already feeling more familiar with the car and more comfortable in his seat after the team had made some adjustments for him beforehand. The team also worked with him on set-up changes in the course of the day to make him feel more confident with the car.
What comes next:
Tomorrow, Friday, will be the final day of the first test with the F1.08 in Valencia. Nick will continue to drive the new car, Robert Kubica will be taking over the F1.07B.
So you want to drive a f-1 car, you need a deep wallet just for the license.
blogf1.com (http://blogf1.co.uk/2008/01/18/the-cost-of-racing-super-license-price-hike/)
The Cost Of Racing: Super License Price Hike
This is a support race series for F1 weekends. Looks like a cross between IROC cars and NASCAR. Anyone know more about it?
pitpass.com (http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_news_item.php?fes_art_id=33732)
Speed Car revs up for debut
cheesewhiz
01-18-2008, 11:01 AM
Speedcar?!?!?!?
Great, just what we need.
More roaring V8 stock(?)cars.(sarcasm off)
The drivers list is a bit curious though.
Big names (Alesi etc...)
Nothing else available?
Big paycheck?
Hmmmmmmmmmmm..........
01-18-2008 Press Release
Weather conditions: Sunny and dry
Temperatures: Air: 14-22°C, Track: 14-25°C
Number of drivers participating: 2 (exclusively BMW Sauber F1 Team test)
Circuit distance: 4.005 km
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Nick Heidfeld
Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.08-02 / BMW P86/8
Test kilometres today: 364 km (91 laps)
Robert Kubica
Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.07B-06 / BMW P86/8
Test kilometres today: 168 km (42 laps)
Programme:
In the morning the team lost some time due to a mechanical problem with the power steering on Nick’s car. However, later on he continued with set-up work on the F1.08 and was able to cover 91 laps.
Technical Director Willy Rampf summed up his impressions of the first test:
“Apart from this morning we had no noteworthy reliability problems during the four days. We were able to complete many laps with the new car and managed to collect a lot of valuable data. We have a base line for determining the programme for next week’s test. We are only just starting out and have a fair amount of work to do to find the ideal settings for the new car.”
What comes next:
The BMW Sauber F1 Team will be testing again in Valencia from Tuesday to Thursday next week.
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http://williams.latphoto.co.uk/media/image/2008/01/WIL2008012130374_PV.jpg
formula1.com (http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/1/7280.html)
New Williams breaks cover in Spain
williamsf1.com (http://www.williamsf1.com/#)
Williams Toyota FW30 takes to the track
autoweek.com (http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080121/FREE/748911439/1551/rss02&rssfeed=rss02)
New Williams, Renault chassis debut on track
BMW Sauber F1 Team - Valencia Test - Day 1
01-22-2008 Press Release
22nd – 24th January 2008
Day one – Tuesday
Weather conditions: Sunny and dry
Temperatures: Air: 13-24°C, Track: 9-24°C
Number of drivers participating: 16
Fastest lap overall: Felipe Massa, Scuderia Ferrari, 1:12.182 min
Marko Asmer
Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.07B-06 / BMW P86/8
Test kilometres today: 176 km (44 laps)
Fastest lap: 1:13.669 min
Nick Heidfeld
Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.08-02/ BMW P86/8
Test kilometres today: 320 km (80 laps)
Fastest lap: 1:13.779 min
Programme:
Nick Heidfeld conducted development work with the BMW Sauber F1.08 going through various aerodynamic comparisons and suspension settings. Although he encountered some minor technical problems, it was a productive day. As opposed to last week, the weather conditions were very good and enabled the engineers to gather a lot of valuable data. Marko Asmer drove the F1.07B. He had a limited programme mainly concentrating on systems checking and development work with the SECU.
What comes next:
Tomorrow, Robert Kubica will drive the F1.08 while Nick Heidfeld will be at the wheel of the F1.07B.
RocketCowboy
01-22-2008, 11:05 PM
I can't wait for Melbourne!!!
BMW Sauber F1 Team - Valencia Test - Day 2
01-23-2008 Press Release
22nd – 24th January 2008
Day two – Wednesday
Weather conditions: Sunny and dry
Temperatures: Air: 10-19°C, Track: 11-22°C
Number of drivers participating: 17
Fastest lap overall: Heikki Kovalainen, McLaren-Mercedes, 1:11.000 min
Nick Heidfeld
Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.07B-06 / BMW P86/8
Test kilometres today: 204 km (51 laps)
Fastest lap: 1:12.976 min
Robert Kubica
Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.08-02/ BMW P86/8
Test kilometres today: 485 km (121 laps)
Fastest lap: 1:13.230 min
Programme:
Nick Heidfeld drove the F1.07B. He had a limited programme and concentrated on systems settings. He did a lot of valuable work that can be transferred to the new car. Robert Kubica was at the wheel of the F1.08 working on the mechanical and aerodynamic set-up of the car. In addition, he did numerous systems checks and tested different suspension parts. Both cars ran reliably all day.
What comes next:
Tomorrow, Robert Kubica will continue driving the F1.08 while Nick Heidfeld will again be at the wheel of the F1.07B.
blogf1.co.uk (http://blogf1.co.uk/2008/01/23/bmw-give-f108-a-nose-job/)
The BMW F1-08 got a nose job
http://blogf1.co.uk/images/posts/Nick%20Heidfeld/2008/Testing-002.jpg
autosport.com (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/64816)
Heidfeld unsure about BMW's form
BMW Sauber F1 Team - Valencia Test - Day three
01-24-2008 Press Release
Weather conditions: Partly cloudy, dry
Temperatures: Air: 11-17°C, Track: 11-21°C
Number of drivers participating: 17
Fastest lap overall: Kimi Räikkönen, Scuderia Ferrari, 1:11.189 min
Robert Kubica
Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.08-02/ BMW P86/8
Test kilometres today: 344 km (86 laps)
Fastest lap: 1:12.095 min
Nick Heidfeld
Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.07B-06 / BMW P86/8
Test kilometres today: 156 km (39 laps)
Fastest lap: 1:12.600 min
Programme:
Nick Heidfeld drove the F1.07B again and continued working on the systems based on the 2008 rules. As yesterday, he had a limited programme. Robert Kubica worked on the set-up of the F1.08. The team was able to find some settings that are favourable to the new car. Robert also completed some long-runs.
Technical Director Willy Rampf: “In terms of reliability the F1.08 is already very good. We have covered numerous laps without any noteworthy problems to date. As far as performance is concerned, we are at the start of a comprehensive development phase. We have analysed the data from the test drives so far and identified the potential areas concerned. By the next test in Barcelona the car will already have received some relevant modifications. Following that, we will be using new components in all the other tests up to the start of the season. We have set ourselves an internal target which we aim to meet by Melbourne, and I am confident we will achieve that.”
What comes next:
The BMW Sauber F1 Team will be testing in Barcelona from February 1 to 3.
BMW Sauber F1 Team - Australian GP - Practice
03-14-2008 Press Release
Weather: dry and windy, 32-37°C Air, 35-48°C Track
Melbourne (AUS). Unusual heat, strong winds and consequently a high amount of dust in Melbourne’s Albert Park welcomed Formula One for the curtain raiser of the 2008 season. BMW Sauber F1 Team driver Robert Kubica enjoyed two trouble-free practice sessions. Nick Heidfeld’s car stopped with 30 minutes to go in the first session due to an electrical power cut, in the afternoon he completed his programme as scheduled.
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Robert Kubica:
BMW Sauber F1.08-03 / BMW P86/8
1st Practice : 7th, 1.28.579 min / 2nd Practice: 15th, 1.28.860 min
“As well as working on the set-up of the car, we concentrated mainly on comparing the two tyre compounds. Degradation is quite a big issue in these hot conditions. We have to analyse the data and find out how best to exploit the full potential of the tyres.”
Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-04 / BMW P86/8
1st Practice : 16th, 1.29.561 min / 2nd Practice: 12th, 1.28.731 min
“I still find it very difficult to make a judgement on everybody's performance. I'm afraid we have to be patient until tomorrow, at least until the second part of qualifying. I assume some of the cars which are higher up on the result sheet were lighter than us. I had no technical problems in the second session, and the failure in the morning just cost one run which isn't a drama."
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“We are happy that the 2008 season has finally started here in Melbourne. We concentrated on the race preparations in both sessions and completed our programme including the tyre comparisons. Apart from one problem on an electronic switch in the first free practice, everything went according to plan. I think we are in good shape for tomorrow.”
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hlothery
03-14-2008, 01:38 PM
Nick Heidfeld’s car stopped with 30 minutes to go in the first session due to an electrical power cut,
http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/265642275_AxNop-M.jpg
Was there a presidential motorcade in the area.........;)
Video Preview of Australia
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Video Recap of Friday Practice
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pitpass.com (http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_news_item.php?fes_art_id=34128)
BMW 1-2 in final Saturday practice
pitpass.com (http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_news_item.php?fes_art_id=34130)
Hamilton holds Kubica for pole
f1complete.com (http://www.f1complete.com/content/view/7968/912/)
2008 qualifying times
Qualifying – Australian GP
Hamilton – Pole
Kubica – P2
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BMW Sauber F1 Team - Australian GP - Qualifying
03-15-2008 Press Release
Weather: dry, 22-24°C Air, 31-41°C Track
Melbourne (AUS). At the opening race of what is its third season the BMW Sauber F1 Team achieved its best ever qualifying result to date. In Melbourne Robert Kubica qualified in second position. Nick Heidfeld finished fifth in the expected breathtaking first battle of the year. In Q2, the part of qualifying that tells even more about the cars’ performance, Kubica and Heidfeld where second and fourth. In the morning’s third free practice they had been the leaders of the pack.
Robert Kubica:
BMW Sauber F1.08-03 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 2nd, 1.26.869 min (3rd practice: 1st, 1.25.613 min)
“P2 is a great achievement for the whole team, and that’s a good start to the season! I took a lot of risks in the second run of Q3, but finally it didn’t pay off. I went wide in corner twelve and ran on the artificial grass. This cost me between two and three tenths of a second and maybe pole position. We had quite a difficult day yesterday, but we were able to make a lot of progress. The F1.08 is a very quick car, but quite delicate to set-up and to drive. When I look back on what level we started testing, I have to give a big compliment to the whole team in Munich and Hinwil. Everybody worked hard analysing the problems and improving the car.”
Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-04 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 5th, 1.27.236 min (3rd practice: 2nd, 1.25.950 min)
“I am very pleased although I missed P4 by only hundredths. The entire qualifying went smoothly, it is a superb result for the team and better than expected. After our initial tests with the F1.08 hadn’t been very good we kept saying that we are working very hard and would make good progress. This is what became obvious today, and it is a great reward for everybody’s effort. I believe this was the first step in the direction we want to go this year. I’m very much looking forward to the race. Without traction control the start will be especially exciting and over the race distance I expect Ferrari to be stronger than today.”
Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“We are very satisfied. Grid positions two and five mean the best qualifying result since we founded our team. Without his massive slide on his final lap Robert most likely would have been on pole. Positions on the first three rows of the grid were our target and this is what we have achieved, despite the Ferrari and McLaren cars being quick here in Melbourne right from the very first session. Back then we had been far away from really good lap times, but we kept working. To see the reward of the work is very pleasing.”
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“This was a good qualifying start to the new season. With grid positions two and five for Robert and Nick we are very happy, It's a pity that Robert missed pole by just a little bit. However, for him it was the best qualifying result of his F1 career. We are in a good position for the race with both drivers.”
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Saturday, 15 March 2008 Australian Grand Prix Albert Park Melbourne Australia. BMW Sauber BMW Sauber F1 Team driver Robert Kubica (POL) in the BMW Sauber F1.08
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Saturday, 15 March 2008 Australian Grand Prix Albert Park Melbourne Australia. BMW Sauber F1 Team driver Robert Kubica (POL) is second on the grid for Sundays race.
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Qualifying excursion cost Kubica the pole.
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Even so, Theissen is smiling
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And hand shakes all around.
BMW Sauber F1 Team - Australian GP - Race
03-16-2008 Press Release
Weather: dry, 37-38°C Air, 48-51°C Track
Melbourne (AUS).The BMW Sauber F1 Team has achieved its fifth podium in its short career. Nick Heidfeld came second at the Australian Grand Prix. Team mate Robert Kubica, who had started from second and lay in fifth position in the race, was unlucky when another car crashed into the rear of the Pole’s car at a restart.
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Nick Heidfeld: 2nd
BMW Sauber F1.08-04 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1.27.739 min on lap 41 (3rd fastest overall)
“This was a fantastic start to the season for us. The team was working extremely hard to solve the problems we had in the beginning with the F1.08. We made constant progress and we have not exploited the full potential of the car yet. At the start I had too much wheel spin and could not keep Nico Rosberg behind me. I thought it is going to become a difficult race because I expected him to pit earlier. But we stopped on the same lap and our crew did a really great job to get me in front of him. With my second pit stop I was lucky that the safety car didn’t come out earlier and I could refuel as planned. In the last stint I had to take care not to kill the option tyres. Overall the first race without traction control was less difficult than expected.“
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Robert Kubica: DNF
BMW Sauber F1.08-03 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1.28.753 min on lap 15 (9th fastest overall)
“My race went pretty well in the beginning. I was on a similar strategy to Nick and I had a good pace. Then the strategy was changed and this did not pay off for me. I got stuck behind Bourdais and lost a lot of time. I still had a chance to score some points, but then at the end of the third safety car period Nakajima crashed into the rear of my car and I had to stop.”
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Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“This was a fantastic start to the new season for the BMW Sauber F1 Team. In a turbulent race with three safety car periods and numerous retirements, Nick kept cool and finished second, achieving the first podium of the season for the team. Only Lewis Hamilton was quicker. This was a real strategy game. Nick was somewhat lucky with the safety car periods, Robert was unfortunately unlucky. Towards the end, Nakajima pushed him off the track. Up to this point he had driven a strong race after his fantastic qualifying yesterday. Together with our qualifying performance on Saturday, this is a good basis for the next races. This was a motivation boost for the whole team. A big thank you to all our colleagues in Munich and Hinwil.“
[img]http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/266292304_qhozy-M.jpg
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“This was an exciting race which generated mixed feelings. It’s fantastic that Nick clinched second place, but at the same time I’m sorry for Robert who had an unlucky race. At the start Nick was overtaken by Nico Rosberg, but thanks to the fantastic work of the pit crew, he was able to overtake him in the pits. From that moment on he drove a fast and consistent pace. He finally benefitted from the third safety car period, and equalled the best result of the team so far. We changed Robert’s strategy during the second safety car period, but unfortunately he got stuck behind Bourdais and lost a lot of time. After Nakajima had crashed into the rear of his car, he stopped for safety reasons.“
Friday wrap-up from Formula1.com
Friday Analysis – Who will challenge at Sepang? (http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2008/3/7533.html)
FIA Friday press conference (http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/3/7534.html)
Stewards demand
Red Bull technical report (http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/3/7532.html)
Selected Drivers quotes (http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/3/7531.html)
Practice Two – Hamilton sets the Friday pace at Sepang (http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/3/7530.html)
[ur=http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/3/7529.html]Coulthard[/url] misses P2, Red Bull summoned by stewards[/url]
Exclusive Interview – Toro Rosso’s Gehard Berger (http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2008/3/7527.html)
BMW Sauber F1 Team - Malaysian GP - Practice
03-21-2008 Press Release
Weather: dry, 28-31°C Air, 41-45°C Track
Sepang (MAL). The BMW Sauber F1 Team overall had a positive start to the weekend of the PETRONAS Malaysian Grand Prix in the humid heat of Sepang. Robert Kubica was eighth fastest in both free practice sessions on Friday, although he lost some track time in the morning due to a gear box change. As planned, Nick Heidfeld was able to tick off his to do list for the usual Friday set-up work and was 11th and 13th.
Robert Kubica:
BMW Sauber F1.08-03 / BMW P86/8
1st Practice : 8th, 1.37.218 min / 2nd Practice: 8th, 1.36.671 min
“After I had lost quite some time in the morning session due to a gearbox problem, we mainly concentrated on evaluating different downforce configurations and comparing the tyres in the afternoon. We now have a lot of data available, which we have to analyse and understand in order to make the right decisions for the rest of the weekend. We haven’t had much time yet to work on the set-up of the car, so there is more to come.”
Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-04 / BMW P86/8
1st Practice : 11th, 1.37.649 min / 2nd Practice: 13th, 1.37.106 min
“I’m quite happy with the Friday sessions. The car’s balance here is initially better than it was on Friday in Melbourne, although it is not really good yet. I hope we manage to find a couple of set-up improvements for Saturday, just like we did in Australia. Although the track has been resurfaced, it has a quite good grip level which is not always the case. A big question mark is the weather. Precise predictions for rain are difficult here. I don’t have anything against normal rain, the opposite is the case. But even I don’t wish for a tropical downpour here for the race. If this happens you just don’t see anything and have too much aquaplaning.”
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“We concentrated on the race preparation today and collected a lot of data concerning the tyres. We also tested different aerodynamic configurations. Now we will analyse the data. On Robert’s car we measured a gearbox pressure that was too high. There was a risk of damaging the cooling system, therefore we decided to change the rear end to enable Robert to continue the session. Compliments to the mechanics, who did a great job. We had a dry first day of practice, but we expect some rain for the remainder of the weekend.”
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Heidfeld led Raikkonen, Massa and the rest of the field in Saturday practice before qualifying. Kubica was 17th.
Saturday’s one-hour qualifying session is split into three distinct parts, each with multiple drivers on track simultaneously, and each with the drivers running as many laps as they want:
Q1: All 22 cars may run laps at any time during the first 20 minutes of the hour. At the end of the first 20 minutes, the six slowest cars drop out and fill the final six grid places.
Results Q1:
1 Trulli
2 Kovalainen
3 Massa
4 Hamilton
5 Webber
6 Raikkonen
7 Heidfeld
8 Kubica
9 Rosberg
10 Button
11 Glock
12 Alonso
13 Coulthard
14 Piquet
15 Vettel
16 Barrichello
Cut
17 Fischella Force India
18 Nakajima Williams
19 Bourdais Toro Rosso
20 Sato Super Aguri
21 Sutil Force India
22 Davidson Super Aguri
Q2: After a seven-minute break, the times will be reset and the 16 remaining cars then will then run in a 15-minute session - again they may complete as many laps as they want at any time during that period. At the end of the 15 minutes, the six slowest cars drop out and fill places 11 to 16 on the grid.
Results Q2:
1 Raikkonen
2 Massa
3 Hamilton
4 Heidfeld
5 Kovalainen
6 Kubica
7 Trulli
8 Webber
9 Glock
10 Alonso
Cut
11 Button Button
12 Couthard Red Bull
13 Piquet Renault
14 Barrichello Honda
15 Vettel Toro Rosso
16 Rosberg Williams
Q3: After a further eight-minute break, the times are reset and a final 10-minute session will feature a shootout between the remaining 10 cars to decide pole position and the starting order for the top 10 grid places. Again, these cars may run as many laps as they wish.
Results Q3:
1 Masa Ferrari
2 Raikkonen Ferrari
3 Kovalainen McLaren
4 Hamilton McLaren
5 Trulli Toyota
6 Kubica BMW
7 Heidfeld BMW
8 Webber Red Bull
9 Alonso Renault
10 Glock Toyota
Provisional Grid
1 Masa Ferrari
2 Raikkonen Ferrari
3 Kovalainen McLaren
4 Hamilton McLaren
5 Trulli Toyota
6 Kubica BMW
7 Heidfeld BMW
8 Webber Red Bull
9 Alonso Renault
10 Glock Toyota Button
11 Button Honda
12 Couthard Red Bull
13 Piquet Renault
14 Barrichello Honda
15 Vettel Toro Rosso
16 Rosberg Williams
17 Fischella Force India
18 Nakajima Williams
19 Bourdais Toro Rosso
20 Sato Super Aguri
21 Sutil Force India
22 Davidson Super Aguri
formula1.com (http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/3/7542.html)
Hamilton and Kovaleinen are pushed back 5 positions for blocking in the final moments of Q3. Here (http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/3/7543.html) is the revised provisional grid. Final grid will not be published until Sunday AM Malaysian time.
cheesewhiz
03-22-2008, 10:28 AM
M1ka,
This is a great thread!
Your not gonna start charging for this are you?
:laugh
No, really thanks for all the info and pics.
Whizzy
:eat
You’re welcome!
Here are some photos from the Sepang Qualifying
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Win for Raikkonen/Ferrari, SECOND FOR KUBICA/BMW SAUBER and third for Kovalainen/McLaren.
The race broke down into to three sub-races. Ferrari was in a race of its own for 30 laps as Raikkonen and Massa traded fast laps and the lead. On lap 30 Massa spun out and beached himself on the gravel ending his race.
Kubica settled into P3 after a short time after the start. The race commentary consistently described him as having a lonely race. Adrift of the Ferrari and with the rest of the field adrift of him by roughly an equal amount Kubica motored on in a consistent and strong manner.
Trulli in the Toyota had a very strong showing ending the race in P4.
Heidfeld was unable to challenge after turn 1 ending the race in P6 behind Hamilton in P5. His one shinning moment, showing his strength and hope for the future, was setting the races final fastest lap on lap 55.
The provisional finish:
1 Raikkonen / Ferrari
2 Kubica / BMW Sauber
3 Kovalainen / McLaren
4 Trulli / Toyota
5 Hamilton / McLaren
6 Heidfeld / BMW Sauber
7 Webber / Red Bull
8 Alonso / Renault
9 Coulthard / Red Bull
10 Button / Honda
11 Piquet / Renault
12 Fisichella / Force India
13 Barrichello / Honda
14 Rosberg / Williams
15 Davidson / Super Aguri
16 Sato / Super Aguri
17 Nakajima / Williams
DNF
18 Vettel / Toro Rosso
19 Massa / Ferrari
20 Sutil / Force India
21 Glock / Toyota
22 Bordais / Toro Rosso
BMW Sauber F1 Team - Malaysian GP - Race
03-23-2008 Press Release
Weather: Overcast but dry, 30°C Air, 39-45°C Track
Sepang (MAL). In the humid heat of Sepang the BMW Sauber F1 Team scored 11 championship points – the best result for the young crew so far. Robert Kubica finished second after a strong performance at the PETRONAS Malaysian Grand Prix. Nick Heidfeld was sixth, having lost ground right after the start. For the statistic books there were eight laps in the lead for Kubica, and Heidfeld set the first fastest lap of the race for the team and himself. After two of 18 races the BMW Sauber F1 Team is second in the Constructors’ Championship with 19 points.
Robert Kubica: 2nd
BMW Sauber F1.08-03 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1.35.921 min on lap 39 (6th fastest)
“It’s a fantastic day for the team, for Petronas and for me - the second consecutive podium. After Monza 2006 I finally managed to get another podium myself. I want to thank everybody in the team who worked very hard over the last two months to improve the car. I didn’t have a good start because of too much wheel spin, and was fighting with Nick and Jarno Trulli. I took the dirty inside line and almost lost the car, but somehow I managed to get through the corner and overtake them. From this moment on I drove at my own pace. The Ferraris were too quick, but I was able to increase the gap from the cars following me. After the second pit stop I reduced the revs to save the engine and took it easy. I didn’t feel very well all weekend and it was very hot in the car, so the last ten laps were pretty tough. But it all paid off with a brilliant result.”
Nick Heidfeld: 6th
BMW Sauber F1.08-04 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1.35.366 min on lap 55 (fastest overall)
“I have mixed emotions about today’s race. Of course I’m happy to have clocked up my first fastest race lap in F1, and 11 points are also the best ever result for our team. The pace of the car was really, really good – about the same level as the McLaren. That’s all very positive and makes it even more disappointing that I only finished sixth. My start was very good and then I tried to overtake right on the outside in the first corner. Robert was on the inside, and Jarno Trulli was between us – I just ran out of room. It was a try, but it didn’t work out. I picked up some dirt and lost two more positions on the first lap. At least I got them back when I overtook David Coulthard and Fernando Alonso on lap four. Again our pit crew did a very good job.“
Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“This was another good performance for our team. Robert was able to establish himself behind the Ferrari right after the start. He drove a very strong race and claimed not only his second podium, but also his best result in F1. Nick had no luck in the first corner and lost some positions. I regard it as a success that he still managed to finish sixth and also clocked up the fastest race lap. Of course we are very pleased with the early days of the season – two podiums in two races, 19 nice points to our account and 11 points in one go is a new record for us. That’s all very positive and a good basis for the next races.“
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“The second second place in a row, fastest race lap, thanks to Nick, and eleven points – we are very pleased how this season has started for us. It was another fantastic race for us. Only the Ferrari was faster than Robert today, and I am especially happy for him that all went so well after he had a lot of bad luck in Australia. While Robert was able to gain a place at the start, Nick unfortunately lost a few. Later he managed to come back and executed a very fine overtaking manoeuvre by catching two cars at once. We had no technical problems on either car, the performance was again very strong. Now highly motivated we fly back to Hinwil and Munich and look forward to the coming races .
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Sunday, March 23, 2008 Malaysian Grand Prix Sepang Circuit Malaysia The Prime Minister of Malaysia Abdullah Ahmad Badawi visits the BMW Sauber F1 Team garage
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Sunday, March 23, 2008 Malaysian Grand Prix Sepang Circuit Malaysia Robert Kubica (POL) in the BMW Sauber F1.08
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Sunday, March 23, 2008 Malaysian Grand Prix Sepang Circuit Malaysia Nick Heidfeld (GER) in the BMW Sauber F1.08
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Sunday, March 23, 2008 Malaysian Grand Prix Sepang Circuit Malaysia Nick Heidfeld (GER) in the BMW Sauber F1.08
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Sunday, March 23, 2008 Malaysian Grand Prix Sepang Circuit Malaysia Robert Kubica (POL) in the BMW Sauber F1.08
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Sunday, March 23, 2008 Malaysian Grand Prix Sepang Circuit Malaysia BMW Sauber F1 Team driver Robert Kubica (POL) finishes 2nd in the race
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Sunday, March 23, 2008 Malaysian Grand Prix Sepang Circuit Malaysia BMW Sauber F1 Team driver Robert Kubica (POL) finishes 2nd in the race.
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Max Mosley - Joint Statement by BMW and Mercedes-Benz
04-03-2008 Press Release
Max Mosley - Joint Statement by BMW and Mercedes-Benz
The content of the publications is disgraceful. As a company, we strongly distance ourselves from it. This incident concerns Max Mosley both personally and as President of the FIA, the global umbrella organisation for motoring clubs. Its consequences therefore extend far beyond the motor sport industry. We await a response from the relevant FIA bodies.
BMW Sauber F1 Team - Bahrain GP - Practice
04-04-2008 Press Release
Weather: dry, 27-30°C Air, 35-42°C Track
Sakhir (BH). It was a trouble free Friday for the BMW Sauber F1 Team in the desert. Just as the team had planned, Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld used the first two practice sessions to prepare for the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Robert Kubica:
BMW Sauber F1.08-03 / BMW P86/8
1st Practice : 7th, 1.33.333 min / 2nd Practice: 5th, 1.32.915 min
“I am happy with today’s work. We managed to do quite a lot of laps and worked on the aerodynamic set-up of the F1.08. We consistently improved the car’s balance. All in all, it was a very productive day.”
Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-04 / BMW P86/8
1st Practice : 14th, 1.34.106 min / 2nd Practice: 17th, 1.34.023 min
“We have completed our programme as planned and had no technical issues at all. Sand isn't a problem either. For the long runs I'm already quite happy with the balance of the car, but I have some problems with its balance when it comes to doing a single fast lap. We will now look at the data and search for some improvements for tomorrow's qualifying.”
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“We are satisfied with the first practice day. We concentrated on race preparations and did the tyre comparison. Robert got used to the car right from the beginning, whereas Nick is not yet completely happy with the balance of his car. Now we shall concentrate on analysing the data, then the relevant changes will be adopted. We had no technical problems.”
2008 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain GP
Friday Practice – 1 – Results (http://www.formula1.com/results/season/2008/789/6492/)
Friday Practice - 2 – Results (http://www.formula1.com/results/season/2008/789/6493/)
From: Formula1.com
Practice two – Ferrari in command as Hamilton crashes ( http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/4/7591.html)
Friday practice – selected driver quotes ( http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/4/7592.html)
Friday – Analysis – Advantage Ferrari in Bahrain ( http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2008/4/7593.html)
Friday press conference – Bahrain ( http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/4/7595.html)
FIA confirms minimum lap time for qualifying
Saturday Practice – Results (http://www.formula1.com/results/season/2008/789/6494/)
William’s Rosberg takes his turn at the top in Bahrain ( http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/4/7596.html)
Qualifying – Bahrain
All 22 cars may run laps at any time during the first 20 minutes of the hour. At the end of the first 20 minutes, the six slowest cars drop out and fill the final six grid places.
Q1: Results
1 Raikkonen
2 Masa
3 Heidfeld
4 Kubica
5 Alonso
6 Piquet
7 Rosberg
8 Nakajima
9 Weber
10 Trulli
11 Glock
12 Bourdais
13 Buttom
14 Barrichello
15 Hamilton
16 Kovalinen
Cut
17 Coulthard Red Bull
18 Fisichella Force India
19 Vettel Toro Rosso
20 Suitl Force India
21 Davidson Super Aguri
22 Sato Super Aguri
Sato spun in Q1 bringing out the red flag with 5 minutes to go in the session. When the session began again the top six, including BMW stayed in the pits (Kubica P4. Heidfeld P6) when the session finished Kubica was bumped back to P7 and Heidfeld feel all the way to P13.
After a seven-minute break, the times will be reset and the 16 remaining cars then will then run in a 15-minute session - again they may complete as many laps as they want at any time during that period. At the end of the 15 minutes, the six slowest cars drop out and fill places 11 to 16 on the grid.
Q2: Results
1 Massa
2 Kovalainen
3 Kubica
4 Heidfeld
5 Hamilton
6 Raikkonen
7 Trulli
8 Rossberg
9 Alonso
10 Button
Cut
11 Webber
12 Barrichello
13 Glock
14 Piquet
15 Bourdais
16 Nakajima
Q2 began with BMW Sauber staying in the pits as the rest diced for position. When they did come out Kubica’s first effort moved him up to P3 while Heidfeld managed P8 in his first effort.
After a further eight-minute break, the times are reset and a final 10-minute session will feature a shootout between the remaining 10 cars to decide pole position and the starting order for the top 10 grid places. Again, these cars may run as many laps as they wish.
Q3: Results
1 Kubica
2 Massa
3 Hamilton
4 Raikkonen
5 Kovallinen
6 Heidfeld
7 Trulli
8 Rosberg
9 Button
10 Alonso
Q3 began with Hamilton, Kubica and Button alternating owning P1. Massa quickly moved to P1 and Hamilton to P3 as all the teams finally we on the track. Heidfeld and Button seemed to drop while Kubica continued to find himself bookended by Massa at P1 and Hamilton in P3. Champion Raikkonen seemed stuck in P5. With one minute left the final ten positions began to sort out. The final seconds seemed to last for ever as I waited for times to be final with my gaze fixated on the listing of Kubica on the pole in P1
Provisional Grid
1 Kubica BWM Sauber
2 Massa Ferrari
3 Hamilton McLaren
4 Raikkonen Ferrari
5 Kovallinen McLaren
6 Heidfeld BMW Sauber
7 Trulli Toyota
8 Rosberg Williams
9 Button Honda
10 Alonso Renault
11 Webber Red Bull
12 Barrichello Honda
13 Glock Toyota
14 Piquet Renault
15 Bourdais Toro Rossi
16 Nakajima Williams
17 Coulthard Red Bull
18 Fisichella Force India
19 Vettel Toro Rosso
20 Suitl Force India
21 Davidson Super Aguri
22 Sato Super Aguri
From the BMW Sauber Website-
Kubica stuns Formula One with first pole for the BMW Sauber F1 Team
With a stunning effort, Robert Kubica has secured the maiden pole position in the short history of the BMW Sauber F1 Team - and the first for a Polish driver in the history of Formula One. Nick Heidfeld completed the team's fine result by qualifying sixth on the grid.
As usual, neither Robert Kubica or Nick Heidfeld experienced any problems on their way to advancing to the second leg of qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix. Robert was the faster of the pairing and crossed the line in 1:32.893 minutes to finish seventh, while Nick set a 1:33.137-minute lap time to take 13th position. Ferrari's Felipe Massa took provisional pole position with a 1:21.937-minute lap.
Eliminated: David Coulthard, Giancarlo Fisichella, Sebastian Vettel, Adrian Sutil, Anthony Davidson and Takuma Sato.
In the second knockout phase, Robert Kubica had to go out just once to safely qualify for the top-ten shootout. The Pole delivered in fine style and crossed the line in 1:31.745 minutes to secure third position. Nick Heidfeld, however, had to make two efforts as he was only eighth following his first assault. On his second, however, Nick also confirmed the BMW Sauber F1.08's competitiveness by securing fourth position with a 1:31.909-minute lap. Ferrari's Felipe Massa once again clocked the fastest lap time of the leg, with his 1:31.188-minute lap.
Eliminated: Mark Webber, Rubens Barrichello, Timo Glock, Nelson Piquet, Sébastien Bourdais and Kazuki Nakajima.
In the top-ten shootout, Robert caused a true stir by securing pole position. Following his first assault, he was just thousandths slower than provisional pole-sitter Massa, but in his second effort, the Pole upped the ante once again. In the end, he crossed the line in 1:33.096, thus out-qualifying the second placed Ferrari driver by 0.127 seconds. Nick experienced a slightly more difficult top-ten shootout, but at the end of the day he crossed the line in 1:33.737 minutes to finish sixth and complete the promising team result.
Result: 1st Robert Kubica, 2nd Felipe Massa, 3rd Lewis Hamilton, 4th Kimi Räikkönen, 5th Heikki Kovalainen, 6th Nick Heidfeld, 7th Jarno Trulli, 8th Nico Rosberg, 9th Jenson Button, 10th Fernando Alonso.
Bahrain Grand Prix – Qualifying, Saturday – 05.04.08
04-05-2008 Press Release
Bahrain Grand Prix – Qualifying, Saturday – 05.04.08
Weather: Dry, 27-29°C Air, 39-45°C Track
Sakhir (BH). The Pole is on pole - the BMW Sauber F1 Team celebrates its first fastest time in qualifying. Robert Kubica was quickest in qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix. It is the 38th Grand Prix for the team and the 25th for Kubica. Team mate, Nick Heidfeld, was sixth.
Robert Kubica:
BMW Sauber F1.08-03 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 1st, 1.33.096 min (3rd practice: 7th, 1.33.024 min)
“I am very happy. I missed the chance to take pole position in Australia, but this time it worked out well. My first run in Q3 was quite good, but I made a small mistake in the first corner. The second run was better, although I again made a small mistake in corner 9. We knew before the season that the car was good due to the results of the computer simulation and the wind tunnel work. Finally it has paid off that we never gave up working hard. I want to thank the entire team who have worked so hard over the last months. We will now study the data and prepare for tomorrow. A long race lies ahead of us.”
Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-04 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 6th, 1.33.737 min (3rd practice: 20th, 1.34.074 min)
“First of all I want to congratulate Robert. The first pole position for our team is a great success, and it is fantastic we have a car that enabled us to achieve this. In view of this, of course, I can’t be satisfied with sixth. But after I had a lot of difficulties in the practice sessions getting the most out of the tyres and the grip for a single lap, it could have been a lot worse today. Since Friday we have changed the balance of the car and it is much better now. Anyway, on the long runs it was okay right from the beginning therefore I have no reason to hang my head down before the race.”
Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“This is a fantastic day for Robert and our young team. We really did not expect to be on pole position. We are only in our third season and are at the very top of the grid for the first time. It is another step up the ladder. On the pit wall I was told it took 256 races for Sauber to get there. Robert managed to do a perfect lap while Nick is not entirely happy here so far, but he also has good chances from the third row.”
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“This is a very special day for us because we have our first ever pole position as a team. We deserved it thanks to a good drive from Robert. A big compliment to him - not only for his final run as he has been very quick here since Friday morning. But Nick is also in a very good position for the race – we are really looking forward to it.”
I will post pictures when they are available.
Bahrain
Thursday
Thursday is a press day. The drivers give interviews, meet the locals and hang out with the birds.
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Sometimes drivers even pick up a local bird that doesn’t know what their getting into.
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Friday Practice
Heidfeld
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Kubica
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Saturday
Practice then three sessions (if you are lucky) of qualifying
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Some drivers get excited about the little things, like wining their first race pole position.
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Then they go and laud it over the other drivers,
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get all caught up with the cameras and the press,
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hold press conferences,
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start giving orders to the F1 management,
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but the boss is happy with you so he will let you take the car out again tomorrow.
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Nick, see what happens when you get distracted messing around with the local birds!
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:hide
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The largest challenge in many F1 races is surviving the first corner.
Robert Kubica in his BMW Sauber led the field around the track on the formation lap and back to the starting grid. The green lights came on and the race began. Massa won the charge to the first corner moving Kubica to second while Hamilton, with a disastrous start, found himself dropping back to tenth. Heidfeld came out of the same corner in fifth.
In the first ten laps the race order started taking on more of the expected appearance. Ferrari had been predicted to dominate and in short order they began fulfilling that prediction with Massa in first and Raikkonen in second. In the lead Massa chewed up the open space ahead of him opening up to a five second gap over his team mate.
BMW Sauber was considered the wild card coming into the race and they played it out. Kubica set a fast lap on lap five while nibbling as the rear end of Raikkonen. Heidfeld cleanly in fourth found himself over five seconds adrift of his team mate.
In the same time the McLarens slipped back. Hamilton who Saturday found himself pictured in the top three with Kubica and Massa, found himself pitting on lap three after his run in with Alonso. In the opening laps he went from contender to motoring around in P18 with a McLaren that did not seem to be working right. Kovalainen found himself in P5 behind Heidfeld but not really able to challenge him.
By lap nine the leaders were beginning to lap the back markers.
Lap 18 began the first of the planned pit stops. Kubica was in and the race order began to jumble for the next laps as drivers pitted and race strategies played out. When the firs round of pit stops finished playing out Ferrari was clearly in the lead, BMW Sauber in command of third and fourth and the current leader in the manufacturers race, McLaren, was having a tough afternoon.
Hamilton was having a particularly difficult time languishing in P18. He was able to move up to P14 before pitting once again on lap 32. That stop was reflective of McLarens fortunes to this point last 9.9 seconds. That is an eternity in F1. By lap 34 he found himself moving over to allow the race leaders put him one lap down.
The second and final round of pit stops for the leaders was begun by Raikkonen. Would he gain an advantage over his team mate would there be problems? In and out with no problems his team mate followed and they returned in the race with no real change in relationship with each other.
This put Kubica in the lead on lap 39 until he pitted on lap 41 when Heidfeld took the lead as his team mate pitted until pitting on lap 44 when he took his last trip down pit lane.
After this round of pit stops played out the race chart assumed its order prior to the beginning of the final round. Less than fifteen seconds separated P1 and P4 with the rest of the field almost 20 seconds back from P4.
Kubica set another fast lap on lap 43.
Lap 48 Heidfeld set the then latest fast lap for the race. On the next lap, Kovalainen in his McLaren was able to take advantage of the open space in front of him and set the next race fastest lap. For this effort he gained little as the front four continued their commanding race pace.
As the checkered flag fell giving Massa the victory in Bahrain only 8.4 seconds separated him from Heidfeld in fourth with Raikkonen in second and Kubica in third.
The rest of the field was led to the finish by Kovalinen in his McLaren a full 26.7 seconds behind the leader and 18.7 seconds behind Heidfeld.
Kubica had a great race weekend taking his first pole and finishing the race with a podium finish in third. Heidfeld’s fourth place finish made it a great weekend for the team. The points scored by the third and fourth place finishes of the BMW Sauber drivers moves the team into the lead of the manufacturer’s title hunt after three races.
The season is still young, but there is much for BMW fans to celebrate this race weekend. Enjoy the moment.
Provisional Race Results
1 Massa / Ferrari
2 Raikkonen / Ferrari
3 Kubica / BMW
4 Heidfeld / BMW
5 Kovalainen / McLaren
6 Trulli / Toyota
7 Webber / Red Bull
8 Rosberg / Williams
9 Glock / Toyota
10 Alonso / Renault
11 Barrichello / Honda
12 Fisichello / Force India
13 Hamilton / McLaren
14 Nakajima / Williams
15 Bourdais / Toro Rosso
16 Davidson / Super Aguri
17 Sato / Super Aguri
18 Coulthard / Red Bull
19 Sutil / Force India
20 Piquet / Renault - DNF
21 Button / Honda - DNF
22 Vettel / Torro Rosso - DNF
I will post pictures and updates latter today.
afhrnfa1
04-06-2008, 10:03 AM
Rock on BMW:german :bolt :thumb
BMW Sauber F1 Team - Bahrain GP - Race.
04-06-2008 Press Release
Bahrain Grand Prix – Race, Sunday – 06.04.08
Weather: Dry, 28-29°C Air, 36-38°C Track
Sakhir (BH). After the first three fly-away races of the season the BMW Sauber F1 Team returns to Europe leading the championship. Robert Kubica, who claimed the first pole position for the team on Saturday, and Nick Heidfeld were third and fourth respectively at the Bahrain Grand Prix. The team celebrated its third consecutive podium and, for the first time in its young history, took the lead in the standings, although the gap is only one point.
Robert Kubica: 3rd
BMW Sauber F1.08-03 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1.33.775 min on lap 55 (5th fastest overall)
“I am happy with the result. This is my second consecutive podium and the team is leading the constructors’ championship. Unfortunately I had massive wheel spin at the start and hit some debris in the first corner of the second lap. When I drove through the oil I was sure I had punctured my tyre as at that point I didn’t have the information about the oil. But this was a great day for the team. I am now looking forward to Barcelona.”
Nick Heidfeld: 4th
BMW Sauber F1.08-04 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1.33.565 min on lap 48 (2nd fastest overall)
“Now after the race I’m much happier than I was yesterday. Having finished fourth is a positive result after what was a difficult weekend for me. The car’s balance on this track was just not how I wanted it to be. I hope I won’t have such troubles again. Finishing the race just one position behind my team mate, who started from pole while I was sixth, is a good result. I enjoyed overtaking Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen. Once again for us in the team everything went smoothly.”
Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“The third podium in the third race – this was really a tailor made start to the season for our team. Finishing third and fourth in Bahrain with Robert and Nick was a very good result. Our performance gives everybody extra motivation for the coming weeks. Both drivers lost positions at the start, the reason may be technical and must be analysed. Later on both drove excellent races and the pit stops went perfectly. In the end the gap to the Ferraris was really small. The car still has more potential for us to exploit, and we shall continue to do this carefully one step at a time.“
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“Basically the race went as expected. We knew we could not match the pace of the Ferrari’s here and planned our strategy accordingly. Robert and Nick made the most out of it by finishing in third and fourth. It was pleasing to see that in the end the gap to the front wasn’t big, and there was no real pressure from behind. After three podiums in three races, we shall make the most of our strengths in the short break and be really motivated to close the gap even further.”
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BMW Sauber F1 Team - GP Spain – Qualifying
04-26-2008 Press Release
Spanish Grand Prix – Qualifying, Saturday – 26.04.08
Weather: Dry, 20-25°C Air, 30-39°C Track
Barcelona (ES). The BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers, Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld, qualified fourth and ninth respectively for the curtain raiser to the European season in Barcelona.
Robert Kubica:
BMW Sauber F1.08-03 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 4th, 1:22.065 min (3rd practice: 4th, 1:21.717 min)
“This was a good qualifying. I am very happy as I managed to do a very quick lap in both Q2 and Q3. I am especially happy about the second qualifying session as I was second fastest thanks to using only one set of tyres. I am looking forward to tomorrow’s race, and I think our pace is good.”
Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-04 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 9th, 1:22.542 min (3rd practice: 1st, 1:21.269 min)
“I’m certainly not happy with P9. The first outing in top ten qualifying was reasonable, but my final lap was not good enough. It didn’t help that I had graining towards the end of the lap. I very much hope I shall have a better start tomorrow than we have seen for the previous races so far this year. For me here Ferrari is as strong as expected, Renault is apparently stronger than expected, although we may guess Fernando Alonso didn’t have a lot of fuel on board.”
Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“Robert managed to do a good lap and got the maximum out of the car. I consider his fourth on the grid very good. Nick did not have a good lap, as we expected him to be a bit nearer the front. Anyway, since the 2006 Brazilian GP in Sao Paulo we have been able to get both our cars into the top ten in qualifying.“
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
"We had an absolutely trouble-free weekend so far. Robert showed a strong performance in qualifying and was able to get the grid position we expected based on his strategy. He is in a good position for the race. Nick struggled to find a good set-up that was right for him on a single quick lap. However, he has a good strategy for the race. It will be crucial for him to make a good start and not loose too much time in traffic."
Formula1.com
Qualifying – selected driver quotes (http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/4/7688.html)
Raikkonen steals pole from Alonso (http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/4/7687.html)
Exclusive interview: Williams’ Kazuki Nakajima (http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2008/4/7682.html)
Provisional Grid
P
1 Raikkonen
2 Alonso
3 Massa
4 Kubica
5 Hamilton
6 Kovalainen
7 Webber
8 Trulli
9 Heidfeld
10 Piquet
11 Barrichello
12 Nakajima
13 Button
14 Clock
15 Rosberg
16 Bourdais
17 Coulthard
18 Vettel
19 Fischella
20 Sutil
21 Davidson
22 Sato
BMW Sauber F1 Team - Spanish GP - Race
04-27-2008 Press Release
Weather: Dry, 23-24°C Air, 37-40°C Track
Barcelona (ES). The BMW Sauber F1 Team ended up with five Championship points for Robert Kubica after an action packed Spanish Grand Prix. This means second in the Constructor’s standings ahead of McLaren Mercedes, who lost a car in a heavy accident. Initial information is that Heikki Kovalainen is ok. Nick Heidfeld had bad luck as he was forced to refuel during the subsequent safety car period. A stop and go penalty dropped him down from fifth to the back of the pack.
Robert Kubica: 4th
BMW Sauber F1.08-03 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1.22.106 min on lap 20 (4th fastest overall)
“We had a very good pace during today’s race. Unfortunately I lost a position at the start. Anyway at the end our gap to the leader was only five seconds. If someone had told me that yesterday I would not have believed it. I hope Heikki is ok. When I passed the accident I saw the car in a very strange position. The FIA is making great efforts for car safety, so we have to be really thankful to them.”
Nick Heidfeld: 9th
BMW Sauber F1.08-04 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1.22.519 min on lap 21 (7th fastest overall)
“At the start I managed to gain the two positions I had wanted to. That’s positive, especially because recently we have had less impressive starts. I was fifth in the race when I had bad luck with the timing of the safety car period and my first pit stop. I had just passed the pit entry when I got the signal to come in. I then tried to save fuel and delay my pit stop, but in the end it was the choice between running out of fuel on the track or getting a stop and go penalty.”
Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“First of all we are all relieved that after his accident Heikki Kovalainen signalled he was okay. Robert lost a position at the start and was close behind Lewis Hamilton turning into the first corner. He was almost as close to Hamilton when he finally crossed the finish line. Nick gained two positions at the start so was well on his way. The safety-car period destroyed our strategy. We literally missed getting Nick into the pit lane before the safety car by a few seconds. As a result he had to refuel during the safety-car period, and we got a 10 second penalty because of that. For our team it was the least points we have scored so far this season, but we had a good performance throughout the weekend without any technical problems.”
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“Overall we expected more from this race. Robert lost a position to Hamilton right after the start and, because they both had a similar speed and were on the same pit stop strategy, he couldn’t get third place back. Nick purely had bad luck. Just before he was supposed to come in, the Safety Car went out. His tank was empty and he was forced to enter the pit lane under the red light. The ten second penalty ruined his race.“
535is
04-28-2008, 11:33 AM
McLaren has got to be ecstatic that heavily crashing one of their cars inadvertently ruined BMW's race ... :banghead
05-09-2008 Press Release
Weather: dry but overcast, 14-16 °C Air, 19-28°C Track
Istanbul (TR). At the unexpectedly cold Istanbul Park the BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers were 12th and 6th (Robert Kubica) and 7th and 10th (Nick Heidfeld) respectively in the first Free Practice sessions for the Turkish Grand Prix. In the morning session Kubica only completed seven laps due to a mechanical problem with the rear suspension.
Robert Kubica:
BMW Sauber F1.08-03 / BMW P86/8
1st Practice: 12th, 1:29.330 min / 2nd Practice: 6th, 1:28.431 min
“Unfortunately I didn’t have too much time on the track this morning due to a small technical problem. Therefore we had to squeeze the morning work into this afternoon’s programme. We only did four runs and had to work on the tyres and the set up. We still have a few problems with the balance of the car, but tested several set up options which we will now evaluate and then choose the best one. I am confident for tomorrow.”
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Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
1st Practice: 7th, 1:29.024 min / 2nd Practice: 10th, 1:28.817 min
“The trouble is I don’t get the tyres heated up quickly enough. The long run wasn’t bad. As soon as the tyres start to work, it is okay, but it takes too long to get there. We now have to work on that.”
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Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
”We could not complete our programme as planned. This was because on the one hand the weather conditions were changing, and on the other Robert had a mechanical problem with the car’s rear suspension in the first session. In the afternoon everything worked well and we concentrated on comparing tyres, and also did some set up changes. Now we shall analyse the data to find the best set up for this demanding track. On Saturday and Sunday it is supposed to stay dry.”
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Provisional Grid
1 Massa / Ferrari
2 Kovalainen / McLaren
3 Hamilton / McLaren
4 Raikkonen / Ferrari
5 Kubica / BMW
6 Weber / Red Bull
7 Alonso / Renault
8 Trulli / Toyota
9 Heidfeld / BMW
10 Coulthard / Red Bull
11 Rosberg / Williams
12 Barrichello / Honda
13 Button / Honda
14 Veittel / Toro Rosso
15 Glock / Toyota
16 Nakajima / Williams
17 Piquet / Renault
18 Bourdais / ToroRosso
19 Fisichella / Force India
20 Sutil / Force India
85138
05-10-2008, 09:54 AM
Go Hamilton!
For me it's; Personalities first. Brand second.
Drives my fellow Ducati bretheren nuts. Go Rossi!
Go Hamilton!
For me it's; Personalities first. Brand second.
Drives my fellow Ducati bretheren nuts. Go Rossi!
I am a Tufosi, Brit cafe bike lovin guy who reports on the BMW F1 team.
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Heidfeld’s birthday today. He shared a chocolate cake but didn’t get the result he wanted in qualifying for his birthday.
BMW Sauber F1 Team - Turkish Grand Prix – Qualifying
05-10-2008 Press Release
Please note: Corrected version: For Robert Kubica this was for the 22nd and not the 23rd consecutive time to make it into top ten qualifying as Sebastian Vettel replaced him in the team for Indianapolis in 2007 and qualified 7th.
Weather: Dry, 16-17°C Air, 24-36°C Track
Istanbul (TR). For the Turkish Grand Prix both BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers have again made it into the top ten qualifying session. For Robert Kubica this was for the 22nd consecutive time, while for Nick Heidfeld it was the 28th time in a row. In Istanbul Kubica qualified fifth and Heidfeld ninth – therefore the aim of both of them is to pick up positions in the race.
Robert Kubica:
BMW Sauber F1.08-03 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 5th, 1:28.390 min (3rd practice: 16th, 1:27.971 min)
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“I am quite happy with my qualifying result and hope for a good race. We were expecting a little bit more after finishing P2 in the second qualifying session, but after refuelling the balance of the car was not good in a few corners and it became difficult to drive. With the high fuel load we picked up a lot of understeer. We shall now analyse the data and try to understand why.”
Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 9th, 1:28.882 min (3rd practice: 19th, 1:28.655 min)
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“Of course I’m not happy with P9, but I can also see something positive in today’s qualifying – it went much better than practice did. The sun came out and this helped me to heat up the tyres. My very last lap was actually really good until the final sector when I made a mistake which cost me about three tenths of a second. I think I can move up the field in the race.”
Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“We are not satisfied with the qualifying result. While Robert was pretty quick in Q2 with low fuel, the third and crucial qualifying session did not go perfectly for him. Nick was on his last quick lap, and just as fast as Robert in the first and second sector, but then lost time in the final sector. I think the tyres have been the deciding factor today. During qualifying, depending on the fuel loads, we saw very different tyre performances.”
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Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“Let’s start with the positive things: on this demanding track we were able to get both our drivers in the top ten of qualifying. But we really expected more after the good performance in the second part of qualifying. Robert did not get a perfect lap, and Nick lost about half a second in the final sector of his fast lap. We expect a difficult race tomorrow.”
05-11-2008 Press Release
Weather: Dry, 17°C Air, 27-30°C Track
Istanbul (TR). The BMW Sauber F1 Team was able to defend second in the constructors’ championship in the FIA Formula One Word Championship by scoring nine points in the Turkish Grand Prix. Robert Kubica came fourth in Istanbul, and Nick Heidfeld followed him home in fifth.
Robert Kubica: 4th
BMW Sauber F1.08-03 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1.26.780 min on lap 17 (4th fastest overall)
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“Today the pace of the car was much better than in yesterday’s third qualifying session. I was happy with its balance. I made a very good start and managed to gain two positions. I was then racing Kimi Räikkonen, but he pitted later and overtook me at the pit stop. I was then a little bit slower than the three guys in front of me, but quicker than the rest of the pack. This was the maximum possible for me today.”
Nick Heidfeld: 5th
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1.27.219 min on lap 20 (5th fastest overall)
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“This is what I hoped for from 9th on the grid. To finish 5th was the best I could achieve today. I wanted to overtake Jarno Trulli at the start and this worked, then I gained two more positions during the pit stops. After the first stint I had a pretty lonely race and in the end I was even able to reduce the engine revs.”
Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“Taking our starting positions of fifth and ninth into account, I am very happy with today’s result. Both drivers gained positions at the start. Kimi Räikkönen was able to overtake Robert during his first pit stop as we expected. On the other hand, Nick gained two places during his first pit stop. Fourth and fifth and nine championship points underline the team’s performance today.”
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Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“We have scored nine important points. This is more than can be expected if you start from fifth and ninth, therefore we are happy with the results. Both drivers had troublefree races with no errors. Now we are confident as we look forward to Monaco.”
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05-16-2008 Press Release
22nd – 25th May 2008
6th of 18 World Championship races
Munich/Hinwil, 16th May, 2008. No other Formula One race offers quite the same blend of sport and spectacle as the Monaco Grand Prix. To the outside world, this 78-lap race through the streets of Monaco is the highlight of the Formula One calendar, and it commands a huge worldwide audience. Spectators thrill to the sight of drivers rocketing through the city streets and past the harbour at speeds of over 280 km/h. The more well-heeled onlookers even bring their own floating ringside seats, while others pack the trackside apartments that have been specially vacated and sublet for the occasion.
The excitement of seeing and being seen is surpassed only by the excitement of driving this circuit. Both the BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers, Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica, are avowed street circuit fans. And they know that in Monte Carlo far more hangs on the outcome of the Saturday qualifying than in other races of the season. Getting a good place on the grid is half the battle in Monaco, where overtaking opportunities are almost as few and far between as a reasonably priced meal in a local restaurant. The BMW Sauber F1.08 will be set up with a special downforce-maximising aerodynamics package to help it make the quickest possible progress through the unusually large number of tight twists and turns.
Robert Kubica will already be getting into an urban frame of mind the Sunday before the Monaco Grand Prix, on 18th May, when he drives a BMW Sauber F1 Team car the 11 kilometres from Faenza to Brisighella in Italy to pick up a special kind of Formula One award – the Lorenzo Bandini trophy.
Winning such a tradition-rich trophy means a lot to the 23-year-old Pole. “This is a big honour for me, and it comes as a surprise given the rather disappointing season I had in 2007. It’s great that some people seem to believe in me and my abilities. I am particularly pleased that this award also has to do with my ‘performance’ off the race track – and that attitudes and actions that I don’t really stop to think about have earned me an award like this. I’m really looking forward to the drive, too. That will be the icing on the cake!”
Kubica isn’t the only team member to be honoured at the event in Brisighella. Peter Sauber will be picking up a trophy too – for his lifetime achievements. Further information is available from the Associazione “Trofeo Lorenzo Bandini”, Gianni.Cattaneo@acimi.it.
Thoughts on Monaco:
Nick Heidfeld:
“I’m a real fan of narrow street circuits like this. Lots of people have tried to describe what it’s like driving through these streets that are like canyons in a Formula One car. I’ve never been able to think of a comparison that really does it justice, so I won’t even try. You simply have to experience it for yourself. This is a circuit that’s totally unforgiving of even the smallest driving error. If you run out of road, there’s nowhere to go except into a crash barrier.
“Monaco goes quite crazy during Grand Prix weekend. The town and the harbour are all packed to bursting point. Of all the GP races, this is definitely the one that has the most to offer spectators. For one thing, there’s nowhere else you can get so close to the action. The engine noise is stupendous and the razzmatazz is simply unique. I always enjoy coming to Monaco. That said, I have to admit it’s all a bit too frenzied for me in the long run, which is why a few years ago I decided to move to Switzerland.”
Robert Kubica:
“I am really looking forward to Monaco. I was very strong there in 2007 and I am a big fan of narrow street circuits with barriers right next to the track. Monaco is one of these tight and narrow circuits. There are three or four really nice corners like the swimming pool chicane or the Casino section. The track is quite tricky to understand and it is not easy to find the right set-up of the car in Monaco. Without traction control it will be an even bigger challenge to drive there. We will have to see how our car suits the track. I hope this works at least as well as last year and I expect a good result.”
Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director:
“Monaco is one of the great institutions in Formula One. Like Spa, Monza and Silverstone, it’s one of those circuits that have made Formula One what it is today. Monaco is Formula One up close and personal. Nowhere else do spectators get quite so close to the action as in the streets of the Principality. And no other Grand Prix is as famous or as glamorous as this one. The yachts, the parties, the show business – nowhere are they such an integral part of the Formula One experience as here.
“In sporting terms, the important thing in Monaco is driving precision, a good aerodynamics package to add as much downforce as possible, and an engine with good drivability at low revs. On reliability, I’m very satisfied with our record so far. With five races behind us, we’ve driven the maximum number of race laps possible at this stage in the season – apart from the 11 laps Robert lost in the first Grand Prix in Australia, after his accident with Kazuki Nakajima. We’ve finished well into the points in all our races so far, and we’ll be aiming to repeat that in Monaco.”
Willy Rampf, Technical Director:
“In the absence of traction control, Monaco will be a very special challenge this year for both the drivers and the engineers. Traction is all-important at this venue, where accelerating out of so many slow corners puts a really heavy strain on the rear tyres. Only the softest tyre compounds will be used.
“Monaco is also the Formula One race with the lowest average speed, so everyone does all they can to maximise downforce and cooling. Downforce is more important on this circuit than aerodynamic efficiency. And since on this closed-in street circuit even the smallest mistake can catapult you out of the race at a moment’s notice, the drivers have to find a set-up that allows them to steer a very precise line between the barriers. In my view, this circuit should suit us well.”
Facts and figures:
Circuit/Date: Monte Carlo/25th May 2008
Start time (local/UTC): 14.00 hrs/12.00 hrs
Lap/Race distance: 3.340 km/260.520 km (78 laps)
Corners: 12 right-hand and 7 left-hand corners
Winner 2007: Fernando Alonso, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, 1 hr 40:29.329 min
Pole position 2007: Fernando Alonso, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, 1:15.726 min
Fastest lap 2007: Fernando Alonso, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, 1:15.284 min
Data 2007 (race):
Full-throttle percentage: 42%
Top speed: 286 km/h
Longest stretch at full throttle: 8 sec / 510 m
Gear changes per lap: 54
Tyre wear: medium
Brake wear: high
Downforce level: very high
Nick Heidfeld
Date of birth: 10.05.1977
Place of birth: Mönchengladbach/Germany
Nationality: German
Residence: Stäfa, Switzerland
Marital status: Partner Patricia Papen, daughter Juni, son Joda
Height: 1.67 m
Weight: 61 kg
F1 debut: 2000, Melbourne
GP starts: 139
Pole positions: 1
Wins: -
Podium places: 8
Fastest laps: 1
Best placing: 5th (2007)
Total points: 160
Points 2008: 20 (5th place)
Robert Kubica
Date of birth: 07.12.1984
Place of birth: Krakow/Poland
Nationality: Polish
Residence: Monaco
Marital status: Single
Height: 1.84 m
Weight: 69 kg
F1 debut: 2006, Budapest
GP starts: 27
Pole positions: 1
Wins: -
Podium places: 3
Fastest laps: -
Best placing: 6th (2007)
Total points: 69
Points 2008: 24 (4th place)
BMW Sauber F1 Team
Founded: 01.01.2006
Locations: Munich (DE) and Hinwil (CH)
F1 debut: 2006, Melbourne
GP starts: 40
Pole positions: 1
Wins: -
Podium places: 7 (4 x 3rd / 3 x 2nd)
Fastest laps: 1
World Championship placings
5th (2006), 36 points
2nd (2007), 101 points
2nd (2008), 44 points after 5 GPs
History and background:
The Monaco circuit is the shortest GP course in the calendar at 3.340 kilometres. Nowhere else does a race cover more laps (78). The race distance of 260.520 kilometres is the shortest of the season.
Monaco has hosted 54 Grands Prix since 1950. The length of the course has fluctuated between 3.145 km and 3.370 kilometres. For the first 14 GPs the race distance covered 100 laps. The most successful driver in Monaco to date remains Ayrton Senna with six wins.
Only since 2004 have there been garages for the cars along the pit lane in Monaco. Prior to that, teams had to push the cars back and forth between makeshift garages in the paddock or an underground garage for each practice and qualifying session and the race.
On Fridays, the Formula One engines traditionally remain switched off in Monaco. That is why the first two free practice sessions are held on Thursday.
Covering an area of 1.97 square kilometres, Monaco is the world’s second smallest independent state after the Vatican. It comprises the districts of Monte Carlo, La Condamine, Fontvieille, Le Larvotto, Les Moneghetti and Monaco Ville. The total population of this state, which imposes neither income tax nor inheritance tax, is 33,300. Of these, 5,070 are true Monegasques. Monaco has the highest population density of any state in the world. The head of this constitutional hereditary monarchy is Prince Albert II.
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BMW Sauber F1 Team - Monaco GP - Practice
05-22-2008 Press Release
Weather: partly sunny, partly overcast, 19-20 °C Air, 19-37°C Track
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Monte Carlo (MC). Both BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers, Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld, had a troublefree second practice session in preparation for the world’s most famous Grand Prix, and they stayed well away from Monte Carlo’s crash barriers. In the first session Heidfeld was forced to park his F1.08 next to the Café de Paris due to an engine failure. For the second session he had a fresh engine, which the regulations allow up to Saturday.
Robert Kubica:
BMW Sauber F1.08-03 / BMW P86/8
1st Practice: 6th, 1:16.834 min / 2nd Practice: 6th, 1:16.296 min
“The two practice sessions were quite ok today. It was a very busy Thursday and we covered a lot of laps. We now have to see how we can improve the car for Saturday.”
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Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
1st Practice: 14th, 1:18.263 min / 2nd Practice: 11th, 1:16.426 min
“In the first session I realized the engine was losing power, so then looked to find a good spot to stop. Of course the failure cost us running time and data, but we still managed to make several changes to the car for the second session. It was a general improvement. Taking into account it is Monaco, I would say my car is very driveable.”
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Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
”We were not able to complete our normal programme. This was because there were some interruptions during the sessions. Beside that we had to change the engine on Nick’s car after the first session. We repeated some of the things we did at our latest test in Paul Ricard, because the track characteristics here in Monaco are very special. Because of this we used the wheel covers at the front. Now we have more than a day to evaluate the data, before we concentrate on the qualifying set-up for Saturday.”
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BeemerMike
05-23-2008, 09:00 AM
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Sweet! Thanks for the pics.
This is the F1 race around which I am trying to plan a motocycle trip to Europe next year (along with the 24 Hours of Le Mans and a MotoGP race). At the rate BMW is improving, and McLaren-Mercedes seems to be degrading, next year at this time I might get to watch BMW fighting for the win and the world championship!
The provisional grid has a Ferrari row 1, McLaren row 2 and Robert Kubica sitting in P5.
P # Name Team
1 2 Massa Ferrari
2 1 Raikkonen Ferrari
3 22 Hamilton McLaren
4 23 Kovalainen McLaren
5 4 Kubica BMW Sauber
6 7 Rosberg Williams
7 5 Alonso Renault
8 11 Trulli Toyota
9 10 Webber Red Bull
10 9 Coulthard Red Bull
11 12 Glock Toyota
12 16 Button Honda
13 3 Heidfeld BMW Sauber
14 8 Nakajima Williams
15 17 Barrichello Honda
16 14 Bourdais Toro Rosso
17 6 Piquet Renault
18 15 Vettel Toro Rosso
19 20 Sutil Force India
20 21 Fisichello Force India
For BMW fans the bad news is Nick Heidfeld did not make it out of Q2!
David Coulthard was in P10 at the end of Q2 when he went hard into the wall. He could not participate in Q3 because of the damage to his car’s right side.
Will it rain on Sunday? This is the big question.
The grid is VERY provisional. There were a number of penalties that needed to assess coming into to qualifying. Coulthard and Red Bull may end up with a penalty depending on what needs to be done to make his ride race worthy.
The schedule differs for the Grand Prix of Monaco swapping the normal routines and making Thursday the practice day and Friday a promotional or rest day.
BMW has a history of providing its drivers with motorcycles and doing some promotional shots. This year BMW has pulled out the stops with Heidfeld and his F1 ride making an appearance at the Berlin manufacturing plant and appearing on the BMW Web.tv promotional site along with all the normal promo activities. F1 is huge in Europe making it a good promotional vehicle for the motorrad line.
Friday, Nick Heidfeld went for a motorcycle ride, with a camera man in tow, on a new HP2 in the south of France on Friday.
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BMW Sauber F1 Team - Monaco GP – Qualifying
05-24-2008 Press Release
Weather: light rain during practice, dry during Qualifying. 19-21°C Air, 19-29°C Track
Monte Carlo (MC). Robert Kubica qualified fifth for the Monaco Grand Prix. For his team mate a sequence came to a stop: for 28 consecutive races Nick Heidfeld had qualified in the top ten, but in Monaco he only came 13th. A red flag after an accident for David Coulthard robbed him of his last opportunity to get a top ten position.
Light rain in the morning gave a taste of what a wet race would be like in Monaco. For Kubica and Heidfeld the third practice session was trouble free. Kubica especially dealt well with these tricky conditions.
Robert Kubica:
BMW Sauber F1.08-03 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 5th, 1:16.171 min (3rd Practice: 5th, 1:17.687 min)
“Again we showed we have a good pace. I was pushing on every single lap of qualifying and this was all I could do today. Unfortunately on my last flying lap I had Lewis Hamilton in front of me. He did not hold me up, but whenever you have another car in front of you there is some kind of a risk. On my out lap I tried to widen the gap to Lewis so as to have no traffic. My tyres cooled down too much and I was very slow in the first sector of my quick lap.“
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Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 13th, 1:16.455 min (3rd Practice: 18th, 1:19.024 min)
“Unfortunately I don’t have much to say: my qualifying result is disappointing. Here in Monaco I can’t heat up the tyres quickly enough.”
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Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“From a technical point of view our qualifying was ok. Certainly, we are disappointed with Nick ending up 13th. Robert showed a good pace and was able to fight for the top positions. In the end he even could have been a position further up the grid, but fifth is ok.“
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“In the third Free Practice we had changing weather conditions. Therefore it was difficult to find the perfect set-up. In Q1 and Q2 Robert managed to get the results we expected. In Q3 he was not able to set the time we hoped for. In the end he missed the second row of the grid by six thousands of a second. Anyway, fifth is a good starting position. Meanwhile for Nick it will be a lot more difficult to score points in Monaco from 13th on the grid. However, for Sunday changing weather conditions are predicted, so we might see a surprise.“
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url=http://www.formula1.com/news/]Formula 1[/url] – Grand Prix of Monaco
P1 Hamilton – McLaren
P2 Kubica – BMW Sauber
P3 Massa – Ferrari
Fantastic race for Kubica finishing in P2!
Heidfeld has a disastrous race finishing last of the running field and 4 laps down.
The BMW Sauber team slips to third in the constructors championship but definitely still in the hunt for a legitimate P2 over all.
Ferrai
McLaren
BMW Sauber
BMW Sauber F1 Team - Monaco GP – Race
05-25-2008 Press Release
Weather: Rain at the start, drying out later. Air: 19-21, Track: 19-22
Monte Carlo (MC). Finishing second in the most prestigious Grand Prix of the year, Robert Kubica made sure he took part in the podium celebrations held in the principality’s famous winners’ lounge. It was the team’s fourth podium this season and their eighth overall. Kubica’s team mate, Nick Heidfeld, who has four podiums to his credit, had a black Sunday. Having started from 12th he had improved to fifth when Fernando Alonso (Renault) hit the side of his car on lap 14. In the end Heidfeld brought his damaged F1.08 to the chequered flag in 14th and last place.
Robert Kubica: 2nd
BMW Sauber F1.08-03 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1:17.933 min on lap 75 (5th fastest overall)
“I am very happy with the result. I didn’t expect us to have the pace to finish second. It was a great race with very difficult driving conditions, and we did not expect such heavy rain. I had visibility and tyre problems throughout the whole race. I was trying to do as few mistakes as possible, as it is very dangerous if you make a mistake here.“
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Nick Heidfeld: 14th
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1:20.251 min on lap 72 (14th fastest overall)
“After the awful qualifying yesterday the early laps of the race went very well for me, despite the tricky track conditions. I was up to fifth, but unfortunately Fernando Alonso made a mistake and crashed into the side of my car. This caused heavy damage to the left hand side of my car, and due to a puncture I had to pit. I was then last and, because of the damaged car, I had no chance at all to improve. It is a Sunday to forget. But this is not too easy.”
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Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“We expected a drama here in Monaco and the Weather God gave it to us. It was essential to continuously adjust our race strategy according to the weather and the incidents on the track. With Robert this worked perfectly, so he was able to move up from fifth on the grid to second. Nick had an exceptionally good start and had fought his way through to fifth when his car was damaged in a collision. This dropped him out of the points. It was our fourth podium in 2008 and a strong performance from the team.”
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“This was not a race for the nervous. The conditions at the start were very difficult. Because of the uncertainty over the weather it was crucial to make the right tyre decision for the first stint. Robert stayed cool and, even during the period with the worst visibility, he didn’t make any mistake. We continuously had to adapt our strategy, so it was a true challenge for the engineers on the pit wall. Nick gained a lot of places after the start, and was doing well in the race in fifth when he was the victim of a crash and ended up at the back of the pack in a hopeless situation. After the fourth podium this year we are quite happy with the amount of points we have scored in the first third of the season.”
Photo Gallery
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Canadian Grand Prix.
6th – 8th June 2008
7th of 18 World Championship races
Preview.
Munich/Hinwil, 30th May 2008. Although the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal is also labelled a street circuit, one could hardly imagine a greater contrast to the Monaco course. When Formula One gathers for the Canadian Grand Prix on 8th June, there will be no sign of the extra wings that adorned the cars in the Principality. The picturesquely sited island circuit in the mighty St Lawrence River is no permanent race track either, but it is respectably fast. To boost speed along the straights, the aerodynamic set-up is geared towards relatively low downforce.
In 2007, Nick Heidfeld claimed the first second-placed finish here for the young BMW Sauber F1 Team. Robert Kubica, in the meantime, has secured the team’s latest podium place by finishing second in Monaco. The team statistics now show four third places and four second places. This season has seen one or other driver up on the podium in four out of the six races so far.
Nobody in the team, of course, will ever forget those moments of stunned shock following Kubica’s horrific accident last year – and then the tremendous relief when he emerged virtually unscathed thanks to outstanding safety technology. For the 2008 Grand Prix, the BMW Sauber F1 Team is hoping for an equally strong but rather less nerve-shattering performance.
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Nick Heidfeld:
“Last year’s Canadian Grand Prix was a very special race for me. We put in a very strong showing in 2007. I came third in qualifying and finished second in the race on my own merit. Initially that result was obviously overshadowed by Robert’s accident. Only when we knew he was okay were we able to celebrate.
Of course I’m very much hoping I’ll do well in qualifying this time. I’m working with the engineers to get the tyres back fast enough into the temperature zone where they really build up grip. At any rate, the Montreal race is one of my favourites. I love the city, the atmosphere and the race track. It’s a very fast course and features mainly chicanes and straights. We drive with relatively low downforce and the brakes come in for a great deal of punishment.”
Robert Kubica:
“I am looking forward to the next race in Montreal. It is a special one, as it is a very nice city and the fans there are really enthusiastic. The entire city lives Formula One over the GP weekend.
Montreal has a completely different track characteristic than the last race in Monaco. Montreal is a relatively low-downforce track. I like the track because there is a lot of heavy braking and stop-and-go. It is very important in Montreal to have good traction to exit the slow corners perfectly. We have to take care especially in the beginning of the weekend: the track then has very low grip as it is no permanent race track. Although I had a very big accident there in 2007, Montreal is one of my favourite tracks.”
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Toyota F1 Team ( http://www.toyota-f1.com/public/en/gp2008/07_canada/preview_tech.html?F=RSS): Canadian Grand Prix Technical Insight – Q & A with Pascal Vasselon
If first practice was promising I wonder what BMW will have to say about the second practice. Hamilton edged Kubica by 0.271 seconds to take the fast lap of the second session. Kubica’s BMW is giving up straight line speed to McLaren and Ferrari and is substantially faster in the corners.
More to follow when BMW posts its press info.
Promising showing in first Canadian GP practice.
This weekend sees Robert Kubica return to the race track, where he survived the most serious accident of his career last year. A lot has changed since then. As BMW In recent years, the "Circuit Gilles Villeneuve" has suited the BMW Sauber F1 Team well. In the first free practice session for this year's Canadian GP, Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld demonstrated that this should also be the case in 2008. In the end, they finished second and fourth.
The first free practice session for the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix was held in mixed conditions, with the temperatures being relatively cold (17° C). The session started on a damp track. For about 70 minutes, the fans watching on TV and in the grandstands had to cope with limited action on the track.
In the final 20 minutes of the session, however, on a largely dry track, things got more dynamic. All the top teams went out on dry-weather tyres and the BMW Sauber F1 Team pairing proved to be very competitive.
In the early stages of the session, Robert and Nick both completed a short three-lap stint on wet tyres and even then they temporarily secured top positions.
Then, in their long-runs completed in the closing stages, they once again proved to again be among the quickest. In permanently improving conditions, Robert and Nick bettered their lap times again and again. Whenever one of the two BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers crossed the finish line, he took the lead in the team-internal battle and moved further up the timesheets at the same time.
In the end, Robert was the last of the two to set a timed lap, setting a personal best time of 1:17.809 minutes to secure second place behind Ferrari's Felipe Massa. Nick finished fourth behind McLaren's Heikki Kovalainen, with his 1:18.182-minute lap.
In the second free practice session (14:00 to 15:30hrs local time, 19:00 to 20:30hrs BST) which is expected to take place in dry conditions, the BMW Sauber F1 Team will continue its preparations for the remainder of the weekend.
Focus on Kubica.
Motorsport Director Mario Theissen confirms, Robert has matured as a driver.
Three podium finishes, one pole position and 32 points: the 2008 Formula One year has been very successful for Robert. The Pole has undoubtedly taken the next step up the career ladder in only his second complete season.
"The most remarkable thing about Robert is how focussed he is," says Mario Theissen. "He puts racing above everything. At the end of 2005 it was a risk to take him on board as a test driver, despite his lack of Grand Prix experience. However, his rate of development has been high, right from the start. He quickly made the regular place his own. Last winter he took another big step forward."
One thing remains the same: Robert has preserved his immense ambition, with which he aims to reach the top of motorsport's elite class. Theissen explains: "He gets extremely angry with himself if the existing potential is not converted into a corresponding number of points. After his three podium finishes in the first third of the season, he knows that he is ready to win a race. That is making him even stronger."
However, Theissen warns against blowing the expectations of Robert and team-mate Nick Heidfeld out of all proportion. The German believes that talk of a World Championship title this season is too premature. "That would be unrealistic," says Theissen. "We have an ambitious schedule: we want to win our first race this year, and then compete for the World Championship as of 2009. Since taking over Sauber we have achieved all our objectives so far, and want to continue moving forward one step at a time."
Special aero package for Canada
Willy Rampf, Technical Director of the BMW Sauber F1 Teams, describes how the team from Munich and Hinwil has prepared for the seventh race of the season, and highlights the perils of the "Circuit Gilles Villeneuve".
"The combination of long straights and chicanes makes the Montreal course a medium-downforce track, for which we have developed a special aero package," says Rampf. "Alongside a modified front wing, this also features a completely new rear wing. In order to reduce drag, we will also be dispensing with some extra wings, including the one on the nose cone."
Montreal is known for its high strain on the brakes. For this reason, engineers equip the BMW Sauber F1.08 with "the largest possible brake ducts and very robust discs", as Rampf explains. The circuit also offers some high-speed sections. "There is a particularly good passing opportunity on the long straight before the final chicane, provided the top speed is right," says the German.
As in Monaco, Japanese tyre manufacturer Bridgestone will provide all teams in Canada with the softest tyre compounds to give them good traction when accelerating out of the slow corners. The grip level is far from ideal at the start of the race weekend: the sessions in Canada will be held partly on public streets, which are still covered in dust - particularly on Friday. As a result, there is relatively low grip. "The circuit demands the utmost concentration on the part of the drivers, since it does not forgive even the smallest driving errors. There area a lot of walls and the track is always extremely dirty off the racing line," says Rampf.
formula1.com ( http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2008/6/7882.html)
Montreal – the technical requirements
formula1.com ( http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/6/7884.html)
Practice one – Ferrari first and second
formula1.com ( http://www.formula1.com/races/in_detail/canada_793/circuit_diagram.html)
Grand Prix of Canada 2008
Track and race information page
cheesewhiz
06-06-2008, 03:42 PM
We should be preparing for or having just returned from the annual pilgrimage to Indy for the USGP...
*sigh*
We should be preparing for or having just returned from the annual pilgrimage to Indy for the USGP...
*sigh*
I know, I feel your pain. There is serious hope for 09 or 10.
rideoregon
06-06-2008, 04:17 PM
formula1.com ( http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/6/7884.html)
Practice one – Ferrari first and second
Did I miss something, or did the official F1 site get the headline and first sentence of their report wrong. By the end of Practice One, it was Massa, Kubica, Kovalainen, Heidfeld (as M1ka reported), all ahead of Raikkonen, no?
Good catch. I can not find the “official” practice times so lets go to a neutral source, :brad the Toyota F1 Team site and the times they are reporting for everyone in Sessions 1 and 2
Practice 1 (http://www.toyota-f1.com/public/en/gp2008/07_canada/result/practice1.html?F=RSS)
Practice 2 ( http://www.toyota-f1.com/public/en/gp2008/07_canada/result/practice2.html?F=RSS)
Who stuck a Loonie in BMW and told them to go racing on Friday?
BMW has had a Teutonic approach to race weekends. Friday was spent working out the travel kinks in the gear and working on set ups. If there was a flash of speed it was a result of good German work ethic not a flash of posturing for the cameras, press and the competition. That is until this Friday.
Robert Kubica is clearly not suffering from flash backs.
Last year he demonstrated the strength of the BMW Sauber tub as his car exploded into pieces sending him to hospital and giving Sebastien Vettle a chance to run as the BMW number two driver the following race.
Despite the workman like comments in the following piece someone stuck a Loonie in him and he went racing on Friday. The first practice session found him very much in the hunt for the session P1 time. The second session started in normal 2008 season fashion for BMW then with less than a half hour left things changed.
Alonso made way for everyone else as he parked his Renault in the wall giving the mechanics a front end to work on replacing in their spare time. Massa made room when he suffered ‘hydraulic’ problems. Fuel is a fluid and when you don’t have any in the lines I suppose it could be described as a hydraulic problem. When the safety car cleared and the yellow lights went out Kubica took advantage of the room. He started ticking off fast sector times, particularly in sector 1. Then boom a fast lap. Hamilton responded and the race was off. Breaking the season practice format Kubica ticked off various fastest sector times and then set a blistering fast lap. It took Hamilton more than three laps after Kubica pulled into the pits to do a practice pit stop before the Brit and his McLaren would lock up the Session P1 time.
Heidfeld had his moments also, but not as many. He never seems satisfied with the setup of the car and can not find the grip in the tires to get more than a fast sector in. None the less he did finish the second session in P6.
With this break out session I have no idea what is in store for qualifying.
BMW Sauber F1 Team - Canadian GP - Practice
06-06-2008 Press Release
Weather: Light rain in the morning, dry in the afternoon, 17-21 °C Air, 17-23°C Track
Montreal (CA). The BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers, Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld, came second and sixth respectively on the first day of practice for the Canadian Grand Prix.
Robert Kubica:
BMW Sauber F1.08-03 / BMW P86/8
1st Practice: 2nd, 1:17.809 min / 2nd Practice: 2nd, 1:16.023 min
“We had a very busy afternoon, after losing quite a bit of time in the morning due to the damp track. We ran a very comprehensive programme in the second session, trying a lot of different things on the car’s set-up. The grip level is still very low, which makes the car quite nervous. However, we were also able to do the tyre comparison, so we have a good base to start with for tomorrow.”
Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
1st Practice: 4th, 1:18.182 min / 2nd Practice: 6th, 1:16.589 min
“In the morning session I did one installation lap on wet tyres. Luckily towards the end of the session the track dried out and I was able to do some laps on dry tyres. It was enough to gather information for the afternoon and make some set-up changes. In the second session there was always a yellow flag somewhere when I was on fresh tyres, but we did a lot more running and had no technical problems.“
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
”Montreal is a special track where we have a very high load on the brakes, and run a medium level of downforce for the first time in the season. In addition, we use the softest tyre compound, so the challenge today was to find the right set-up taking into consideration all these aspects. As usual on Friday, we mainly worked on race preparation. We had a very productive day without any technical problems, and I think we got to a good level.”
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Nose Jobs – Cosmetic surgery is all the rage at BMW Sauber F1
Launch
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Like many a young debutant, the 2008 car was clean and crisp at the launch presentation.
Malaysia
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Just two races into the season it gave up the clean cut look for the evil empire with horns and an extra set of wings on the nose and very un-angelic wings behind the driver.
We were promised a new look for Canada.
Canada
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Bob the front wings, keep the horns and the un-angelic wings behind the drivers head. I am not certain what was gained for something lost, but then I am just a wind bag not a wind tunnel expert.
What did they put in the Canadian water?
It was a very interesting qualifying session for the Canadian GP. Kubica is on the front row in P2 after Hamilton snatched the pole from him, literally after the checkered flag had fallen on the final qualifying session.
A bit of house keeping for those who are going to jump to the chart below:
The grid is provisional. Bourdais will receive a 5 spot penalty for repairs to his car after Friday’s practice crash. Webber made it into Q3 but could not run in that session due to a shunt at the end of Q2. He may be given a penalty in relation to this. Then there is the unknown fussiness that F1 is known for that can cause other changes.
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Let’s start at the last minute of the Q3. Hamilton looked to be the pole winner as the last flying laps began. Raikkonen started his final lap with Kubica hot on his tail and a bit more than a minute left in the last qualifying session. They charged around the track. The Ferrari took the P1 from Hamilton, but only briefly. Kubica flew over the finish line and grabbed P1 from Ferrari and then the checkered flag dropped on the session.
I was debating quickly posting on the forum the news of the second pole for Kubica or starting this writing up. My decision was made when I realized that Hamilton had crossed the start /finish line before the end of the session for his last flyer. Even though the checkered flag had dropped on the session this lap would count. Hamilton’s last lap may not have been a pretty one, he bounced off curbs in strange places and almost became upset at one point, but it was a fast one taking P1 after the checkered flag.
BMW’s strategy in all of the qualifying sessions was nerve racking. Yesterday’s break with the normal Teutonic workman approach was abandoned once again, this time for cliff hanger strategy.
Keep in mind that if you watch F1 on speed you are not seeing it in real time. For qualifying there is a delay of several minutes. I fire up live timing on the Formula1.com site and watch the lap chart and commentary and have Speed on the TV as background noise. I settled in and began taking notes.
Everyone was out at the start of Q1 except BMW and one or two others. This is not unusual. I checked out the Ferrari’s and McLaren’s as they diced, then followed Alonso to see what he had in store for qualifying. Then I realized we were past the halfway point of Q1 and both BMW’s had yet to turn a wheel. What was up? With approximately 7 minutes left in Q1 Kubica was first out with Heidfeld following shortly. The Pol was in 5th position after his first lap while the German could only muster 15th which meant he was in danger of not making it out of Q1! As the session wound down Heidfeld was able to make it to P10 and both BMW cars made it safely into Q2.
Q2 is normally the fastest session of the three. This time the track seemed to be going away as the various sessions progressed and many of the times in Q2 reflect that. BMW elected to stay in the pits once again as the other teams were out on the track as the session opened. Why. If the track was going away why take the chance that the fast lap for the first ten advancing positions of this session would be set on the first laps. Based on Q1 Kubica could rip a fast lap at the start but Heidfeld needed to work at it. Keep in mind it was at the very end of Q1 he set a time to advance to Q2.
With approximately 7 minutes left in the session Heidfeld was out and could only do a lap that would place him in P11 and not advancing to Q3. With 6 minutes left Kubica was on the track and in P4 after his first flying lap but Heidfeld was languishing in P11.
The last minute of the session was big for three drivers. Mark Weber made it into Q3 but brushed the wall and would not be able to run in the session. In the last minute of the second session Heidfeld moved up and into Q3 leaving P11 open for the gray beard of F1, Reubens Barrichello.
The fire works of Q3 were wonderful. The grandstands were full and the fans were well rewarded for coming out for Canadian GP qualifying. Again BMW sat out the first half of the qualifying session before entering the fray. I don’t understand.
I need to revisit the rules. Q3 is a slow session because the runners come out in race trim. BMW coming out late must mean they are starting with a lighter load and hope to run away from the field in the early laps of the race. At least this is my first theory for the unorthodox qualifying strategy they used today.
What is in the water they are drinking and what do they really have in store for Sundays race?
The race will be on Fox this Sunday. I will post pictures from qualifying this evening. Right now it is darn hot and sticky outside. Perfect conditions for a much needed ride before this breaks out into tornado warnings and storms.
:wave
BMW Sauber F1 Team - Canadian GP – Race
06-08-2008 Press Release
Weather: dry, sunny and very windy. Air: 26, Track: 34-36
Montreal (CA). It is done! Non-stop celebrations for the BMW Sauber F1 Team: The maiden win for the young team turned out to be a double victory when Robert Kubica crossed the line ahead of his team mate, Nick Heidfeld, at the Canadian Grand Prix. Kubica now leads the drivers’ championship. In the constructors’ standings the BMW Sauber F1 Team is second, three points behind Ferrari.
Robert Kubica: 1st
BMW Sauber F1.08-03 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1:17.539 min on lap 47 (4th fastest overall)
“I’m very happy at having won the first race for the BMW Sauber F1 Team. I’m also happy for Poland and all my fans. It was a very difficult race for me. I started on the dirty side of the track and Kimi Raikkonen was nearly able to pass me, but I just managed to keep him behind. The timing of the Safety Car was unlucky for me, because I wanted to pit, but then the yellow light went on just about three seconds too early, so I had to continue. When the pitlane was open, almost everybody pitted together. I stopped at the exit because the light was still red. Kimi stopped beside me, and then I heard the noise when Hamilton crashed into his car. I have to be grateful to Lewis as he chose Kimi and not myself. After this pit stop I was stuck behind the one-stoppers and lost a lot of time. Timo Glock was the last one of them to stop, and only then could I push. I had just eight laps to increase the gap to 21 seconds, which was a huge challenge. I finally managed to get a 24 second lead, which meant I was able to stay ahead of Nick. From this moment on I took it a bit easier, but even then it’s very easy to make a mistake, particularly because of the tarmac that was destroyed in some places. But it all worked out and I’m just happy!”
Nick Heidfeld: 2nd
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1:17.430 min on lap 25 (2nd fastest overall)
“Congratulations to Robert for winning this race, which he really deserved! I made a poor start and lost a position to Rubens Barrichello. Fortunately I was able to pass him, and from this moment on I was one of the fastest cars on the track. I stayed out when most of the other cars pitted because I was on a long stint. I was pushing very hard at that stage. We then decided to switch to a one stop strategy, with a very high fuel load and with the soft option tyres which was a challenge. However, I was able to keep Fernando Alonso behind me. After his second pit stop Robert stayed ahead so I secured second place. Finishing second after starting from eighth is a great result, especially considering the difficult time I have had recently. Thanks a lot to the guys in Hinwil, who built me a new chassis after the accident I had with Alonso in Monaco!”
Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“It is fantastic, I am overwhelmed. It is difficult to find the right words. Today just everything worked well. We hoped for another podium here in Montreal, but would not have dreamed to get a one-two victory. Congratulations to Robert and Nick and to the entire team at home in Munich and Hinwil. Today we achieved a milestone. Both drivers worked with no errors and the strategies paid off. I think we will have to celebrate a lot today.”
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“What a day! I just can’t put my feelings into words after that race. Both drivers and the entire crew did a perfect job today. Robert had lost time when he was stuck behind slower cars after the Safety Car period, but in a fantastic sprint he made up for it and secured himself the race win. For Nick today was ideal. We shouldn’t forget he started eighth. At certain times in the race he was the fastest man on track. When we switched him to a one-stop strategy we took pretty much of a risk, especially with regards to the tyres because Nick had to drive with the softer option for a very long time. Today everything paid off – decisions on the day as well as all the work done over the last two and half years.”
Facts and figures.
At the Canadian Grand Prix on 8th June 2008, Robert Kubica claimed the BMW Sauber F1 Team’s maiden victory ahead of his team mate Nick Heidfeld.
It was the 42nd Grand Prix for the team.
Prior to this win, the BMW Sauber F1 Team had been on the podium eight times: at the 2006 Hungarian GP (Nick Heidfeld/3rd place), 2006 Italian GP (Robert Kubica/3rd place), 2007 Canadian GP (Heidfeld/2nd place), 2007 Hungarian GP (Heidfeld/3rd place), 2008 Australian GP (Heidfeld/2nd place), 2008 Malaysian GP (Kubica/2nd place), 2008 Bahrain GP (Kubica/3rd place), 2008 Monaco GP (Kubica/2nd place)..
In the years before BMW bought it (1993-2005), the Sauber Team’s highest race finish was third (six times).
The first Formula One win by a BMW engine was on 13th June 1982 (Nelson Piquet, Brabham BMW, Canada).
The last Formula One win to date by a BMW engine was on 24th October 2004 (Juan Pablo Montoya, BMW WilliamsF1 Team, Brazil).
With Brabham, BMW claimed eight wins in the years 1982 to 1985. The final victory with the legendary turbo unit was in 1986 with Benetton. During the partnership with WilliamsF1 (2000 to 2005) the tally was ten wins.
1983 saw Nelson Piquet win the Formula One Drivers’ Championship (Brabham BMW). In total BMW had recorded 19 Grand Prix wins and 33 pole positions before the BMW Sauber F1 Team was founded.
Landmarks.
16th/17th January 2006: The BMW Sauber F1 Team appears in public for the first time in Valencia. The BMW Sauber F1.06 has its first outing.
12th March 2006: The BMW Sauber F1 Team competes in its first GP in Bahrain.
19th March 2006: The team picks up its first World Championship points in the second race when Jacques Villeneuve finishes seventh in Malaysia.
2nd April 2006: In the third GP both drivers make it into the points; Heidfeld finishes fourth and Villeneuve sixth in Australia.
6th August 2006: Heidfeld secures the first podium place in the team’s 13th World Championship race. Kubica has his debut Formula One race in Budapest.
10th September 2006: Kubica claims the team’s second trophy after finishing third in Monza.
October 2006: The Hinwil wind tunnel is operating in three shifts. A year previously it had been on a single daily shift.
22nd October 2006: The BMW Sauber F1 Team finishes fifth in the Constructors’ Championship at the end of its maiden year.
16th January 2007: Presentation of the BMW Sauber F1.07 and the BMW Sauber F1 Team in Valencia.
10th June 2007: Nick Heidfeld takes the first runner-up place for the team. Robert Kubica survives a serious accident practically unscathed.
The BMW Sauber F1 Team finishes its second season third overall. In the statistics it even appears in second place (after exclusion of McLaren Mercedes).
The team has moved into its new building in Hinwil. 150 new employers have been taken on board since the end of 2005.
14th January 2008: The BMW Sauber F1.08 is being launched in the ‘BMW Welt’ in Munich.
23rd March 2008: Heidfeld scores the first fastest race lap for team.
5th April 2008: Kubica achieved the first pole position for the BMW Sauber F1 Team.
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BeemerMike
06-09-2008, 08:07 AM
:thumb
cheesewhiz
06-09-2008, 08:42 AM
BRAVO!!!!!!!
:clap
PAGoldsby
06-10-2008, 04:16 PM
The only complaint I have with Sunday's Canadian GP is the presence of Clothead on the podium. I wish he would retire already...
I fear you will be disappointed. I would not be surprised that Sunday's podium gave him another year in F1
BMW Sauber F1 Team - France GP - Preview
06-13-2008 Press Release
20th – 22nd June 2008
8th of 18 World Championship races
Preview.
Munich/Hinwil, 13th June 2008. From urban prowl to country jaunt. After celebrating its maiden Formula One victory in the buzzing city of Montreal, the BMW Sauber F1 Team immersed itself immediately in preparations for the French Grand Prix in the rural backwater of Magny-Cours. Robert Kubica, fresh from a hugely popular victory in the Canadian GP, and Nick Heidfeld, who followed his team-mate home in majestic fashion to take second place in Montreal, are aiming to record a maximum return once again. Kubica arrives at the Circuit de Nevers leading the drivers’ standings for the first time in his short 29-race Formula One career. Meanwhile, the Canadian one-two has taken the BMW Sauber F1 Team into second place in the Constructors’ Championship, just three points behind leaders Ferrari.
Nick Heidfeld:
“I like the Magny-Cours track and also the rural surroundings. I’m lucky enough to spend the GP weekend here each year in a small moated castle. There are only a handful of rooms, which don’t come with a TV, radio or other luxuries but do have three-metre-thick walls. Among the distinguishing characteristics of the circuit are its extremely even surface, several blind corners and two high-speed chicanes. Turn 2 stands out – an extremely long and fast right-hander which leads you through a hollow and then sends you sharply uphill on the way out. The circuit has been modified in some areas, and the final chicane does not fit in so harmoniously with the rest of the track. It has very high kerbs, which you have to ride – and this often produces spectacular shots of cars on two wheels.”
Robert Kubica:
“For many people Magny-Cours is a boring place, but I like the track quite a lot. This is the place where I came back last year after my accident. It’s an interesting track because it has all kinds of corners – high-speed, low-speed, high-speed chicanes, a hairpin and heavy braking. So I’m looking forward to the race and I hope that I can do as well as possible here, as I have done in most of the grands prix since the beginning of the season. I hope we will again have some improvements on the car that will help us to close the gap to Ferrari and McLaren. My goal is to score as many points as possible and to still be in a strong position after the race.”
Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director:
“We may have had a party to celebrate the one-two in Montreal, but this did not impinge on our preparations for the French Grand Prix. As we have up to now, we will focus on the next race and are aiming to put in another strong performance at Magny-Cours.
“The atmosphere in Monaco and Montreal is one of the highlights of the season, but personally I also greatly appreciate the rural surroundings of the Circuit de Nevers, as here it is all about the sport. The circuit is very demanding, and the travellers’ community atmosphere in the paddock has its own particular charm. I will never forget the moment back in 2001 when we recorded BMW’s first pole position since making its return to Formula One.”
Willy Rampf, Technical Director:
“The Circuit de Nevers offers an interesting mixture of slow sections, which demand a high level of grip, and fast S-shaped sectors, in which good car stability plays a significant role. The Adelaide hairpin at the end of the long straight is the perfect place for overtaking, as the circuit is very wide here and there is a generous run-off area. The track has an extremely flat surface, which the teams take into account with car set-up – the cars run low ground clearance here. At the same time, it is important that the drivers can also be aggressive through the chicane before the start/finish straight, where the kerbs are very high.
“Our one-two in Canada gave a huge motivation boost to the whole team, of course, and we will be pulling out all the stops to defend Robert’s lead in the World Championship standings.”
Facts and figures:
Circuit/Date Circuit de Nevers/22nd June 2008
Start time (local/UTC) 14.00 hrs/12.00 hrs
Lap/Race distance 4.411 km/308.586 km (70 laps)
Corners 9 right-hand and 8 left-hand corners
Winner
2007 Kimi Räikkönen, Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro,
1hr 30:54.200 min
Pole position
2007 Felipe Massa, Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro,
1:15.034 min
Fastest lap
2007 Felipe Massa, Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro,
1:16.099 min
Data 2007 (race):
Full-throttle percentage: 64%
Top speed: 301 km/h
Longest stretch at full throttle: 12 sec / 930 m
Gear changes per lap: 46
Tyre wear: medium to low
Brake wear: medium
Downforce level: high
Driver Nick Heidfeld Robert Kubica
Date of birth 10.05.1977 07.12.1984
Place of birth Mönchengladbach/Germany Krakow/Poland
Nationality German Polish
Residence Stäfa, Switzerland Monaco
Marital status
Partner Patricia Papen,
daughter Juni, son Joda Single
Height 1.67 m 1.84 m
Weight 61 kg 69 kg
F1 debut 2000, Melbourne 2006, Budapest
GP starts 141 29
Pole positions 1 1
Wins - 1
Podium places 9 5
Fastest laps 1 -
Best placing 5th (2007) 6th (2007)
Total points 168 87
Points 2008 28 (5th place) 42 (1st place)
BMW Sauber F1 Team
Founded 01.01.2006
Locations Munich (DE) and Hinwil (CH)
F1 debut 2006, Melbourne
GP starts 42
Pole positions 1
Wins 1
Podium places 9 (4 x 3rd / 4 x 2nd / 1 x 1st)
Fastest laps 1
World Championship placings 5th (2006), 36 points
2nd (2007), 101 points
2nd (2008), 70 points after 7 GPs
Season 2008:
Nick Heidfeld Robert Kubica
Qualifying Race Points Qualifying Race Points
Australian GP 5th 2nd 8 2nd DNF -
Malaysian GP 7th (grid 5) 6th 3 6th (grid 4) 2nd 8
Bahrain GP 6th 4th 5 1st 3rd 6
Spanish GP 9th 9th - 4th 4th 5
Turkish GP 9th 5th 4 5th 4th 5
Monaco GP 13th (grid 12) 14th - 5th 2nd 8
Canadian GP 8th 2nd 8 2nd 1st 10
History and background:
The first official Formula One French Grand Prix was held in the Champagne city of Reims in 1950. The race has been run at the Paul Ricard track 14 times, in Reims 11 times, five times each in Dijon and Rouen, four times in Clermont-Ferrand and once in Le Mans. 2008 sees Magny-Cours hosting its 18th French Grand Prix, the 58th edition of the race.
Magny-Cours is situated in western Burgundy about halfway between Paris and Lyons. The nearby town of Nevers has a small airport used by many of the teams arriving on charter flights or in private aircraft.
1959 saw the start of construction work on the race track here. It opened in 1961 and had its first redesign ten years later. Formula One made the switch from Le Castellet to Magny-Cours in 1991, a move backed by the French government as a way of bolstering the region’s underdeveloped economy.
PAGoldsby
06-13-2008, 04:19 PM
I fear you will be disappointed. I would not be surprised that Sunday's podium gave him another year in F1He really needs to join Ralf somewhere, so they can tell each other stories about how great they were.
BMW Sauber F1 Team - French GP - Free Practice
06-20-2008 Press Release
Weather: Dry, partly cloudy, 18-23 °C Air, 23-43°C Track
Magny-Cours (FR). In the first two practice sessions for the French Grand Prix the BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers, Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld, came fifth and sixth and ninth and eighth respectively.
http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/316568540_yxKpm-L.jpg
Robert Kubica:
BMW Sauber F1.08-03 / BMW P86/8
1st Practice: 5th, 1:16.377 min / 2nd Practice: 6th, 1:16.317 min
“This was a quite difficult Friday and we lost some running time in the second practice session due to technical problems. The balance of the car was a bit strange and, therefore, it was quite difficult to drive. We now have to analyse the data and see what we can do for tomorrow.”
http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/316563503_z3io8-L.jpg
Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
1st Practice: 9th, 1:16.870 min / 2nd Practice: 8th, 1:16.458 min
“It is too early to say how we will perform here, but today my free practice was trouble free. We did everything that is on the usual Friday programme, including the tyre comparison and evaluation. At the very end of the second session the car bottomed out heavily at the exit of turn three after I ran over the kerbs. I could feel something come loose and went back to the pits one or two minutes before the flag.”
http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/316565262_noHzZ-M.jpg
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“Today we completed the usual race preparation and concentrated mainly on the tyre comparison. In addition, we made some set-up changes, and we will now analyse all the data we gathered. At the beginning of the second session Robert’s car had a misfire which we fixed by changing an electronic component. This cost us some time, but we were still able to complete our programme. Although Robert is not yet happy with the set-up, I think we have a good basis for the rest of the weekend.”
http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/316569082_nXJKZ-L.jpg
Note: All the wings are back as part of the aero kit.
He really needs to join Ralf somewhere, so they can tell each other stories about how great they were.
In interviews this week he has made vague refrences to having plans and that this may be his last season. You may well get your wish. There is so much fresh talent out there.
PAGoldsby
06-20-2008, 01:35 PM
Note: All the wings are back as part of the aero kit.Looks to be about the same package as Monaco. I'd like to see what the Monaco vs. Magny Cours rear diffusers look like. Also, I'm going to try to make a visual comparison of rear tire camber between the two races. Magny Cours setup might end up being closer to Turkey than anything else.
I will see what I can come up with over the weekend's pictures
PAGoldsby
06-20-2008, 04:00 PM
Do you have any photos of the side of the rear wing this weekend? The four vents look different than what I remember. In the two head-on shots above, the vents look basically straight and horizontal. I recall them being upswept earlier in the season. In fact, I think there were only 3 vents at Spain (or maybe Bahrain?).
PhilbeRT
Here is a link to my F1 gallery. (http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/4166820_nLQSL#243375783_ZQgan)
There are not as many pictures as the season goes on of certain elements of the car. Everyone digs into the press pictures. The pictures for Canada were sparse for example. Limited Friday pictures, no qualifying pictures and a lot of Heidfeld on Sunday. As the season has gone on they have become more coy in what the share.
They may speak French in Canada, but this is not the Canadian GP it is the French GP and BMW put racing boots of clay on for qualifying.
Heidfeld may well join David Coulthard in perusing other racing opportunities as he fails to get out of Q2. Hamilton finished third in qualifying behind both Ferraris but will start 13th due a 10 position penalty for his pit lane crash in Canada.
Here are the qualifying times and the provisional grid including the known penalties.
http://www.smugmug.com/photos/316992784_LXLN9-XL.jpg
BMW Sauber F1 Team - French GP - Qualifying
06-21-2008 Press Release
Weather: sunny and dry, 23-27°C Air, 33-45°C Track
Magny-Cours (FR). The BMW Sauber F1 Team had to cope with a rather disappointing qualifying result in Magny-Cours. Nick Heidfeld came 12th, while his team mate, Robert Kubica, just made it into the top ten of qualifying and in the end was seventh.
Robert Kubica:
BMW Sauber F1.08-03 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 7th, 1:17.037 min (3rd Practice: 14th, 1:16.617 min)
“It looks like we are having a difficult weekend. After yesterday’s free practice sessions I was expecting us to struggle. The balance of the car is not how I want it to be and my car has a poor overall grip. The gap to the top teams seems to have stayed the same, and at the same time the other teams obviously have made a big step forward. My goal now is to score as many points as possible in tomorrow’s race, which certainly will not be easy.”
Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 12th, 1:15.786 min (3rd Practice: 18th, 1:16.687 min)
“The circuit here in Magny-Cours is completely different to the one in Montreal, and right from the beginning of the weekend here we were not as good as we have been recently. But still we were hoping for a better qualifying. I’m 12th and Robert just made it into the top ten of qualifying – this is, of course, not what we at the BMW Sauber F1 Team expect from ourselves. If I just look at my situation I can see significant progress. I was much closer to getting the best out of the car. There were just hundreds of a second between Robert’s and my lap times. I will be starting from 11th because Lewis Hamilton has to move back, and I can choose my fuel strategy for the race. Although even the best strategy doesn’t improve the pace, we want to have a good race tomorrow.”
Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“Of course we are not happy with the qualifying result. However, we saw in the free practice sessions our car is not as quick as usual. Nick was unlucky today. Although being just six hundreds of a second slower than Robert, he missed the top ten qualifying. Also Robert’s qualifying did not run smoothly. We changed from harder to softer tyre compounds and then back to the harder ones. In the end, we just missed the second row. We will start the race from sixth and 11th. We will see after the first pit stops what we can achieve from these positions.”
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“This was a difficult qualifying that turned out to be a game of poker with the tyres. We were switching back and forth between the two compounds, but weren't really happy with either. The Option had more grip but less stability than the Prime. We obviously expected a better result. Nick was very close to Robert in Q2 but was just unlucky not to make it to Q3.”
F-1 photo gallery (http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/4166820_nLQSL#243375783_ZQgan)
BMW Sauber F1 Team - French GP - Race
06-22-2008 Press Release
Weather: dry track, clouds and a few rain drops. Air: 23-25°C, Track: 24-29°C
Magny-Cours (FR). BMW Sauber F1 Team driver Robert Kubica scored four points by finishing fifth in the French Grand Prix and had to hand over the lead in the drivers’ championship to race winner Felipe Massa (Ferrari). Nick Heidfeld didn’t make it into the points this time as he came 13th in Magny-Cours. In the constructors’ championship the BMW Sauber F1 Team remains second.
Robert Kubica: 5th
BMW Sauber F1.08-03 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1:17.172 min on lap 16 (4th fastest overall)
“We didn’t score as many points as we wanted to here in Magny-Cours. Over the whole weekend we tried to minimize the problems we had, and we knew the race would be decided on the first lap. At the start I tried to overtake Jarno Trulli, but did not manage it. I tried again in turn 5 on the outside, but it did not work out. In the end I have to say I am pretty happy. I finished fifth, only 2 seconds away from the podium. We now have to analyse what happened here and see how we can improve for the next race.”
Nick Heidfeld: 13th
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1:17.716 min on lap 46 (9th fastest overall)
“Having finished 13th is certainly a disappointing result. I lost two positions right at the start and could not get them back. Now we will concentrate on next week’s test in Silverstone and the forthcoming race there.”
Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“The race reflected yesterday’s Qualifying. Over the entire weekend here our package did not work perfectly. Robert was stuck in traffic on his second stint and, therefore, lost his chance of a podium finish. Nick lost two positions at the start. Neither driver ever had a realistic chance to attack. We had no technical problems, and the result is four points for our team. From now on we will prepare for the Silverstone race.”
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“When deciding on the race strategy, we focused on Jarno Trulli and Fernando Alonso. Our goal was to put Robert into a position to finish on the podium. However, in the second stint it was clear this would not work. He got stuck behind Trulli, who had a higher fuel load and was able to stay out longer than him. At the same time, Heikki Kovalainen was able to close the gap to Robert and pass him during his second pit stop. Overall, our pace was not good enough during this weekend. However, we were able to defend second in the Constructors' Championship.”
Test in Silverstone: 24th and 25th July Kubica, 26th July Heidfeld
PAGoldsby
06-23-2008, 09:51 AM
I don't think Nick Heidfeld needs to pack for Singapore, Japan, China and Brazil. He will be afforded the luxury of staying at home with his scraggly beard, watching the season finale on TV. He will not be missed.
BMW SAUBER F1 TEAM RESTRUCTURES TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT
06/26/2008
Munich/Hinwil, 26th June 2008. The BMW Sauber F1 Team is restructuring the management of its technical department. Willy Rampf (55), currently Technical Director, will take up the post of Technical Coordinator on 1st November 2008. Rampf will continue to be responsible for the vehicle concept and lead the team at the race track in his new role. However, responsibility for business operations and line management will pass to Walter Riedl (48), who already heads up operations at the Hinwil plant and overall project management in his capacity as Managing Director. Riedl will also retain these functions.
The change has come about at the express wish of Willy Rampf, who has been keen to reduce his work schedule: “I have been Technical Director since April 2000, initially at Sauber, and now for the BMW Sauber F1 Team. It has been an extremely enjoyable but also very intense phase of my life. The idea of cutting back professionally has been growing in my mind for some time already. I discussed the subject with Mario Theissen and we have found a solution together. I’m looking forward to focusing on my original technical responsibilities again and am in no doubt that we can continue to build on our success.”
BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen added: “I can totally understand that Willy Rampf wants to cut down on his workload. I’m pleased that we have found an internal solution with the new structure, one which fits in with the philosophy of the team. All responsibilities will continue to lie in the hands of experienced managers who have played a key role throughout the development phase of the young team. At the same time, the team will continue to benefit from Willy’s expertise and great experience. His contribution to the team – both before and after BMW acquired a majority stake – deserves the utmost respect. His record is extremely impressive, and our one-two victory in Montreal represents the crowning moment of his time with us so far.”
Walter Riedl will take over responsibility for the BMW Sauber F1.09 development process with immediate effect, while Rampf will continue to look after the further development of the BMW Sauber F1.08. As Riedl explains: “I have already been working very closely and very effectively with Willy Rampf, and this cooperation will now reach another new level. The new structure guarantees continuity and ensures that the BMW Sauber F1 Team is in good shape for the future.”
Riedl joined BMW as a development engineer in 1983 and has worked in a leading position in Formula One for nine years. Since 1999 he has been the responsible manager for the BMW Formula One project. Riedl took over the management of the Hinwil factory on 1st January 2006 following the company’s decision to acquire a majority stake in Sauber. He has also been responsible for project management across both locations since the summer of 2005.
BMW Sauber F1 Team - British GP – Preview
06/27/2008
4th - 6th July, 2008
9th of 18 World Championship races
Munich/Hinwil, 27th June 2008. The 2008 Formula One season reaches its halfway mark on July 6th with a truly classic fixture: the British Grand Prix in Silverstone. The BMW Sauber F1 Team hopes the three days of testing at this challenging circuit in Northamptonshire will help it bring home a better result than at its last outing in the French Grand Prix. Silverstone features a lot of medium and high-speed corners, so good aerodynamic balance is always one of the key issues here.
The BMW Sauber F1 Team comes to Silverstone lying second in the Constructors' Championship, and with Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld second and fifth in the drivers- rankings.
On the same weekend that Kubica and Heidfeld are battling for championship points in Silverstone, Manchester will welcome the hands-on BMW Sauber F1 Team Pit Lane Park. This high-tech theme park will be open to visitors free of charge from Friday to Sunday until 10 pm. The park recorded more than 300,000 visitors during its 2007 tour.
Nick Heidfeld:
"Over the main entrance to Silverstone there's a sign saying "Home of British Motor Racing", and that really sums up the atmosphere here. This classic track has stayed true to its roots. It really has character, which I like. There are a lot of great high-speed sections, and some memorable corners and combinations like Stowe, Copse and Beckets. Also, you can always count on the British spectators to create a special atmosphere. The British fans are really into racing; they're very informed and enthusiastic. I hope we can put on a good show for them."
Robert Kubica:
"Silverstone has a great history and is a very nice track. It is very important to have good downforce here, especially in the high-speed first sector. Later on in the lap the track has some low-speed corners. From a driver's perspective, the circuit is a good mix that makes a lot of different demands. Wind conditions are always a big factor, and they can have quite an effect on the car in the first sector. Furthermore, British weather is always unpredictable, but I have been to races in Silverstone three or four times and never had rain. So let's wait and see."
Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director:
"Silverstone is a classic date on the racing calendar, and it attracts a special calibre of fan. A lot of the racing enthusiasts who come here are less concerned with the personalities and the show side of things and more interested in the sport itself. The team has already been testing in Silverstone this week. Both Robert and Nick have been working on their set-ups for the Grand Prix. Following the difficult weekend in Magny-Cours, we expect to get back on track again at Silverstone."
"For the BMW Group, Britain is the only market with production sites for all three of its brands: the MINI is built in Oxford, Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, BMW car engines are built in Hams Hall, and the Swindon plant is the main supplier of MINI body stampings and parts. After the US and Germany, Britain is the third-biggest market for the BMW Group."
Willy Rampf, Technical Director:
"Obviously, in England we'll be looking to prove that our result at Magny-Cours didn't do us justice. We picked up some interesting tips from testing in Silverstone, and I'm confident we'll recapture our previous strong form. To drive a fast lap at Silverstone you need a car with very good aerodynamic balance. The drivers have to carry as much speed as possible out of those medium and high-speed corners that are such a big feature of this course. Maggots-Becketts-Chapel is one of the best combinations on the whole calendar. Silverstone is a fairly abrasive track, so it's quite hard on the tires. That means we will be using the hardest compounds."
Facts and figures:
Circuit/Date: Silverstone/6th July 2008
Start time (local/UTC): 13.00 hrs/12.00 hrs (14.00 hrs in central Europe)
Lap/Race distance: 5.141 km/308.355 km (60 laps)
Corners: 10 right-hand and 7 left-hand corners
Winner 2007: Kimi Räikkönen, Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro, 1 hr 21:43.074 min
Pole position 2007: Lewis Hamilton, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, 1:19.997 min
Fastest lap 2007: Kimi Räikkönen, Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro, 1:20.638 min
Data 2007 (race): Full-throttle percentage: 64%
Top speed: 294 km/h
Longest stretch at full throttle: 12 sec / 890 m
Gear changes per lap: 40
Tyre wear: medium to high
Brake wear: low
Downforce level: high
Nick Heidfeld
Date of birth: 10.05.1977
Place of birth: Mönchengladbach/Germany
Nationality: German
Residence: Stäfa, Switzerland
Marital status: Partner Patricia Papen, daughter Juni, son Joda
Height: 1.67 m
Weight: 61 kg
F1 debut: 2000, Melbourne
GP starts: 142
Pole positions: 1
Wins: -
Podium places: 9
Fastest laps: 1
Best placing: 5th (2007)
Total points: 168
Points 2008: 28 (5th place)
Robert Kubica
Date of birth: 07.12.1984
Place of birth: Krakow/Poland
Nationality: Polish
Residence: Monaco
Marital status: Single
Height: 1.84 m
Weight: 69 kg
F1 debut: 2006, Budapest
GP starts: 30
Pole positions: 1
Wins: 1
Podium places: 5
Fastest laps: -
Best placing: 6th (2007)
Total points: 91
Points 2008: 46 (2nd place)
BMW Sauber F1 Team
Founded: 01.01.2006
Locations: München (DE) and Hinwil (CH)
F1 debut: 2006, Melbourne
GP starts: 43
Pole positions: 1
Wins: 1
Podium places: 9 (4 x 3rd / 4 x 2nd / 1 x 1st)
Fastest laps: 1
Championship placings:
5th (2006), 36 points
2nd (2007), 101 points
2nd (2008), 74 points after 8 GPs
History and background:
2008 sees Silverstone host the British Grand Prix for the 42nd time. The Northamptonshire circuit is about halfway between Birmingham to the north and Oxford to the south. Formerly a military airfield during the Second World War, the venue saw its first race on 2nd October 1948. Since the official inauguration of Formula One (from 1950), the British GP has also been held in Aintree (five times) and Brands Hatch (12 times). England has also played host to three European Grands Prix: at Brands Hatch in 1983 and 1985 and at Donington Park in 1993.
PAGoldsby
06-30-2008, 09:15 AM
<snip>
Willy Rampf (55), currently Technical Director, will take up the post of Technical Coordinator on 1st November 2008.
<snip>The day of qualifying for Brazil? Odd.
07-04-2008 Press Release
Weather: Sunny but windy and dry, 17-20 °C Air, 19-34°C Track
Silverstone (GB). For the BMW Sauber F1 Team it was a quiet start to the British Grand Prix weekend at the Silverstone circuit. Neither driver was completely happy with his car’s balance, but they completed the planned Friday work.
Robert Kubica:
BMW Sauber F1.08-03 / BMW P86/8
1st Practice: 5th, 1:20.367 min / 2nd Practice: 11th, 1:21.023 min
“There is nothing special to report from today, as it was just a normal Friday with us testing almost everything we had planned. Now we shall see how the weather is tomorrow and what we have to do to improve the car. As always in Silverstone, the balance of the car is changing with the weather conditions, especially the wind. I have never driven here in the rain, yet, but for me whether it rains or is dry makes no difference.”
Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
1st Practice: 13th, 1:21.107 min / 2nd Practice: 13th, 1:21.453 min
“I’m not happy yet. For last week’s test the balance of the car was better. I think this is due to the stronger winds we now have, which cause the balance to change every lap. I had difficulties with the softer tyres, as for me they didn’t even last for a single lap.”
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“Robert had a rear suspension problem on his first run in the second session, and this cost him some time for set-up work. However, we almost managed to do the planned programme with both cars, and completed the long-runs for race preparation. Now we shall analyse the data to see where we can improve for tomorrow.”
No pictures at this time.
British Grand Prix – Qualifying, Saturday – 05.067.08
Weather: damp in practice, mostly dry in qualifying, 18-20°C Air, 16-32°C Track
Silverstone (GB). It was mixed fortunes for the BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers in qualifying for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. For Nick Heidfeld it was a good day, as fifth fastest means he equalled his previous best performance of 2008 from Melbourne. However, the reverse happened to Robert Kubica, as a problem with his car in the last part of qualifying meant he was tenth fastest, and this is his worst performance of the season.
Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 5th, 1:21.022 min (3rd Practice: 15th, 1:22.916 min)
“I’m quite happy with fifth because it just continues a positive trend which began in qualifying in Magny-Cours, and confirms all our efforts and work have paid off. I can now manage again to heat up the tyres properly and get them to work, but we shall continue to work on this subject. In Q2 Robert and I where just separated by two hundreds of a second. Generally my car was a lot better today than on Friday. However, on my last lap in Q3 it felt a little bit strange, so we have to find out what this was. I think we shall have an exciting race tomorrow. There is a high chance of rain!”
Robert Kubica:
BMW Sauber F1.08-03 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 10th, 1:19.788 min (from Q2) (3rd Practice: 19th, 1:23.282 min)
“It was a difficult qualifying in the end. Finally we were on the right pace. Qualifying 1 was good and qualifying 2 was even better, as the first time on option tyres was very good. I backed off in the last sector to just bring the car home, and it was still enough to be two or three tenths off the McLaren time. In qualifying 3 I went through the first sector without any problems, but then I felt the same problem at the rear I felt on Friday. Now we have to analyse everything and see what is going on.”
Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“Up to the top ten qualifying session everything went according to plan, but then Robert aborted his lap in Q3 because he realised he had a technical problem with the car. Unfortunately time was too short to analyse the problem during the session and get him back out on the track. It is a shame because both drivers were strong, which is proved by Nick’s fifth place. It was a very good performance by him.”
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“Both our drivers were well on their way in the first two qualifying sessions, and only needed a single lap to easily advance into the final stage of qualifying. However, in Q3 Robert couldn’t complete his fast lap, and over the radio told us about a technical problem with the car. Nick’s performance was impressive and put him fifth fastest. We are all very happy about that. The weather prediction for tomorrow is mixed. We are prepared for anything that might come.”
British Grand Prix – Race, Sunday – 06.07.08
Weather: wet track with heavy rain showers. Air: 16-18°C, Track: 17-21°C
Silverstone (GB). After a flawless drive and numerous good overtaking manoeuvres Nick Heidfeld took second place for the BMW Sauber F1 Team in what was a wet and fairly chaotic British Grand Prix. This was his third runner-up spot of the season, and the team’s seventh podium. While everything, including the right tyre choice at each pit stop, paid off for Heidfeld, his team mate Robert Kubica slid off the slippery track after his second pit stop.
Nick Heidfeld: 2nd
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1:32.719 min on lap 21 (2nd fastest overall)
“It was a good race. I am happy with second place because today it was the best I could achieve. Qualifying went well and in the race we did everything right. Obviously it was crucial to make the right tyre decisions. At the first stop we were wondering if we should stay with the used set of inters, but luckily we then decided on new tyres. We were expecting a small shower, but when I drove down Hanger Straight and saw a black wall in front of me I thought I should expect more than that! The most difficult moments in the race were when cars were overtaking me who had been lapped, but were just on better tyres for the conditions at that time. There was so much water and I couldn’t see where it was lying. Once before Abbey I almost spun, but just managed to keep the car on the track.”
Robert Kubica: DNF
BMW Sauber F1.08-03 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1:33.539 min on lap 22 (12th fastest overall)
“I was already aquaplaning for many laps and unfortunately in a straight line I just lost the car completely and went off. Here in Silverstone it was a crazy race in difficult conditions. Everything was running pretty well as I was having quite a good race and gaining positions. But when it rained and there was a lot of water on the track I was just struggling. I couldn’t keep the car in a straight line, was losing power, the rear wheels were losing contact with the tarmac and that was it.”
Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“It was a very dramatic race which was dictated by the weather conditions. In some periods of the race the lap times varied by as much as ten seconds depending on the tyre choice. With Nick our strategy worked out perfectly. He performed very strongly and carried out some spectacular overtaking manoeuvres. After things have not gone his way recently, I am very happy for him he climbed from fifth on the grid to second with a good mixture of intelligent racing and fighting spirit. For him it is the third second place so far this year, and for our team the seventh podium. Robert was doing well, having climbed up to third, but then went off during a rain shower. Compliments to him as well as it was a strong team performance under these difficult conditions.”
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“That was a tyre lottery, as there was a permanent question over which ones we should use. The critical period was when the drivers were fighting very hard to keep the cars on track after the heavy rain. Nick managed to do this very well. Unfortunately Robert was aquaplaning and went off. Nick deserved his place on the podium as he drove a very smart race. Congratulations on a great performance and compliments to the pit stop crew, because we made the tyre choice decisions at very short notice."
British Grand Prix Photo Gallery. ( http://M1ka.smugmug.com/photos/swfpopup.mg?AlbumID=5344381&AlbumKey=iLXjj)
07-08-2008 Press Release
Test in Hockenheim.
July 8th - 10th 2008
Day one – Tuesday
Weather conditions: Overcast all day with some rain in the morning and in the afternoon.
Temperatures: Air: 17 – 22 °C, Track: 18 – 28 °C
Number of drivers participating: 10 of 10 teams
Fastest lap overall: Lewis Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes) 1:15.483 min
Circuit length: 4.574 km
Nick Heidfeld
Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.08-06 / BMW P86/8
Test kilometres today: 270 km (59 laps)
Fastest lap: 1:16.593 min
Programme:
For the first time since 1993 the Formula One teams conducted an official test at the Hockenheimring. Unfortunately on the first of the three test days bad weather conditions with heavy winds and occasional rain made work very difficult for drivers and engineers. Rain showers caused short breaks in the morning as well as in the afternoon. Nevertheless Nick Heidfeld worked on a basic setup of the BMW Sauber F1.08 for the upcoming German Grand Prix. Today he concentrated on suspension related solutions.
What comes next:
The BMW Sauber F1 Team will continue testing in Hockenheim for another two days. Tomorrow Nick Heidfeld will be at the wheel again, work on the aerodynamical setup of the car
07-09-2008 Press Release
Test in Hockenheim.
July 8th - 10th 2008
Day two – Wednesday
Weather conditions: Overcast in the morning, sunny in the afternoon.
Temperatures: Air: 16 – 25 °C, Track: 18 – 34 °C
Number of drivers participating: 10 of 10 teams
Fastest lap overall: Lewis Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes) 1:14.872 min
Circuit length: 4.574 km
Nick Heidfeld
Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.08-06 / BMW P86/8
Test kilometres today: 526 km (115 laps)
Fastest lap: 1:16.235 min
Programme:
Completing 115 laps Nick Heidfeld today continued his preparation for the upcoming German Grand Prix. In significantly better weather than yesterday his main goal was the mechanical and aerodynamical setup of the BMW Sauber F1.08. He also concentrated on tyre testing collecting valuable data on the two compounds (medium and hard) nominated for the Hockenheim race.
What comes next:
Tomorrow Robert Kubica will take over testing duties. He will use the last of the three Hockenheimring test days to finetune the setup of the BMW Sauber F1.08 to his liking.
BMW SAUBER F1 TEAM - GERMAN GP - PREVIEW
07/11/2008
18th – 20th July 2008
10th of 18 World Championship races
Munich/Hinwil, 11th July 2008. The excitement is building at the BMW Sauber F1 Team ahead of its home GP at Hockenheim on 20th July. The team has conducted three days of testing at the circuit in the state of Baden-Württemberg in preparation for the race.
Formula One welcomes back the German Grand Prix following an absence of two years. 2008 also sees the return of Hockenheim to the calendar, after the Nürburgring hosted a round of the 2007 World Championship under the banner of the European Grand Prix. Five of the 20 drivers on the F1 grid hold a German passport, with Nick Heidfeld by far the most successful of the group.
Currently lying fifth in the Drivers’ Championship on 36 points, Heidfeld recorded his third second-place finish of the season at Silverstone last time out. The German is 10 points behind his team-mate Robert Kubica in the standings, the Pole – on 46 points – trailing the leaders by just two points. Going into round 10 of the 18-race season, Lewis Hamilton (McLaren Mercedes) and the Ferrari pair of Felipe Massa and Kimi Räikkönen are level at the top on 48 points. In the constructors’ standings, the BMW Sauber F1 Team remains in second place at the half-way point of the season.
The German Grand Prix programme will see the revival of the most spectacular single-make competition in motor racing history. The BMW M1 Procar series will be back at Hockenheim on Saturday and Sunday as a field of ten cars
Nick Heidfeld:
“I’m really looking forward to my home grand prix. Hockenheim is a very special race for the whole team, while a lot of Swiss fans have traditionally made the trip across the border to give their support. I personally have a lot of good memories of the Hockenheimring, especially the old circuit with its long straights through the forest. Those sections were really unmistakeable, but the new track is, of course, significantly safer and better for the spectators – and I appreciate it for those reasons. Plus, a good overtaking opportunity has been created in the Parabolika. I’ve driven at Hockenheim in Formula Ford, Formula 3, Formula 3000 and Formula One, and can’t wait for this grand prix.”
Robert Kubica:
“In 2006 I had the opportunity to drive at Hockenheim in free practice on Friday, but this will be my first Formula One grand prix there – although I did race at the circuit in F3. We weren’t there last year so I think it will be a very special weekend for our team and especially for BMW and all the BMW fans. We always try our best. It is the kind of track with different kinds of corners, although not really high-speed corners. The only one that is quite quick is when you enter the stadium, where there is always a special atmosphere. I know corner one is pretty quick but not really a long corner. There are some quite short corners with only one line you can take through them.”
Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director:
“This is the only F1 race being held in our home country in 2008 and naturally we’re very much looking forward to it. However, you can’t afford to let that disturb your concentration – after all, we don’t get any more points here just because its our home GP. The circuit has lost some of its allure since they cut out the straights through the forest, but the atmosphere should be fantastic after a year without Formula One. It is sure to be an extremely exciting race. Three drivers are tied at the top of the drivers’ standings, while Robert is only two points behind them. Nick is not far away either, and his strong performance at Silverstone has given him an extra boost. You could not have written a better script for our home GP.
“Hockenheim takes us into the second half of the season. The nine races so far have brought us 82 points and seven podiums, and we have scored points on every occasion. All of which means we are in second place in the Constructors’ Championship, 14 points behind Ferrari but 10 ahead of McLaren Mercedes. The highlight of our season so far has, of course, been the one-two in Montreal. Fastest race lap, pole position, race victory – in all the categories where there was a zero next to our team in the statistics not so long ago, there is now a 1. And that has, of course, given the team members in Munich and Hinwil even more confidence. Everybody in the team can see that we are on the right path.
“We set out to turn the two-horse race at the top of the standings into a three-way battle and to win our first race, and we have achieved this goal. Two teams are still a touch faster than us when you look at the lap times. However, as far as the reliability of our cars and the work of the pit crew and race strategists are concerned, we are already a top team. We will now make every effort to keep our chances alive this season, while not neglecting the development of the F1.09. That is a big challenge, especially given the radical rule changes due to come into force next year.”
Willy Rampf, Technical Director:
“Needless to say, Hockenheim is a very special race for us, and there is an extra buzz of anticipation within the team. The circuit is characterised by slow and medium-speed corners, where you need a lot of downforce. More than any other part of the track, the Motodrom is a key section when it comes to the lap time. However, you can’t afford to ignore top speed altogether, as the best overtaking spot is going into the hairpin after the long Parabolika, which is taken flat-out. Here, as well as a good top speed, the most important thing for the drivers is high braking stability and optimum traction on the exit from the corner.”
Facts and figures:
Circuit/Date: Hockenheim/20th July 2008
Start time (local/UTC): 14.00 hrs/12.00 hrs
Lap/Race distance: 4.574 km/308.863 km (67 laps)
Corners: 10 right-hand and 7 left-hand corners
Winner 2006 Michael Schumacher, Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro, 1 hr 27:51.693 min
Pole position 2006: Kimi Räikkönen, Team McLaren Mercedes, 1:14.070 min
Fastest lap 2006: Michael Schumacher, Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro, 1:16.357 min
Data 2006 (race):
Full-throttle percentage: 64 %
Top speed: 310 km/h
Longest stretch at full throttle: 14 sec / 1,030 m
Gear changes per lap: 46
Tyre wear: medium
Brake wear: medium to high
Downforce level: medium to high
Nick Heidfeld
Date of birth: 10.05.1977
Place of birth: Mönchengladbach/Germany
Nationality: German
Residence: Stäfa, Switzerland
Marital status: Partner Patricia Papen, daughter Juni, son Joda
Height: 1.67 m
Weight: 61 kg
F1 debut: 2000, Melbourne
GP starts: 143
Pole positions: 1
Wins: -
Podium places: 10
Fastest laps: 1
Best placing: 5th (2007)
Total points: 176
Points 2008: 36 (5th place)
Robert Kubica
Date of birth: 07.12.1984
Place of birth: Krakow/Poland
Nationality: Polish
Residence: Monaco
Marital status: Single
Height: 1.84 m
Weight: 69 kg
F1 debut: 2006, Budapest
GP starts: 31
Pole positions: 1
Wins: 1
Podium places: 5
Fastest laps: -
Best placing: 6th (2007)
Total points: 91
Points 2008: 46 (4th place)
BMW Sauber F1 Team
Founded: 01.01.2006
Locations: Munich (DE) and Hinwil (CH)
F1 debut: 2006, Melbourne
GP starts: 44
Pole positions: 1
Wins: 1
Podium places: 10 (4 x 3rd / 5 x 2nd / 1 x 1st)
Fastest laps: 1
Championship placings:
5th (2006), 36 points
2nd (2007), 101 points
2nd (2008), 82 points after 9 GPs
History and background:
Hockenheim has a population of over 20,000 and lies in the state of Baden-Württemberg. Hockenheim’s inaugural event, held on an as yet unsurfaced triangular track, was a motorcycle race which took place on 29th May 1932. In 1938 the circuit was modified to become the oval-shaped Kurpfalzring. 1957 saw further upgrading and the addition of the Motodrom. Hockenheim’s first Formula One GP was held on 2nd August 1970. In 1977 the German Grand Prix moved to Baden, only returning to the Nürburgring once – in 1985.
For its 70th anniversary in 2002, the race track displayed a new design and a new name: since then, the “Hockenheimring Baden Württemberg“ has managed without the famous long forest straights which offered no room for spectators. Where the course used to disappear into the woods, the field now takes a right turn into the full-throttle Parabolika section. This ends in a hairpin that is taken in first gear with the steering wheel almost at full lock. A generous asphalt run-off zone encourages overtaking manoeuvres. Following this hairpin, a right-left-right combination leads back into the Motodrom “stadium”.
07/10/2008
“I want to keep heading in the same direction.”
Munich/Hinwil, 10th July 2008. BMW Sauber F1 Team driver Nick Heidfeld has turned his season around, emerging from a recent barren spell just in time for his home race, the German Grand Prix at the Hockenheimring on 20th July.
You’ve earned a lot of praise for your second place and pair of double overtaking moves in the rain of Silverstone. How did you pull off such a great performance?
BMW Sauber F1 Team driver Nick Heidfeld: “It was just brilliant. Qualifying finally went well again, and in the race everything slotted into place. The team did everything right and I also avoided making any mistakes. It’s always satisfying when passing moves come off; winning a head-to-head battle fair and square is as good as it gets. And if you can overtake two other guys in the same move twice in the same race, the thrill is that much greater. Especially as it was a Ferrari and a McLaren I got past on one of those occasions.”
A lot of people complain that overtaking is impossible in Formula One. You provide regular evidence to the contrary – under the toughest conditions as well. How do you decide whether to dive into a gap? Are you braver than other drivers?
Heidfeld: “I actually find overtaking easiest in tricky conditions. The differences between the individual drivers are just greater in the rain. Plus, different drivers take different lines through the corners, which naturally helps with overtaking.”
You referred to your problems in qualifying. Are they now behind you?
Heidfeld: “What is certain is that our work has paid off. The team has given me tremendous support. We conducted a complicated analysis of the situation and took measures to enable me to make better use of the tyres for a single hot lap. As an outsider it’s tempting to think that all it takes to get the tyres up to optimum temperature is a couple of burnouts. But that only heats up the contact area of the rear tyres. It is a complex issue, and the Barcelona test in June already produced a degree of progress. We undid some of the good work with our poor performance overall at Magny-Cours, but for me it was important to see that I was back up to the same level as my team-mate in the second period of qualifying. That was the case again at Silverstone. However, we will not be easing off now; I’m sure that there is a lot more we can do to further improve my performance in qualifying.”
Have you feared for your place in the team over recent weeks?
Heidfeld: “No, that would have been the wrong way to approach the situation. I was concerned about my qualifying performance. But I also knew that I hadn’t suddenly forgotten how to drive a car and that my race speed was still good. The critical thing for me is to get the tyres up to temperature in qualifying.”
Why do you perform so well in the wet?
Heidfeld: “I used to enjoy racing in the rain in my karting days, and then in the various classes up from there as well. The car slides and reacts totally differently, and you have to do everything with much greater sensitivity – steering, braking, accelerating. Getting to grips with all of these factors is so much fun. However, if you are not in the lead there is another aspect of racing in the rain that makes things rather unpredictable: the lack of visibility. We sit so low to the ground and the Formula One cars whip up so much water that you can hardly see a thing in the spray – neither the pools of water nor the other cars. You really can’t compare it with driving on the road.”
How did your two days of testing go at Hockenheim?
Heidfeld: “We were fortunate that the weather turned out to be better than forecast, which meant I was able to complete more laps than I was expecting in the dry. We tested a few new aerodynamic and mechanical components at Hockenheim, both for the German Grand Prix specifically and looking further ahead. That was our priority during the test; the plan was in no way to set the fastest possible lap times. As I cannot judge what kind of programme the other teams were running, the lap times from the test do not tell us all that much. However, I would have liked more time to work out an ideal set-up for the race at Hockenheim.”
What is your plan for the German Grand Prix?
Heidfeld: “Clearly, it gives me an extra push to go into my home GP on the back of a podium finish in the last race. I want to keep heading in the same direction – get a good position on the grid and do as well as possible in the race itself. I’m really looking forward to what is BMW’s home grand prix as well as mine personally. Plus, Hockenheim always attracts a particularly large number of fans from Switzerland as well, and I’m determined to put on a great performance for them.”
After a summer break it is time to catch up with July. Sunday is the Hungarian GP. Heidfeld has been having a good time and Kubica has been a bit frustrated to say the least. BMW is holding on to an honest second place in the contstructors championship while the drivers are doing there best to keep the drivers championship interesting.
British GP Slideshow (http://M1ka.smugmug.com/photos/swfpopup.mg?AlbumID=5588117&AlbumKey=iiaMy)
BMW Sauber F1 Team - British GP - Practice
07-04-2008 Press Release
Weather: Sunny but windy and dry, 17-20 °C Air, 19-34°C Track
Silverstone (GB). For the BMW Sauber F1 Team it was a quiet start to the British Grand Prix weekend at the Silverstone circuit. Neither driver was completely happy with his car’s balance, but they completed the planned Friday work.
Robert Kubica:
BMW Sauber F1.08-03 / BMW P86/8
1st Practice: 5th, 1:20.367 min / 2nd Practice: 11th, 1:21.023 min
“There is nothing special to report from today, as it was just a normal Friday with us testing almost everything we had planned. Now we shall see how the weather is tomorrow and what we have to do to improve the car. As always in Silverstone, the balance of the car is changing with the weather conditions, especially the wind. I have never driven here in the rain, yet, but for me whether it rains or is dry makes no difference.”
Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
1st Practice: 13th, 1:21.107 min / 2nd Practice: 13th, 1:21.453 min
“I’m not happy yet. For last week’s test the balance of the car was better. I think this is due to the stronger winds we now have, which cause the balance to change every lap. I had difficulties with the softer tyres, as for me they didn’t even last for a single lap.”
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“Robert had a rear suspension problem on his first run in the second session, and this cost him some time for set-up work. However, we almost managed to do the planned programme with both cars, and completed the long-runs for race preparation. Now we shall analyse the data to see where we can improve for tomorrow.”
BMW Sauber F1 Team - British GP - Qualifying
07-05-2008 Press Release
Weather: damp in practice, mostly dry in qualifying, 18-20°C Air, 16-32°C Track
Silverstone (GB). It was mixed fortunes for the BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers in qualifying for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. For Nick Heidfeld it was a good day, as fifth fastest means he equalled his previous best performance of 2008 from Melbourne. However, the reverse happened to Robert Kubica, as a problem with his car in the last part of qualifying meant he was tenth fastest, and this is his worst performance of the season.
Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 5th, 1:21.022 min (3rd Practice: 15th, 1:22.916 min)
“I’m quite happy with fifth because it just continues a positive trend which began in qualifying in Magny-Cours, and confirms all our efforts and work have paid off. I can now manage again to heat up the tyres properly and get them to work, but we shall continue to work on this subject. In Q2 Robert and I where just separated by two hundreds of a second. Generally my car was a lot better today than on Friday. However, on my last lap in Q3 it felt a little bit strange, so we have to find out what this was. I think we shall have an exciting race tomorrow. There is a high chance of rain!”
Robert Kubica:
BMW Sauber F1.08-03 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 10th, 1:19.788 min (from Q2) (3rd Practice: 19th, 1:23.282 min)
“It was a difficult qualifying in the end. Finally we were on the right pace. Qualifying 1 was good and qualifying 2 was even better, as the first time on option tyres was very good. I backed off in the last sector to just bring the car home, and it was still enough to be two or three tenths off the McLaren time. In qualifying 3 I went through the first sector without any problems, but then I felt the same problem at the rear I felt on Friday. Now we have to analyse everything and see what is going on.”
Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“Up to the top ten qualifying session everything went according to plan, but then Robert aborted his lap in Q3 because he realised he had a technical problem with the car. Unfortunately time was too short to analyse the problem during the session and get him back out on the track. It is a shame because both drivers were strong, which is proved by Nick’s fifth place. It was a very good performance by him.”
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“Both our drivers were well on their way in the first two qualifying sessions, and only needed a single lap to easily advance into the final stage of qualifying. However, in Q3 Robert couldn’t complete his fast lap, and over the radio told us about a technical problem with the car. Nick’s performance was impressive and put him fifth fastest. We are all very happy about that. The weather prediction for tomorrow is mixed. We are prepared for anything that might come.”
BMW Sauber F1 Team - British GP - Race
07-06-2008 Press Release
Weather: wet track with heavy rain showers. Air: 16-18°C, Track: 17-21°C
Silverstone (GB). After a flawless drive and numerous good overtaking manoeuvres Nick Heidfeld took second place for the BMW Sauber F1 Team in what was a wet and fairly chaotic British Grand Prix. This was his third runner-up spot of the season, and the team’s seventh podium. While everything, including the right tyre choice at each pit stop, paid off for Heidfeld, his team mate Robert Kubica slid off the slippery track after his second pit stop.
Nick Heidfeld: 2nd
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1:32.719 min on lap 21 (2nd fastest overall)
“It was a good race. I am happy with second place because today it was the best I could achieve. Qualifying went well and in the race we did everything right. Obviously it was crucial to make the right tyre decisions. At the first stop we were wondering if we should stay with the used set of inters, but luckily we then decided on new tyres. We were expecting a small shower, but when I drove down Hanger Straight and saw a black wall in front of me I thought I should expect more than that! The most difficult moments in the race were when cars were overtaking me who had been lapped, but were just on better tyres for the conditions at that time. There was so much water and I couldn’t see where it was lying. Once before Abbey I almost spun, but just managed to keep the car on the track.”
Robert Kubica: DNF
BMW Sauber F1.08-03 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1:33.539 min on lap 22 (12th fastest overall)
“I was already aquaplaning for many laps and unfortunately in a straight line I just lost the car completely and went off. Here in Silverstone it was a crazy race in difficult conditions. Everything was running pretty well as I was having quite a good race and gaining positions. But when it rained and there was a lot of water on the track I was just struggling. I couldn’t keep the car in a straight line, was losing power, the rear wheels were losing contact with the tarmac and that was it.”
Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“It was a very dramatic race which was dictated by the weather conditions. In some periods of the race the lap times varied by as much as ten seconds depending on the tyre choice. With Nick our strategy worked out perfectly. He performed very strongly and carried out some spectacular overtaking manoeuvres. After things have not gone his way recently, I am very happy for him he climbed from fifth on the grid to second with a good mixture of intelligent racing and fighting spirit. For him it is the third second place so far this year, and for our team the seventh podium. Robert was doing well, having climbed up to third, but then went off during a rain shower. Compliments to him as well as it was a strong team performance under these difficult conditions.”
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“That was a tyre lottery, as there was a permanent question over which ones we should use. The critical period was when the drivers were fighting very hard to keep the cars on track after the heavy rain. Nick managed to do this very well. Unfortunately Robert was aquaplaning and went off. Nick deserved his place on the podium as he drove a very smart race. Congratulations on a great performance and compliments to the pit stop crew, because we made the tyre choice decisions at very short notice."
German GP slideshow (http://M1ka.smugmug.com/photos/swfpopup.mg?AlbumID=5584004&AlbumKey=6x76Y)
BMW Sauber F1 Team - German Grand Prix - Qualifying
07-19-2008 Press Release
Weather: dry, partly cloudy, 22-24°C Air, 28-33°C Track
Hockenheim (DE). The BMW Sauber F1 Team has to cope with modest grid positions for the German Grand Prix. Robert Kubica qualified 7th, and after braking a little late, Nick Heidfeld missed to score within the top ten, resulting in position 12 in Hockenheim.
While all was running according to plan for Nick Heidfeld up to Q2, Kubica’s qualifying preparations were not at optimum. In the 3rd practice session, the Pole had to pull into the pits due to a problem with the driveshaft. Until qualifying the damage had been repaired.
Robert Kubica:
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 7th, 1:16.521 min (3rd Practice: 20th, 1:17.469 min)
“The qualifying had some ups and downs. In Q1 one of the Force India cars blocked me on my quick lap. As a result, I only finished the session on position 14 and nearly did not make it to Q2. I was satisfied with Q2 but due to the additional fuel load in Q3 I faced some problems with the balance of the car. Let’s hope that good luck returns for tomorrow’s race.”
Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 12th, 1:15.581 min (from Q2) (3rd Practice: 16th, 1:16.906 min)
“Of course position twelve is disappointing, especially since things were running well up to Q2. On my first run in Q2 I had some trouble in the last sector. It was then that the tyres started graining causing understeering. On my second run I messed it up on my own. I was a little late on the brakes before the hairpin, after the parabolika, the rear wheels locked massively and that was it. Now I will go fight for points in the race, that’s the minimum target. As we are out of the top ten we can freely choose the fuel load for the start. We will work on a good strategy. Also overtaking is not impossible in Hockenheim.”
Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“Obviously we expected more from qualifying. Both our drivers had not been happy with their cars in the free practice. In addition to this, we faced further incidents. In the first part of qualifying Robert got stuck behind a car. Nick spun off in the second part of qualifying which may have cost him Q3. From the given positions it will not be an easy race for us. The weather predictions are unstable. In our situation a wet race would certainly help.”
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“Without a doubt we expected more from this qualifying. Nick was struggling on his second fast lap in Q2 and therefore didn't make the cut. In Q3 we knew that the top cars were out of reach for us and that it would be tight for Robert to beat Fernando Alonso, but Jarno Trulli was a real surprise to us. Starting from P7 and P12 it will definitely no be an easy race.”
BMW M1 Procar Revival.
The home GP for BMW gave them a chance to show off a bit of history and link their racing efforts of the past with the present and the street.
07-19-2008 Press Release
Sport, art, sound - Lauda is first across the line.
Hockenheim (DE), 19th July 2008. After 30 years, the BMW M1 Procar Series made its comeback to the circuit today, Saturday, with a host of big names and a host of fun. Ten celebrity-manned examples of the close to 500 hp mid-engined racers delivered the first of two show races on the Hockenheimring as part of the support programme of the German Formula One Grand Prix.
In the words of three-times World Champion Niki Lauda: “It was such a hoot. We were allowed to drive how we wanted, we didn’t have to hold back on the pace. Actually, we should have been chasing Jochen Neerpasch in the M1 Art Car, but he didn’t get off to a proper start. And that gave me a clear run ahead. I’m going to have to seriously reconsider whether my career really is over! It was great fun.”
“I’ve always wanted to race against Niki Lauda,” said a grinning BMW Sauber F1 Team test driver Christian Klien, who was also behind the wheel of one of the legendary models. The Austrian, born some time after the M1 Procar, was surprised at the calibre of these classics: “It’s amazing the handling these cars already had back in the 80s. Even today they feel quite advanced. And as for the sound, it’s out of this world. You’re sitting right in front of the engine, and at 10,000 revs it’s awesome. You really get a sense of the car’s sheer power. I can’t wait for the next race!”
The second show race will be held on Sunday shortly before the start of the Grand Prix.
RTL commentator Christian Danner was scuffling with Lauda at the front of the field – “But in the end I deferred to the World Champion,” joked the ex-Formula One driver, “partly because I was being distracted by my co-driver Tim Mälzer, who wouldn’t stop talking about cooking.”
Indisputably the most valuable car on the track, the Art Car designed by Andy Warhol was driven by Jochen Neerpasch, one of the granddaddies of the most spectacular single-make competition in the history of motor racing. Neerpasch, who headed BMW Motorsport GmbH at the time, dreamed up the Procar Series together with Bernie Ecclestone and Max Mosley to feature within the relatively relaxed F1 format at the time. The revival marks the 30th anniversary of the M1 as the first vehicle to be created independently by the former BMW Motorsport GmbH.
In 1979 and 1980, the Procar Series thrived on the one hand on the sheer appeal of the car, but equally by giving young drivers a chance to pit their skills against the top Formula One drivers of the day. The five fastest in F1’s Friday practice were each granted a seat in the cockpit of an M1, the works cars coming under the technical direction of Ron Dennis. A further 15 cars were manned by eager young racing talents. “It was a matter of huge pride to be allowed to race against the established stars,” recalls Marc Surer, who was also involved in the Procar show race, along with veterans Dieter Quester, Harald Grohs and His Royal Highness Prince Leopold of Bavaria.
Despite a problem with the clutch at the start, Jochen Neerpasch relished the experience: “It’s marvellous that it all got off the ground. We will also publish a book to mark the 30th anniversary. It means I’ve been steeped in three decades of motor racing lately, which was also an interesting experience for me personally. A great deal happened during that time.”
Neerpasch’s co-driver in the Warhol M1 was none other than Frank Stella. The 72-year-old artist summed up the event: “The BMW M1 Procar Revival here in Hockenheim was amazingly good fun. It was an honour for me to be able to drive in this wonderful and unique Andy Warhol BMW M1 Procar. The car, the crowds, the whole ambience – it really was fantastic experience. Compared to 30 years ago, motor racing today hasn’t changed significantly, but everything round about it is completely different. Sport and art have one key thing in common: in the end it comes down to satisfaction. My philosophy is: always give of your best. Sometimes I’m surprised at what turns out, at other times I’m disappointed. Out here on the race track it’s very hard not to be thrilled.” Stella himself also designed an Art Car – a BMW 3.0 CSL which competed in the 1976 Le Mans marathon.
BMW Sauber F1 Team - German Grand Prix - Race
07-20-2008 Press Release
Weather: Dry, partly cloudy. Air: 22-23°C, Track: 33-34°C
Hockenheim (DE). Nick Heidfeld just missed a podium position at the German Grand Prix. The German BMW Sauber F1 Team driver, who started from 12th, set the fastest race lap and finished fourth. Meanwhile Robert Kubica wasn’t able to gain any advantage from a safety car period halfway through the race. The Pole finished seventh, which was the same position he started from.
Nick Heidfeld: 4th
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1:15.987 min on lap 52 (Fastest overall)
“Coming fourth from 12th on the grid is a great result. Not making it into the top ten in qualifying meant we were free to choose our fuel load afterwards, and so we went for a rather long first stint. That’s why I was able to stay out during the safety car period when almost everybody else was refuelling. That was certainly crucial as I was able to pull away as soon as the traffic was behind me. Before that I couldn’t show my true speed as I never had a clear lap. The car was good and the fact that I set the fastest race lap proves it. In the end I was very close to Felipe, but still had no chance to overtake him. It was a good home race for me and I’m happy I could give something back to the fans who may have been disappointed by my qualifying performance yesterday.”
Robert Kubica: 7th
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1:16.610 min on lap 17 (6th fastest overall)
“It is difficult to be happy after a race like this. During the first half of the race I was able to match the pace of McLaren-Mercedes and Ferrari. Suddenly my car’s pace was miles too slow. My tyres lost lots of grip, and perhaps this was because my tyres cooled down too much. We now have to analyse the data.”
Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“If you start from seventh and 12th on the grid and end up collecting seven points you can be very satisfied. Of course the safety car period influenced the race quite a lot. Due to that Robert lost his strong fourth place, whereas Nick profited from this. Neither of our drivers made any mistakes. On top of that Nick set the fastest lap, which makes me very happy for him. However, there is some work for us to do to get back to the front of the grid.”
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“This was an exciting and thrilling race for our team! Robert made a good start and was able to move up to fourth in the first corners. He was able to consolidate this position, but in the safety car period his strategy meant we had to bring him in for a pit stop. Nick was on a higher fuel load and, therefore, could stay out. When the Safety Car came in again, Nick drove several very fast laps and was able to make up time on his direct competitors. In addition, the pit crew did a perfect job which enabled him to also overtake Heikki Kovalainen in the pits. Robert was struggling with the heavy car and warming up the prime tyres properly, so as a result was not in a position to set the best possible lap times anymore. We can be pleased we scored seven championship points today under difficult circumstances."
Hungarian GP slideshow (http://M1ka.smugmug.com/photos/swfpopup.mg?AlbumID=5589835&AlbumKey=yuTWh)
Thursday is a tourist day with a few snaps and a press confernce.
BMW Sauber F1 Team - Hungarian GP - Preview
07-25-2008 Press Release
1st – 3rd August 2008
11th of 18 World Championship races
Munich/Hinwil, 25th July 2008. It’s going to be a tight squeeze in Hungary once again. The Hungaroring on the outskirts of Budapest is a twisty circuit, throwing up a similar challenge to Monaco in terms of demanding maximum downforce and razor-sharp concentration. Overtaking is tricky, and the Grand Prix has frequently panned out as a procession through the dusty Hungarian plain. The rain-sodden event of 2006, by contrast, entered the F1 annals as a nailbiting thriller.
Ahead of the 11th of this season’s 18 races, the BMW Sauber F1 Team remains in second place in the Constructors’ Championship. Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld will be heading for Budapest fuelled with ambition. In the past both have demonstrated how well the track suits them. After Heidfeld relished the attendance of numerous fans in Hockenheim, it is now Kubica’s turn to welcome the hordes of “pilgrims” who will be flocking to the Hungarian capital from nearby Poland.
Nick Heidfeld:
“I’ve always coped very well on the Hungaroring. The track suits me, and in the short history of our team I took a podium place there in 2006 and 2007. In 2006 it was the first podium for our team at the end of an unbelievably wet race. In 2007 I started second and finished third again. I also have a lot of positive memories of the Hungaroring going back to previous occasions. In 1999 I took an early Formula 3000 title there and was able to celebrate. The city is beautiful. I just love the historic buildings and its setting on the river. Budapest has lots of charm, especially when the weather is really summery.
“If it’s dry the circuit gets very dusty particularly at the start of the weekend. Racing there is exhausting because there aren’t any long straights where you can sit back and relax a little bit. I’m looking forward to the Hungarian Grand Prix and hope we will perform as strongly again as we have done in the last two years.”
Robert Kubica:
“For sure we can expect a lot of Polish fans in Budapest. The Hungarian Grand Prix is the closest race to my home country, so in some way it is my home race. The Hungaroring is the track where I had my first Formula One race in 2006. As a driver you always have a special relationship with the track where you had your first Grand Prix. However, it is not for these reasons alone that I like this track. For most of the lap you have some steering angle, which means you rarely get a break, and this is made worse by the fact the straights are very short. The Hungaroring is a difficult track, but then Formula One is about challenges.”
Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director:
“In the last two years, the Hungarian Grand Prix was a very exciting affair for us. In 2006 the weather turned the race into a cliffhanger, and in 2007 an offensive strategy really put us on our mettle but rewarded us with a podium place. For 2008 the goal is to make it onto the Budapest podium for the third consecutive time. Our pledge is to get both cars firmly into the top ten qualifiers and take home another decent points haul from the race.
“The Hungaroring makes huge demands on the cars’ aerodynamics and brakes. At 58 per cent, the full-throttle percentage is at the lower end. However, temperatures could become critical for the powertrain. It’s generally hot in Budapest in August, and the heat tends to build up in the dust bowl of the circuit. Plus the low average speed does its bit to drive cooling systems to the limits.”
Willy Rampf, Technical Director:
“After Monaco, the Hungaroring is the track with the lowest average speed. Especially in the middle section of the track, it’s just one turn after another, and the start-finish straight is relatively short. That calls for maximum downforce. Overtaking is very difficult, and you have to take that into consideration in your race strategy. The track accumulates fresh sand every day, so grip levels are accordingly low, which can lead to understeer. In Hungary we use the softest tyre compounds. When it comes to the car’s set-up, you have to focus primarily on the middle section, which consists of a variety of corner combinations and the very tight final turns before the start-finish straight, which require good traction. The track layout and frequent high air temperatures mean the cars have to drive with maximum cooling.”
Facts and figures:
Circuit/Date: Hungaroring/3rd August 2008
Start time (local/UTC): 14.00 hrs/12.00 hrs
Lap/Race distance: 4.381 km/306.458 km (70 laps)
Corners: 8 right-hand and 6 left-hand corners
Winner 2007: Lewis Hamilton, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, 1 hr 35:52.991 min
Pole position 2007: Lewis Hamilton, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, 1:19.781 min
Fastest lap 2007: Kimi Räikkönen, Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro, 1:20.047 min
Data 2006 (race):
Full-throttle percentage: 58%
Top speed: 291 km/h
Longest stretch at full throttle: 11 sec / 750 m
Gear changes per lap: 50
Tyre wear: medium to high
Brake wear: high
Downforce level: very high
Nick Heidfeld
Date of birth: 10.05.1977
Place of birth: Mönchengladbach/Germany
Nationality: German
Residence: Stäfa, Switzerland
Marital status: Partner Patricia Papen, daughter Juni, son Joda
Height: 1.67 m
Weight: 61 kg
F1 debut: 2000, Melbourne
GP starts: 144
Pole positions: 1
Wins: -
Podium places: 10
Fastest laps: 2
Best placing: 5th (2007)
Total points: 181
Points 2008: 41 (5th place)
Robert Kubica
Date of birth: 07.12.1984
Place of birth: Krakow/Poland
Nationality: Polish
Residence: Monaco
Marital status: Single
Height: 1.84 m
Weight: 69 kg
F1 debut: 2006, Budapest
GP starts: 32
Pole positions: 1
Wins: 1
Podium places: 5
Fastest laps: -
Best placing: 6th (2007)
Total points: 93
Points 2008: 48 (4th place)
BMW Sauber F1 Team
Founded: 01.01.2006
Locations: Munich (DE) and Hinwil (CH)
F1 debut: 2006, Melbourne
GP starts: 45
Pole positions: 1
Wins: 1
Podium places: 10 (4 x 3rd / 5 x 2nd / 1 x 1st)
Fastest laps: 2
Championship placings:
5th (2006), 36 points
2nd (2007), 101 points
2nd (2008), 89 points after 10 GPs
History and background:
This year sees the 23rd Hungarian GP, all of which have taken place on the Hungaroring. Since its introduction in 1986, the circuit has been repeatedly modified, most recently for the 2003 GP when the course was extended from 3.975 to 4.381 kilometres. The current variant is the longest there has ever been. Even the first track (1986 to 1988) only covered a distance of 4.014 kilometres. The Hungaroring lies approximately 20 minutes’ drive northeast of the city centre.
Budapest is Hungary’s capital, its largest city and the economic and cultural hub of the country. Its population now numbers almost 1.7 million. It was primarily the trade route of the Danube, as well as numerous local hot springs, that accounted for the city’s rise to prosperity. In 1873 the formerly independent cities of Buda, Pest and Óbuda were united. The chain bridge (built 1839-49) linking hilly Buda on the west with the flat terrain of Pest on the eastern bank is as much a trademark of the city as the baroque royal palace on the Buda side.
Hungarian GP Slideshow (http://M1ka.smugmug.com/photos/swfpopup.mg?AlbumID=5589835&AlbumKey=yuTWh)
Perhaps it is because I have taken some time off but I have a sense that BMW Sauber F1 is getting down to business in the final stretch to the seasons end. The photos don't have the fluff of golf outings as was the case with the British GP or a Thursday and Friday of hosting VIPs that marked the German GP. The tone of the press release for Friday practice has the workman tone of past GPs where the team did well.
A drivers championship has never been a real outcome in my mind. The championship challenge for BMW Sauber has been in the manafacturer title. 2007 saw them finishing second to Ferrari when McLaren was given the boot in the spy scandal. 2008 the team has fought for a legitimate claim to that status. If they are going to keep their slot in second place in the manufacturers championship they will have to work hard. Ferrari, in first, has a commanding lead. McLaren is making a serious push in the manufacturer championship as a result of Hamilton's charge up the drivers rankings.
The coming races separate the teams into two groups: challengers for the current titles and teams finishing the season with a focus on preparing for next year. Has BMW Sauber matured into a team that can do both? Ferrari and McLaren are in that class. The balance of the season will let the fans of the F1 Roundel team know what the team is really made of.
08-01-2008 Press Release
Weather: dry, partly cloudy, 25-28°C Air, 29-36°C Track
Budapest (HU). Business as usual for the BMW Sauber F1 Team on the first day of the Hungarian Grand Prix: Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica completed their normal race preparations in Budapest. After difficulties with the car’s balance at the start of practice, there was progress at the end of the second 90 minute session.
Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
1st Practice: 9th, 1:22.370 min / 2nd Practice: 7th, 1:21.138 min
“In the beginning it wasn’t good at all. I guess many drivers had trouble with graining, so I don’t think I was the only one. But I found the balance of my car really poor. We made several changes during both sessions, but they didn’t lead to the progress we wanted. For the very last outing we then made major changes and luckily this proved to be a step in the right direction. I’m happy we tried this because we now know a lot more.”
Robert Kubica:
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
1st Practice: 7th, 1:22.267 min / 2nd Practice: 8th, 1:21.363 min
“We did the usual Friday programme. We evaluated the tyre compounds and worked on the car’s set-up in order to find out how the car and the tyres behave on this track. We will now analyse today’s data and prepare for Saturday.”
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“It was a productive first day of practice. As usual we concentrated on race preparation. The focus was on the tyre selection. In Budapest the two softest tyre compounds will be used. Now we are going to analyse the data we have collected. This will be the base for our race strategy.”
Hungarian GP - Qualifying
The thud you heard starting at 8AM eastern this morning was not an earthquake but the begining of qualifying for the Hungarian GP. The thud was made up of cars and drivers making their way around the track and what appears to be the begining of a weekend where BMW Sauber's hopes for holding on to P2 in the constructors championship crashes into McLarens push back toward the top of the F1 grid.
Heidfeld found himself waving his fist at Sebastian Bourdais at the end of Q1. He may be able to make an argument that the Toro Rossi driver blocked him on his final flying lap of the session but the end result remains P16 on the starting grid for him and not making it out of Q1! The senior diver of the team has never seemed comfortable with the current F1 qualifying format. This discomfort seems to be exacerbated by the continuing team strategy to be one of the last teams to go out in each qualifying session. With McLaren drivers holding starting grid positions P1 & 2 what ever the reason not making it out of Q1 and starting Sunday's race in P16 holds little hope for Heidfeld helping to defend the teams three point lead over McLaren in the constructors championship.
Kubica ended the morning on the second row of the starting grid in P4. In each of the qualifying sessions he turned in flying laps that moved him to a tempory P2. Q2 is the session with the fastest times for all drivers in this format. Through most of his time on the track he worked hard and looked good. He did not come out the pits for a final flyer appearing to have secured P7 and moving on to Q1. Instead the team chose to spend the extra time setting up for Q3. The final session is done with racing loads and trims set giving us a look at how the first part of the race could look while determining the starting grid. Kubica turned in a strong performance and realed in P4 for Sundays grid.
The other teams:
McLaren appears to have its act back together. Hamilton dominated the sessions and ended up with the Hungarian pole. What is even more important to the constructors championship is Kovalainen's P2.
Ferrari is struggling a bit, but how could you field an Italian team without dramma. Massa looked strong but could not find the combination on the track to overtake the McLarens. Mean while the Raikkonen, the current world champion, continues to struggle placing 6th on the grid.
Toyota provided the team wild card for the day. Glock took P5 and pushed everyone during qualifying. Trulli made it through to Q3 dueling his way to P9.
Renault has Alonso in P7 and Piquet in P10 after qualifying. In his rookie season Piquet has been under threat of loosing his ride if he did not show improvement. He has responded in the last races and looks to be continueing the trend in Hungary. It took a final flyer by Alonso to upset the grid and drop his team mate from what looked like a possible third row start to his final fith row position.
Torro Rossi and Red Bull continue to graze in the mid field. They may look good doing it but don't seem to, well perform all that well when called on race after race. The qualifying performer for the Bull teams was Weber in P8. the rest of the drivers are ahead of Heidfeld but did not make it out of Q2.
Williams is the team that is hard for me to watch. It has a storried history which includes constructors and drivers championships. They did not make it out of Q1 which will not help with sponsor retention and the search for funds for 2009's campaign.
Barrechello has to be screaming in his helmet at Honda's performance this season. The speculation was that Toyota would be dropping out of F1 if there was not a turn around for that team and they did. I am left wondering why Honda says it will be back next season. Button managed P12 and Barrechello soundly defeated the Force India drivers to take P18
Force Inda rounds out the grid with Fisichella in P19 and Sutil in P20. The team seems to be using up spares and tires aquired in the purchase while waiting to field next years car. They have money to purchase engineering talent and back the team. 2008 may have them motoring around the tracks and learning where to get good food at the various venues. I suspect that in 2009 will hold much more for this team.
The provisional grid.
P1 Hamilton / McLaren
P2 Kovalainen / McLaren
P3 Massa / Ferrari
P4 Kubica / BMW Sauber
P5 Glock / toyota
P6 Raikkonen / Ferrari
P7 Alonso / renault
P 8 Weber / red Bull
P9 Trulli /Toyota
P10 Piquet / Renault
P11 Vettel / Toro Rossi
P12 Button / Honda
P13 Colthard / Red Bull
P14 Bourdais / Toro Tossi
P15 Rosberg / Williams
P16 Heidfeld / BMW Sauber
P17 Nakajima / Williams
P18 Barrechello / honda
P19 Fisechello / Force India
P20 Sutil / Force India
The umpalumpas are my BMW Sauber HEROS. They have developed a reputation as the best pit crew in all of F1.
http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/343873028_uDjCu-M.jpg
Hungarian GP Slideshow (http://M1ka.smugmug.com/photos/swfpopup.mg?AlbumID=5589835&AlbumKey=yuTWh)
BMW Sauber F1 Team - Hungarian Grand Prix - Qualifying
08-02-2008 Press Release
Weather: dry and sunny, 29-31°C Air, 37-43°C Track
Budapest (HU). BMW Sauber F1 Team driver Robert Kubica qualified fourth in the heat at the Hungaroring in Budapest. Meanwhile for
Nick Heidfeld qualifying was a total disappointment. After a promising free practice session in the morning he found several cars
in his way when he was on his second fast lap in Q1. He lost so much time behind other cars that he did not even make it into Q2.
Robert Kubica:
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 4th, 1:21.281 min (3rd Practice: 18th, 1:21.975 min)
“I am really happy with the result. This was certainly one of my best qualifying sessions so far this season. I was not expecting
to start from fourth as the car has been quite difficult to drive over the entire weekend. We struggled a bit with the balance,
but in the end I was able to make the harder tyre compound work very well and here we are. I am now looking forward to the race.”
Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 16th, 1:21.045 min (from Q1) (3rd Practice: 6th, 1:21.096 min)
“I’m totally disappointed. It looked quite good at the end of yesterday’s practice and also this morning. But on my last lap in Q1
I had four cars in my way. Most of them at least tried to give me room, but it still cost me time. Towards the end of the lap I
had one car in front which was on an out lap. He saw me and accelerated. He then overtook Sebastien Bourdais before the last
corner, and then Sebastien was right in my way. I was hoping it was so obvious he would be penalised right away and I could still
get into Q2.”
Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“It was a very tight battle at the front with marginal time differences. We expected to see McLaren on the front row. Robert did a
very good last lap and secured fourth, which means he will be starting in between the two Ferraris. Certainly Nick’s result is
disappointing. He complained several times about traffic on his last, and important fast lap and missed getting into Q2. We should
be very happy if he scores a point from this grid position.”
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“Robert’s performance was faultless, and he got the most out of the car. Starting from fourth is an excellent position. Instead
for Nick it didn’t go as expected. He reported traffic on his last lap. For him we are facing a very difficult race tomorrow,
because overtaking is almost impossible at the Hungaroring.”
The start of the race saw the grid order resuffled before reaching turn 1. Masa went around Hamilton to take over the lead while Glock in his Toyota was able to best Kubica taking over 4th and the race was on.
Pit and tire strategies played their part in the race. Most teams had their drivers on a two pit strategy. The umpalumpas used a split strategy for BMW Sauber having Kubica on the two stop and opting for a single stop for Heidfeld. The obvious goal was to keep Kubica in the hunt in the front while helping Heidfeld gain positions on pit strategy.
Massa and Ferrari were the red streak in the lead setting the pace for the race on the track and in the pits. Fuel loads appeared to have a real impact on times and postitions for this race. Massa and Ferrari had the better strategy than Hamilton and McLaren.
After a hard faught race the end was in sigth with Masa in the lead when smoke began pouring out of the Ferrari on lap 68 resulting in the last shuffle of the results.
Hungarian GP Results
1 Kovalainen / McLaren
2 Glock / Toyota
3 Raikkonen / Ferrari
4 Alonso / Renault
5 Hamilton / McLaren
6 Piquet / Renault
7 Trulli / Toyota
8 Kubica / BMW Sauber
9 Webber / Red Bull
10 Heidfeld / BMW Sauber
11 Coulthard / Red Bull
12 Button / Honda
12 Nakajima / Williams
14 Rosberg / Williams
15 Fisichella / Force India
16 Barrichello / Honda
17 Masa / Ferrari - engine failure
18 Bourdais / Toro Rossi
19 Sutil / Force India - lap 68 retired
20 Vetel / Toro Rossi - lap 24 retired
Kovalainen takes his maiden GP victory. Toyota and Renault have strong showings with Glock having his best ever result. Kubica was in the last points paying position. Overall it was not a stunning day for BMW Sauber.
After the Hungarian GP result Ferrari remains in first with 111 points, McLaren moves into P2 with 100 and BMW moves back to third with 90 points. The rest of the teams are substantially behing in the constructors championships hunt.
I will post the BMW Sauber release and race pictures this evening.
The next race is the European GP at Valencia, August 22-24.
http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/344407200_zjL6w-L.jpg
Guys, I know you mounted the REALLY FAST button in here some place.
I just can't find it.
Hungarian GP Slideshow (http://M1ka.smugmug.com/photos/swfpopup.mg?AlbumID=5589835&AlbumKey=yuTWh)
BMW Sauber F1 Team - Hungarian Grand Prix - Race
08-03-2008 Press Release
Weather: Dry and sunny. Air: 29-30°C, Track: 29-45°C
Budapest (HU). A single point is the scant booty for the BMW Sauber F1 Team after the Hungarian Grand Prix. Although Robert Kubica had a good grid position (4th) he finished eighth and only just made it into the points. Nick Heidfeld’s chances were very limited anyway as he was 15th on the grid. A one stop strategy elevated him to tenth.
Robert Kubica: 8th
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1:21.941 min on lap 70 (9th fastest overall)
“This was a difficult race. We were very slow and I was struggling with the overall grip of the car. I had massive oversteer and could not really push. I was trying hard to keep the car on the track. Anyway, one point is better than nothing.”
Nick Heidfeld: 10th
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1:22.183 min on lap 67 (11th fastest overall)
“My start wasn’t perfect but okay. As I had hoped, I was able to overtake three cars on the first lap. But later it became more difficult than expected to race with the heavy car. We went for a one stop strategy, so my car was almost full of fuel at the start and I also had to take care of the tyres. I couldn’t match the pace of the cars in front of me. Now we have to analyse today’s lack of race pace. Normally this is one of our strengths!”
Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“We were completely off the pace during the race. Neither driver was able to do the lap times we expected after the sessions on Friday and Saturday. It was the same on both tyre compounds. The reason for that is currently not clear, but we shall analyse everything. Congratulations to Heikki Kovalainen for his maiden win in F1 and, of course, Timo Glock for his strong weekend, crowned by finishing second.”
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“Of course we are very disappointed with today’s performance. Now we need to analyse why we were not able to match our qualifying performance during the race. We shall do this in the factories in Hinwil and Munich because, due to the testing break, we are not able to test before the next race in Valencia in three weeks.”
PAGoldsby
08-03-2008, 05:08 PM
Another crazy afternoon in Budapest. Kubica did well to get a point, but Nick is one race closer to unemployment. I still think he's going to be gone at the end of the European segment of the season.
I was sickened to see Ferrari blood all over the tarmac. Yech!
It's been a good week for Heikki, no?
I too think Heidfled is gone. BMW did a fluff piece in July that smacked of saying goodbye gracefully. I am not certain about the timing.
I blog about BMW but I have been a tufosi since I found out about F1 as a kid and it was painful to see Massa blow up.
Yes a good weekend for Heikki. To bad he drives for McLaren. I have admired many of their innovations over the years but have not been a fan of the team.
I have not been paying attention to the silly season rumors. Any good guess who becomes the other driver for BMW Sauber? The team owns a chunk of rights to some of the other young guns or will they bring someone form GP2 or the BMW series?
BMW Sauber F1 Team - European Grand Prix - Preview
08-15-2008 Press Release
Reinvigorated after the brief summer break, the BMW Sauber F1 Team is looking forward to the Formula One debut in the Mediterranean port of Valencia, the first of two street circuit premieres this season. The second is the night race in Singapore at the end of September.
Although Valencia possesses a permanent race track – the Circuito Ricardo Tormo – it was decided that, rather than upgrading it to Formula One standard, a course running through the city and along the harbour would be used instead. A backdrop of bobbing yachts may be reminiscent of the Monaco Grand Prix, but the circuit is more in keeping with modern requirements and does not emulate the confined conditions found in the Principality. There are several sections where the F1 cars are expected to reach around 300 km/h. The Formula 3 and GT races held on the last weekend of July served as a “dress rehearsal” for the forthcoming Grand Prix.
There was no opportunity for Formula One testing in Valencia, so the BMW Sauber F1 Team has prepared with the help of simulation. Based on the circuit data, the anticipated ideal line was plotted with the aid of a computer program, while lap times were simulated in varying vehicle configurations. For the mechanical set-up, the weight distribution as well as spring and damper settings were determined, and based on the calculated speeds, the gear ratios were also fixed. Taking downforce levels and track characteristics into account, the lap simulation was able to establish the extent of brake wear, and on this basis the brake materials and cooling requirements were determined. Grip levels of the asphalt surface and tyre wear, on the other hand, can only be verified on location.
Valencia has long cast off its former image of an industrial port city and has emerged as one of Europe’s cultural metropolises. The Marina of Spain’s third-largest city, with a population of around 850,000, has been transformed into a stylish and fashionable complex on the back of the America’s Cup held there in 2007. The F1 circuit leads across a bridge that links the North and South Marina. On the south side, the cars drive along the quayside, past the historic fish market and towards the suburb of Grao. They then briefly follow the course of the River Turia before braking into a hairpin bend, following which the route snakes back towards the waterfront. After a series of S-bends, the cars take a left turn and enter the start-finish straight, bringing them back to the harbour and home, the team garages being set up in the port buildings.
Nick Heidfeld:
“I’m always pleased when a new race track turns up in the calendar, and I’m particularly keen to experience Valencia. It will be an authentic street circuit in the sense that it runs through the town centre, unlike the Melbourne or Montreal tracks. In terms of its charms and challenges, the Valencia race will probably come closest to the Monaco Grand Prix. I really like Valencia, which I’ve visited many times, of course. We do a lot of testing on the permanent race track in Cheste and we’ve rolled out our new Formula One car in Valencia on several occasions. The first few metres in a brand-new car are always a very special experience.
“Early this year I spent a few days in Valencia with my family between the rollout and the next test. We had a great time, went to the beach, and in town there’s a dried-out riverbed that has nature parks and playgrounds. That was very nice, especially for the children. Valencia is also a great place for shopping and eating out, needless to say, and I love the contrast between its historic and futuristic architecture. I’m looking forward to the weekend.”
Robert Kubica:
“I am very much looking forward to Valencia as I am a big fan of street circuits in general. They are very demanding as they are often bumpy and the street surface changes. When you make a mistake you easily run into barriers. Anyway, Valencia will not be a complete street circuit. There will be lots of run-off areas for safety reasons. The FIA puts a lot of effort into safety, which is good.
“On a street circuit it is of major importance to have a good basic set-up which is easy to drive. The lap time improvement has to be gained step by step, you cannot drive in too wild a style. Also, in terms of the racing line you have to approach this gradually. It is very important to walk the track before driving it the first time to get a feeling for the surface and the layout.”
Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director:
“The short summer break after the race in Budapest has benefited everyone. Now we are embarking on the remaining three European races and four overseas GPs with renewed vigour. Our aim is to continue on from the good results of the first half of the season. We still have a few arrows in our quiver and we aim to land one or other hit.
“The European Grand Prix around the port area of Valencia is new to the programme this year. We are very much looking forward to the race and the city, particularly as BMW has some close associations with Valencia. The Formula BMW Racing Center there serves as the training site for our up-and-coming young talent in the Formula BMW series around the world. Valencia is by tradition the venue for rolling out our new F1 car, and beyond that city races always make for a unique atmosphere. We await the new circuit with keen anticipation.”
Willy Rampf, Technical Director:
“Valencia is a new venue in the calendar and as such poses a particular challenge, not least because it’s a street circuit. Not that it’s a slow one – the drivers will be exceeding the 300 km/h mark on the fastest section. With the help of our simulation programs we are in a position to reliably calculate the required downforce levels in advance as well as brake wear and gear ratios. That means we will start out with a good basic set-up.
“If you compare Valencia with Monaco, you’re talking about two street circuits but with very distinctive characters and very different challenges for the cars. In Valencia we will be racing with a lot of downforce, but not with the maximum that Monaco demands.”
08-21-2008 Press Release
Interview with Markus Duesmann, Head of Powertrain BMW Sauber F1 Team
Munich/Hinwil, 21.8.2008. The BMW Sauber F1 Team have now concluded their investigations into the KERS incident at Jerez in late July. Markus Duesmann, Head of Powertrain, gives us more details.
What exactly happened in Jerez?
Markus Duesmann, Head of Powertrain: “The mechanic suffered an electric shock after touching the sidepod and steering wheel of the car. There was a high-frequency AC voltage between these contact points, the cause of which has been traced back to the KERS control unit and a sporadic capacitive coupling from the high-voltage network to the 12-volt network. The voltage ran through the wiring of the 12-volt network to the steering wheel and through the carbon chassis back to the control unit.”
Note on capacitive coupling: this refers to an inadvertent transfer of electric voltage between two transfer media by inductive or capacitive coupling.
Was there a serious danger to the mechanic and the driver?
Duesmann: “No, as only a small amount of energy can be transferred through this capacitive coupling effect. However, the energy is sufficient to cause an extremely painful reaction. The driver was insulated against the car by his racing overalls and gloves and therefore not in any danger.”
Why did the investigation take so long?
Duesmann: “It was not possible initially to reproduce the capacitive coupling effect in the car, as the problem was caused by a sporadic error in the control unit. Due to the extremely high frequency of the voltage in the steering wheel, the safety mechanisms and data recordings did not pick up on the error. In the absence of data, all the theoretical possibilities had to be systematically investigated and analysed in tests. Furthermore, the capacitive coupling effect only occurs under certain conditions. Without the option of driving the KERS test car used in Jerez again, we had to reconstruct these conditions. We also had to develop a model to be installed between the steering wheel and sidepod which replicated the characteristics of the human body as an electric transfer element.”
What measures are now being taken to solve the problem?
Duesmann: “In addition to the measures required to tackle the issue at hand, the extremely far-reaching analysis we conducted also gave rise to other recommendations which are of great value for the development of electric KERS systems. Among the measures arrived at are changes in the design of the control unit to avoid capacitive coupling effects, extended monitoring functions for high frequencies and a conductive connection of the chassis components to avoid any electric potential.”
What will happen with these findings now?
Duesmann: “We have already handed over this safety analysis, complete with measures and recommendations, to the FIA, and will also make our findings available to the other teams at the next meeting of the Technical Working Group.”
When will the next track test for KERS take place?
Duesmann: “We will resume the testing programme once all the necessary amendments to the safety concept have been implemented. We expect this to be the case in the autumn.”
Valencia – Friday Free Practice
The phrase ‘Green Track’ is normally understood to mean a freshly resurfaced race track. That does not begin to describe Valencia. Fresh resurfacing on a street track with 22 corners that has never been used before is what makes up this track. Toss in a bridge with a gap in the middle that bounces the cars like a curb and has a hard turn at the far side and all went to make for an interesting free practice.
Three tire compounds were available and offered mixed results as suspension settings were sorted out. With little or no run off areas available on street tract traction v speed will be a major concern. Speed was not lost; however. Straight away speeds of over 196 mph were reported. Tomorrow’s qualifying will give let us know how much of that speed will be given up to increased down force needed to aid in traction.
Alonso managed to gain a dubious place in the record books for Valencia. He wondered back and forth across the white lines to the entrance of the pit area catching the eyes of the race officials. He is the first driver to be investigated as a result a potential rules violation at Valencia and will probably add being the first driver fined to his list of Valencia records. Ah, F-1 rules.
The Friday session seemed to be business as usual for the BMW Sauber team. Heidfeld seemed to be working hard with mixed results for his efforts. Kubica managed to pull himself up to fourth fastest at one point but did not hold on to it.
formula1.com (http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/8/8251.html): Practice - Vettel pips Massa
http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/356773116_wKaMR-L.jpg
Gallery: European GP – Valencia (http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/swfpopup.mg?AlbumID=5767859&AlbumKey=MMV4A)
BMW Sauber F1 Team - European Grand Prix - Free Practice
08-22-2008 Press Release
Weather: dry, partly cloudy, 28-30°C Air, 33-44°C Track
Valencia (ES). Both BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers had a trouble free first day on the new street circuit round the harbour area of Valencia, which received compliments from every direction. Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld completed their evaluation of the harder and softer tyre compounds as planned, and both of them see room for improvement before the start of the European Grand Prix.
Robert Kubica:
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
1st Practice: 6th, 1:41.281 min / 2nd Practice: 8th, 1:40.149 min
“In the First Free Practice session we concentrated on learning the new circuit. The surface was still very dirty in the morning, so we had to wait until the track picked up some grip. In the Second Free Practice the conditions were better, although it was still quite slippery, and our main focus was on tyre evaluation and basic set-up work. Anyway, the track conditions were changing every thirty minutes. Because of this it is quite tricky to make a prediction for tomorrow. We now have to analyse the data.”
Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
1st Practice: 16th, 1:42.453 min / 2nd Practice: 18th, 1:41.084 min
“I really like the new Valencia street circuit as they have done a very good job on the lay-out. Of course at the start the track was extremely dirty, but obviously the conditions are the same for everybody. We had no technical problems and I was able to do the tyre comparison as planned. I’m not happy with the lap times yet, so now we shall look into the data and figure out how we can improve.”
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“Although this is a new track, there were no surprises for us as regards the car’s set-up. The circuit is as we expected, and we were well prepared. As usual on Friday we concentrated on comparing the tyres and race preparation. We were able to complete the programme without any technical problems. Because we cannot use any previous information to refer to for this new track, we shall now analyse all the data. We shall pay special attention to comparing the sector times so we can make the right set-up changes for the rest of the weekend.”
GP of Europe Valencia Qualifying
Constructors Championship standings before the European GP – Valencia
CONSTRUCTOR STANDINGS
01 Ferrari 111
02 McLaren-Mercedes 100
03 BMW Sauber 90
04 Toyota 35
05 Renault 31
06 Red Bull-Renault 24
07 Williams-Toyota 16
08 Honda 14
09 STR-Ferrari 8
10 Force India-Ferrari 0
11 Super Aguri-Honda 0
Drivers Championship standings before the European GP – Valencia
DRIVER STANDINGS
01 Lewis Hamilton 62
02 Kimi Räikkönen 57
03 Felipe Massa 54
04 Robert Kubica 49
05 Nick Heidfeld 41
06 Heikki Kovalainen 38
07 Jarno Trulli 22
08 Fernando Alonso 18
09 Mark Webber 18
10 Timo Glock 13
11 Nelsinho Piquet 13
12 Rubens Barrichello 11
13 Nico Rosberg 8
14 Kazuki Nakajima 8
15 David Coulthard 6
16 Sebastian Vettel 6
17 Jenson Button 3
18 Sebastien Bourdais 2
19 Giancarlo Fisichella 0
20 Takuma Sato 0
21 Adrian Sutil 0
22 Anthony Davidson 0
Qualifying
http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/357275674_FwuEi-M.jpg
Qualifying practice found drivers and teams mixed up all over the place. Overnight rain had washed away all the rubber built up on Friday returning the track to a green condition. The potential bright spot for BMW Sauber was having Kubica in first during practice and Heidlfeld eight.
Q1
Both BMW Sauber drivers were out at the beginning of Q1. The sky was heavily overcast and threatening rain so no one could hold back in any of the sessions.
Kubica briefly held P1 and then dropped as other teams took their flying laps but at no time was he at risk of not making it through the session. The same could not be said for his teammate.
Heidfeld struggled through Q1. He spent most of the session in the drop zone. At one point it looked as he could have been blocked by Toyota’s Glock while Heidlfed was on a flying lap. Glock will be investigated and his position in the final grid shown here should be considered provisional. The checkered flag dropped on the firs qualifying session while Heidfeld was completing his final lap. At the start of the final lap he was well into the drop zone and then on this final lap made it into Q2.
Q2
Sprinkles on part of the elongated Valencia track had everyone out and running hard at the start of the second session. With about five minutes remaining the track was empty briefly as teams held to see if it would rain. It didn’t and they were back out in short order.
Q2 is normally the fastest of the three qualifying sessions and Heidfeld made a significant move to P3. Kubica did not fare as well. He scored strong laps early and may have been sorting things out a bit more in anticipation of Q3. The main thing for BMW Sauber is both drivers were through to the final session.
There were some surprises in Q2.
Much of the buzz going into this race was about the fight between Renault and Toyota for fourth in the Constructor’s Championship. Glock has looked strong of late scoring P2 in the last race at Hungary. Alonso had been very strong in the first qualifying session. Yet neither team was able to get a driver into Q3.
Toro Rosso was the other surprise. They put both their drivers through to Q3. Their sister team Red Bull did not do as well. Coulthard was out after Q1 and Weber after Q2.
Q3
The final grid positions where determined in the last laps of the final session. Hamilton had been strong in all of the sessions and looked to have the pole when the final checkered flag fell ending qualifying. But Massa had started his last flying lap before that and took the pole in the end. This moved Kubica of the front row to the second row in P3 with Rikkonen alongside him in P4. Heidfeld recovered from his strong showing in Q2 and returned to form securing P8 on the starting grid.
The Race
I am not certain what to expect in the race. This is the first race on this track and the weather is questionable. Weather will undoubtedly clean the track overnight once again. The race will in all likely hood start on a green track. The top three drivers in practice finished 3, 9 and 10 in final qualifying. The drivers making it through all three qualifying sessions all had moments of brilliance. With no history to aid my best guess is the first race on the Valencia track will be determined during the first lap and first pit stop.
The first lap sets the stage. The grid launches down a high speed straight into a hard right hander. Remember this is a street course with concrete barriers allowing no run off room. F1 drivers are notorious gambles in how the jump off and fight into turn one. The result in this race could be a major pile up in turn one leaving some strong cars broken and out of the race.
The first Valencia pit stop takes on added importance in my view. Q3 has all cars going out in with their final race setup and fuel load with the only thing that changes during the session are the tires and normally all teams end up on the same race compound. Teams were on the track using all three compounds at the end of the session. How these hold up in grip and mileage will go a long way to determining when a drivers first stop will come. The first round of pit stops could play a big part in strategy and final race positions.
Valencia is a slot car fast track. Top speeds on the main straight push 200mph and the average qualifying speeds were in the 120mph + range. Like a slot car track it is unforgiving when you make a mistake and this could make the crash and burn fans happy.
This should be a very fun race for everyone to watch.
Formula1.com ( http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/) – Post qualifying headlines from the official site.
Also in the F-1 news this weekend
The silly season continues. Everyone is lining up and the queue lines up behind Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen. Neither current F-1 champ, nor Ferrari, has announced plans for where the champ will be next season. Rumors have him moving to the World Rally Car series, staying at Ferrari or retiring. This leaves everyone else waiting in line. Formula1.com (http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2008/8/8250.html) has its version of where Berrichello and Alonso may be in the queue.
08-23-2008 Press Release
Weather: overcast, some raindrops, 26-29°C Air, 27-33°C Track
Valencia (ES). Positive qualifying for the BMW Sauber F1 Team - Robert Kubica qualified third for the maiden event at the Valencia street circuit. Nick Heidfeld finished qualifying for the European Grand Prix in eighth.
Robert Kubica:
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 3rd, 1:39.392 min (3rd Practice: 1st, 1:38.754 min)
“This was a very good Qualifying for the team and me. After some unlucky races lately the pace of the car here in Valencia is not that bad. However, there is still a small gap to Ferrari and McLaren. Qualifying went pretty smoothly, with only the weather a bit unstable. In the end there were only some rain drops in the second qualifying session, but this did not affect the result. The choice of tyres was pretty clear for me by yesterday: I went on the harder compound in Q1 and on the softer compound in Q2 and in Q3.”
Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 8th, 1:40.631 min (3rd Practice: 8th, 1:39.335 min)
“Qualifying eighth is not perfect, but I think it was about the maximum possible today as the fuel load comes into play. In Q1 I thought it was déja-vu when Timo Glock was in my way. Our team informs us on the radio how many seconds behind us a fast car is, and when we have to let somebody overtake. Apparently this isn’t the case in every team. I was afraid my qualifying would be ruined, but luckily I was able to do a second lap straight away and it was good enough. Q2 was fine, as I was third fastest and could see the pace was there. Generally speaking I’m a lot happier with my car today. On Friday I was struggling a lot, but we have made a lot of changes since.”
Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“On this new and demanding track Robert had a great qualifying again and fought his way through to P3 on the grid. Nick improved in the second part of qualifying and made it into Q3 with the third best time overall. His last lap wasn’t perfect as he lost some time in the second sector. Anyway, eighth is good. What these positions are worth we shall see tomorrow during the first pit stops. We had no technical problems during qualifying.”
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“This was a very exciting qualifying. In the first part there were some rain drops, and in the second part the times were close. It's positive that we were able to get both cars into the top ten qualifying. Nick drove a very fast lap in Q2 and was able to qualify easily for Q3. Robert also had a very strong performance. Starting from P3 he is in a very good position for the race, and Nick will also have his chances. I'm pleased all the hard work we have done since the race in Hungary has paid off.”
European GP – Valencia: 1 Provisional Result
1 Massa
2 Hamilton
3 Kubica
4 Kovalainen
5 Trulli
6 Vettel
7 Glock
8 Rosberg
9 Heidfeld
10 Bourdais
11 Piquet
12 Webber
13 Button
14 Fischella
15 Nakajima
16 Barrichello
17 Coulthard
18 Raikkonen – retired with engine failure
19 Sutil – retired after crash
20 Alonso – retired after incident with Nakajima on first lap
Massa takes the first victory title at Valencia under a cloud. Ferrari and Massa will be investigated for a near crash with Force India’s Sutil.
Kubica makes it back on the podium in third while his team mate turned in another very less than impressive ninth loosing a spot from his starting position on the grid.
Driver’s standings – pending the investigation of Massa/Ferrari
Hamilton – 70
Massa – 64
Raikkonen – 57
Kubica – 55
Constructors Championship
Ferrari – 121
McLaren – 113
BMW Sauber – 96
During the after race interview with the podium finishers Kubica sat holding his head up with his left hand and looked terribly bored. I can not say I was bored with the race but this race did little for me on the track.
Off the track in the pits and in the garage is what was interesting.
Massa’s victory is provisional. During the second pitstop the winner was released by the team right into a pit lane near miss with Sutil. This did not result in a race penalty and will probably result in a fine for Ferrari. Until that is resolved the race result should be considered provisional.
Raikkonen’s Ferrari engine exploded this weekend in similar fashion to Massa’s failure at Hungary. Both failures were on the second race for the respective engine. The engine may have cooked itself during a dramatic pit incident. Raikkonen jumped the end of the second pit stop breaking off the fueling hose and knocking down three mechanics. He was held while the fueling team struggled to release the hose and get him underway.
McLaren motored on. Hamilton finished second able to press Massa but not beat him. Kovalainen had a good showing finishing fourth. The result for the weekends work is Hamilton continues lead the Driver’s Championship and the team closed in on Ferrari in the Constructor’s Championship.
Kubica’s facials during the interview says volumes for the BMW Sauber weekend results. Kubica was back on pace and the podium. He still does not seem to have the combination to seriously challenge the leaders. The car has the potential to be in second place in the Constructors Championship. The problem is with the number two driver Heidfeld, who was on the track at the end of the race but out of the points. This has been the case in too many races for the progress the team seems to have made in relation to Ferrari and McLaren.
I will post BMW's release and a link to the Valencia photos this evening.
Gallery (http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/swfpopup.mg?AlbumID=5767859&AlbumKey=MMV4A)
BMW Sauber F1 Team - European Grand Prix – Race
08-24-2008 Press Release
Weather: Dry and sunny. Air: 28-29°C, Track: 44-45°C
Valencia (ES). At the maiden F1 event in Valencia Robert Kubica finished third. It is the eighth podium for the BMW Sauber F1 Team in 2008 and the fifth this season for the Pole. Kubica started the European Grand Prix from third on the grid. Team mate Nick Heidfeld slid from eighth to ninth immediately after the start and did not score in Spain.
Robert Kubica: 3rd
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1:39.330 min on lap 38 (4th fastest overall)
“I started pretty well but in corner 1 I went over the kerb and Lewis was closing. In the second corner I was going to overtake Lewis, but I saw Felipe braking quite early. It would have been too much of a risk, as I could end up overshooting the braking point and crashing into him. Over the next few laps I was consistently a bit slower than Lewis. Suddenly I saw a white plastic bag flying across the track, but could not avoid it and it went under the car. I couldn’t steer for two corners, which was extremely dangerous. Fortunately most of the bag soon flew away, but my confidence was very low over the next sector, and I lost around three seconds. In the end I finished third. Eventually I think my good qualifying result yesterday was crucial for today’s result.”
Nick Heidfeld: 9th
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1:39.526 min on lap 57 (7th fastest overall)
“This was one of the worst races ever for me. To finish ninth in a car which is obviously good enough for third is a disaster. After qualifying I was pretty confident because we realised we could go well. But in the race I had big problems with the harder tyres during the first two stints, and it was only better at the end with the softer compound. I lost one position after the start and later in the race I couldn’t gain any. The pace wasn’t there.”
Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“First of all a big compliment to the organisers of the event for such a good first race. The atmosphere in the city and at the circuit around the harbour is just fantastic. From now on Valencia will be one of the season’s highlights. Certainly we enjoyed being back on the podium, with it being the fifth time this year for Robert. He drove a strong race. During the early laps he had some trouble as a plastic bag was stuck on his car and affected its handling. Apart from this both cars ran trouble free and the pit stops went well. Starting from eighth was not an ideal situation for Nick. We were hoping he would improve one or two places at the start, but in the heat of the moment he unfortunately lost a position and then the race was basically over for him.”
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“This was a race without too much excitement. Our most difficult moment was when Robert radioed he had a problem. On the telemetry data we could see that his car lost downforce, which was due to a plastic bag stuck to the floor of the car. During the first pit stop we removed it, and after this, everything was fine again. At the start Robert almost overtook Lewis Hamilton, but finally it didn't work out. He then drove a good and consistent race, and he finished in third. Nick started from eighth, hence we expected him to score championship points. However, his pace was simply too slow. Of course we are happy about Robert's podium finish, but overall we expected to score more points today.”
Test in Monza: 27th/28th August Nick Heidfeld, 29th August Robert Kubica
motoring.co.za (http://www.motoring.co.za/index.php?from=rss_Motoring&fArticleId=4586034): Ferrari names drivers for 2009
Ferrari has announced Raikkonen and Massa will be its drivers for the 2009 F1 season. Now the rest of the contracts will fall in order like dominos.
?Heidfeld?
leeines
08-30-2008, 11:15 AM
Hello Mika,
I just discovered your F-1 posts this morning. I had not seen them before. Apparently they do not stay on the start up page very long.
My congratulations to you for such really good posts. I went through all nine pages this morning.
Keep up the good work. I really appreciate the quality and of course the time you spend getting this onto the site for those of us who are F-1 fans.
I am a diehard F-1 fan of several decades. Now almost into my 70's and ride an
'06 GSA.
Lee;)
BMW-Web.tv has three pieces on preparing for Valencia to give us a Labor Day F1 fix.
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Belgian GP – Practice
A cool fall day with a bit of a drizzle makes me want to light a fire in the fire place and settle back. If you are in Belgium this weekend you go racing instead.
Spa-Francorchamps (http://www.formula1.com/races/in_detail/belgium_799/circuit_diagram.html)
Race Date: 07 Sep 2008
Number of Laps: 44
Circuit Length: 7.004 km
Race Distance: 308.052 km
Lap Record: 1:45.108 - K Raikkonen (2004)
formula1.com (http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2008/9/8310.html): Spa-Francorchamps – Technical Requirements to set up for the race
Friday practice was held on a cool overcast day. The second session sprinkles brought sent the drivers to the pits then on their return sent several into the safety barriers.
BMW Sauber drivers put in the normal day in the office with Heidfeld finishing the day 8th fastest and Kubica 9th.
Massa was in control in both sessions. Raikkonen worked hard and crashed in the second session for all his efforts. The rear aerodynamics were knocked off and a radiator damaged spilling coolant on the track. This is the second race for Raikkonen’s Ferrari engine and one has to wonder what impact this will have on his race.
The Championship standings going into this weekend.
Drivers Championship points going into the weekend:
Pos Driver Nationality Team Points
1 Lewis Hamilton
British McLaren-Mercedes
70
2 Felipe Massa
Brazilian Ferrari
64
3 Kimi Räikkönen
Finnish Ferrari
57
4 Robert Kubica
Polish BMW Sauber
55
5 Heikki Kovalainen
Finnish McLaren-Mercedes
43
6 Nick Heidfeld
German BMW Sauber
41
7 Jarno Trulli
Italian Toyota
26
8 Fernando Alonso
Spanish Renault
18
9 Mark Webber
Australian Red Bull-Renault
18
10 Timo Glock
German Toyota
15
11 Nelsinho Piquet
Brazilian Renault
13
12 Rubens Barrichello
Brazilian Honda
11
13 Nico Rosberg
German Williams-Toyota
9
14 Sebastian Vettel
German STR-Ferrari
9
15 Kazuki Nakajima
Japanese Williams-Toyota
8
16 David Coulthard
British Red Bull-Renault
6
17 Jenson Button
British Honda
3
18 Sebastien Bourdais
French STR-Ferrari
2
19 Giancarlo Fisichella
Italian Force India-Ferrari
0
20 Takuma Sato
Japanese Super Aguri-Honda
0
21 Adrian Sutil
German Force India-Ferrari
0
22 Anthony Davidson
British Super Aguri-Honda
0
Pos Team Points
1 Ferrari
121
2 McLaren-Mercedes
113
3 BMW Sauber
96
4 Toyota
41
5 Renault
31
6 Red Bull-Renault
24
7 Williams-Toyota
17
8 Honda
14
9 STR-Ferrari
11
10 Force India-Ferrari
0
11 Super Aguri-Honda
0
Note - Super Aguri withdrew from the championship after round four
This is going to be an important weekend for the Silly Season driver shake out. I think this is where teams are at but I may well be mistaken.
Team Drivers:
FERRARI: Both drivers will remain in 2009
MASA
RAIKKONEN
McLAREN: Both drivers will remain
HAMILTON
KOVELLINAN
BMW Sauber: Still participating in the Silly Season.
KUBICA – Is expected as a result of an option.
Heidfeld – Looks to be on his way out. There have been several indications of BMW Sauber allowing him a graceful retirement exit to this point but no announcement. After a poor showing in Valencia word up and down the pits is he may not make it through the season if he doesn’t do well this weekend. The question is who would replace him? If BMW is seriously going to contend for the Constructors Championship it needs a strong driver who is also able to work with the engineers on car development.
RED BULL – Coulthard’s retirement results in -
WEBER will stay
VETTEL moves from Toro Rosso to the “A” team of the Bull’s
WILLIAMS
ROSSBERG has contract
NAKAJIMA – unsigned and many think is doubtful
TOYOTA
TRULLI – signed
Glock – unsigned but is suppose to be close in negotiations.
HONDA
????
????
Currently – Barrichello and Button. Honda is just one big question mark.
FORCE INDIA expected to remain the same
Fisichello
Sutil
No contract announcements. The focus is on the back of the house and rancor with aerodynamicist and other engineers.
http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/366128518_AJf8L-L.jpg
Heidfeld
http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/366128880_jbayd-L.jpg
Kubica
http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/366129299_4mgD7-L.jpg
http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/366130724_aJiGG-L.jpg
http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/366131258_pVbQj-L.jpg
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BMW Sauber F1 Team - Belgian Grand Prix - Free Practice
09-05-2008 Press Release
Weather: cloudy, some rain in the afternoon, 15-17°C Air, 15-17°C Track
Spa-Francorchamps (BE). The Friday practice sessions for the Belgian Grand Prix were in typical Ardennes weather conditions. For the afternoon session the dark grey sky produced the first rain. Inconsistent track conditions made comparisons and proper analysis for the set-up work difficult.
Robert Kubica:
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
1st Practice: 11th, 1:49.139 min / 2nd Practice: 11th, 1:49.875 min
“The conditions today were variable, especially in the afternoon session. Therefore today it was not only the testing that was difficult, but also evaluating the results of our programme. At the end of the day the conditions were the same for everybody. We shall now analyse the data and prepare for Saturday. When I was doing a practice start at the end of the session the engine stalled.”
Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
1st Practice: 12th, 1:49.185 min / 2nd Practice: 10th, 1:49.725 min
“Generally speaking my first day of practice here was okay. The track’s level of grip was, as expected, low and this meant it wasn’t too easy to drive the car. We have made some small changes during the course of the day, but, due to the inconsistent weather conditions, it was extremely difficult to make judgements. Because of the weather we couldn’t do our usual tyre comparisons either, as we could not run the harder and softer compounds under the same conditions. This makes the analyses tricky but that’s the same for everybody.”
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“Because of the changing track conditions, it's very difficult to draw the right conclusions from the set-up changes we made during the two sessions today. We were not able to complete our programme as planned, and this was specially the case for the tyre comparisons. The set-up decisions for tomorrow will now be based on data analysis and simulation. According to the latest weather forecast it should be dry tomorrow morning, which would give us the chance to complete our work in the third free practice.”
Heidfeld is running for his F1 life! -
formula1.com (http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/9/8317.html): Heidfeld tops Saturday pre qualifying practice
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Qualifying at Belgium was fun. The track stayed dry and their were a bunch of surprises as the sessions rolled out.
Heidfeld continued to be the hotshoe for BMW. As high as fourth during the various sessions he will start the 5th.
Kubica is not a happy camper as he takes over what has been Heidfeld’s P8 on the grid. The Pol’s problems began on Friday when his mechanics sent him out to practice on the wrong setup. It took the majority of practice to get the proper setup on the car. Today he seemed to remain behind the curve, able to bump as high as fifth during a session only to see his times bettered quickly.
Bourdais, another driver under the gun, surprised everyone at the end of Q1. His times had been marginal through the session and he looked to be in the knockout zone when he rocketed to P1 on the last flying lap of the session.
The Toyota team was not able to get either driver out of Q2. This team has had troubles at Spa in the past but in the last few races seemed to be coming on big time and dueling with Renault for fourth in the Constructors Championship.
Renault had mixed results. Alonso motored his way to P6 on the starting grid while his teammate Piquet was not able to get out of Q2. Alonso seemed to have troubles with tires in all the qualifying sessions never quite getting the grip that he needed.
The rest of the teams sorted themselves out predictably. Honda has to be going nuts. If it were not for Force India they would have the cellar well in hand. For all the resources you would think they have at hand and the quality of their drivers Honda has nothing to show for their efforts.
The race should be a good one to watch. Spa is a wonderful track. Rain may be an issue. It did not play a part in qualifying but remains on the table for the race. If it does rain the outcome will change drastically.
Ferrari has to be concerned with Raikkonen’s engine. While he did well in the qualifying sessions he did crash the car yesterday and dumped coolant. Will the engine hold up for race distance? Massa can be as fast as Hamilton but I believe this is the second race on this engine.
For BMW Sauber fans the cars are in predictable performance form; it is the drivers that are in question. Can Heidfeld keep up the strong past or will this be a dream he wakes up from race morning? Kubica has to get over his Friday problems and continue to catch up on the driver performance curve.
BMW Sauber F1 Team - Belgian Grand Prix - Qualifying
09-06-2008 Press Release
Weather: overcast but dry, 15-17°C Air, 16-18°C Track
Spa-Francorchamps (BE). Nick Heidfeld qualified fifth for the Belgian Grand Prix while his team-mate in the BMW Sauber F1 Team, Robert Kubica, was eighth fastest at Spa-Francorchamps. The entire session was in dry conditions.
Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 5th, 1:48.315 min (3rd Practice: 1st, 1:47.876 min)
“I’m happy with the qualifying result, and for me the weekend has gone well so far. It wasn’t bad on Friday, this morning I was quickest and fifth was the best possible result in qualifying. For me it is very important to know the work we have done has paid off. A couple of weeks ago we found solutions to some problems, and for me this meant an improvement, but then came the race in Valencia which was surprisingly bad. Then at last week’s Monza test we were able to learn something more. I have the feeling we are a little closer to McLaren and Ferrari here. However, I think in the race it will be very difficult for us to keep up with their pace. Tomorrow the weather conditions will be an important factor and a good start for me will be crucial. I will start from the clean side of the track.”
Robert Kubica:
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 8th, 1:48.763 min (3rd Practice: 13th, 1:49.250 min)
“Qualifying was difficult for me although the conditions were the best so far over the course of the weekend. The track was completely dry, but I have had problems with the balance of the car all weekend and I am lacking overall grip. This makes driving quite difficult, especially here in Spa where you have a lot of long corners.”
Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“I'm satisfied with today’s performance. We obviously didn't have the right basic set-up yesterday, and, with the changing weather conditions, it was not easy to get it right. However, we saw this morning we were able to make a significant step forward. Nick confirmed this in qualifying with both low and high fuel loads. He is now in a strong position for the race. For Robert things were just not right this weekend, and in qualifying he wasn’t able to put in a perfect lap.”
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“Although we struggled yesterday to find the right set-up, today we managed to get both cars safely into Q3. Nick in particular has made a big step forward since yesterday and he was very strong in qualifying. Robert struggled with the car’s set-up in all the practice sessions, and sector 2 was particularly difficult for him. I think we are well prepared for the race. Now we have to see what the other teams’ strategies are.”
Check out Formula1.com for their news articles. I will post some thoughts this evening. Here are the provisional results.
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If you did not watch the Belgium GP at Spa-Francorchamps try to see it on a rebroadcast. It will be billed as a single race, most F-1 races are actually two races but this year’s Belgium GP is actually three races in one.
The first race in any Formula 1 GP is the race to turn one. In this case a shot down a short straight from the starting grid into a greater than 90 degree turn one. This is the form of open wheel racing that I like the least.
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I will admit that while playing F-1 computer simulations I took advantage of the race to turn one. In on GP simulated season I did all the work to set up my car for each race and then intentionally qualified last. I sat at the very back of the starting grid and would blast past cars picking up positions by the handful along the way. In several cases I was able to go from last on the grid to race leader during the first lap. It should also be noted that in several races I crashed out before even reaching turn one. It was fun on a computer simulation but for a race fan it is frustrating in real life.
Spa-Frank is was the host to one of the most disastrous races to turn one ever. This year everyone made it through turn one but not without major realignments in the field. Heidfeld had three excellent rounds of qualifying on Saturday only to loose six positions in the sprint to turn one. His team mate Kubica did not suffer as much dropping only two and began the second race ahead of Heidfeld.
The second race of my F-1 race day begins with a flying start at the beginning of lap 2. Qualifying sets the field, lap 1 gets the butterflies out and with the start of lap 2 the real race begins. Today the table was set for a good deal of racing to come that would sort itself out into two sets of dueling teams and a knight errant.
The primary race duel, as expected, was between Ferrari and McLaren. Kovalienen, the number two McLaren driver, was taken out of the team competition by a drive through penalty incurred in a passing bump with Vettel. Predominantly, the second race was lead by a Ferrari – McClaren – Ferrari sandwich.
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The other race duel had BMW Sauber contending with Toro Rossi. After the four drivers for the two teams dealt with the rest of the field they spent most of with four seconds separating them front to rear.
While there were interesting passes and pit work involved in this you have to step back and wonder what BMW Sauber is doing in this duel. Toro Rossi is the junior varsity Red Bull sponsored team. It uses restricted V-10 supplier engines from Ferrari. BMW Sauber is supposedly on the cusp of being a top tear constructor of engines and cars. They should be sucking up and spitting out this JV team yet for the second race they were stuck in a duel where Toro Rossi drivers seemed to get the better of the fight. Bourdais led the group through the second race while Vettel weaved in and out between Kubica and Heidfeld.
Was this an example the football adage “on any Sunday” coming to roost on an F-1 track or a statement of where the BMW Sauber team is in its development? Frankly if we are honest it is far more the latter. The Roundel Team has bought all the components. Money is such a big part of racing, but it has not found the combination of parts and people to elevate itself to the elite level currently occupied by Ferrari and McLaren. Not yet at any rate.
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The knight errant in race two was Alonso in his Renault. He scored first with the first fast lap on lap two. I am not a big fan of Alonso but I have to tip my lance to the effort he made personally this race weekend to put his Renault the hunt.
The third race of the day was fascinating. The Belgium skies had threatened rain all day. The track radar and weatherman expected it around the time teams would be making there second pit stop. Speculation was hot and heavy at one point when Raikkonen and Hamilton had pitted, Massa was still on the track and the skies darkened. The commentator wisdom was Massa was in position to run away with the race from P3 if the ran would start before his pit stop. It did not, not until there were 4-5 laps left in the race Belgium Grand Prix and the third race within that race began.
The leads stayed out. To pit and take rain tires would eliminate their chance for a victory. They started a hilarious slower motion race that demonstrated how F-1 cars have no grip in the wet. The podium order looked to be P1 Raikkonen, P2 Hamilton and P3 Massa to this point. For lap after lap we had been subjected to historical filler and best wishes/birthday prattle from commentators. Suddenly the sprinkles transformed the leader race from a being held on a slot car track to an ice race. Raikkonen and Hamilton traded the lead several times as a result of the leader inability to keep their car pointed in a forward direction. Finally Raikkonen slipped sideways caught traction and drove himself into the wall.
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While this was going on in the front the back markers were all heading into the pits and putting on wets. This included the BMW Sauber drivers. I am not certain of the order, everything was happening so fast. My last not had Heidfeld in P7 on lap 38. I believe he was the first BMW Sauber driver on rains and suddenly he was charging up in the standings. This was no easy task. While he had grip with the rain tires he had to pass people still on dries and survive the process. When the checkered flag fell he was in P3 and closing in on the leaders. One more lap and he well could have been the one standing on the top of the podium.
On to Monza. A Tufosi at heart this is always a big race to watch. How will Ferrari do against McLaren? As for the BMW thread, will BMW Sauber figure out part of the next step in being a big time F1 team or be content to play with the JV teams.
1 Ferrari 131
2 McLaren-Mercedes 119
3 BMW Sauber 107
4 Toyota 41
5 Renault 36
6 Red Bull-Renault 25
7 Williams-Toyota 17
8 STR-Ferrari 17
9 Honda 14
10 Force India-Ferrari 0
11 Super Aguri-Honda 0
Pos Driver Nationality Team Points
1 Lewis Hamilton British McLaren-Mercedes 76
2 Felipe MassaBrazilian Ferrari 74
3 Robert Kubica Polish BMW Sauber 58
4 Kimi Räikkönen Finnish Ferrari 57
5 Nick Heidfeld German BMW Sauber 49
6 Heikki Kovalainen Finnish McLaren-Mercedes 43
7 Jarno Trulli Italian Toyota 26
8 Fernando Alonso Spanish Renault 23
9 Mark Webber Australian Red Bull-Renault 19
10 Timo Glock German Toyota 15
11 Nelsinho Piquet Brazilian Renault 13
12 Sebastian Vettel German STR-Ferrari 13
13 Rubens Barrichello Brazilian Honda 11
14 Nico Rosberg German Williams-Toyota 9
15 Kazuki Nakajima Japanese Williams-Toyota 8
16 David Coulthard British Red Bull-Renault 6
17 Sebastien Bourdais French STR-Ferrari 4
18 Jenson Button British Honda 3
19 Giancarlo Fisichella Italian Force India-Ferrari 0
20 Adrian Sutil German Force India-Ferrari 0
21 Takuma Sato Japanese Super Aguri-Honda 0
22 Anthony Davidson British Super Aguri-Honda 0
BMW Sauber F1 Team - Belgian Grand Prix – Race
09-07-2008 Press Release
Weather: Overcast, rain at the end of the race. Air: 15°C, Track: 17°C
Spa-Francorchamps (BE). Due to a perfect decision in the final stages of the Belgian GP, Nick Heidfeld claimed the ninth podium of the season for the BMW Sauber F1 Team. After 42 of the 44 laps Nick changed to wet weather tyres, and moved up from seventh to third. It was his fourth podium of the season. His team-mate, Robert Kubica, had been ahead of him until he was delayed refuelling at his second pit stop. The pole had started from eighth and finished the action packed grand prix sixth. The BMW Sauber F1 Team has now scored 105 championship points. With five races to go in 2008, the team has so far four more points than in the entire 2007 season.
Nick Heidfeld: 3rd
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1:49.067 min on lap 36 (7th fastest overall)
“I had a fantastic race weekend and I am very happy today. At the start I got off better than the guys in front of me. Then I decided to go for the outside line, but unfortunately Heikki Kovalainen crashed into my car. This can happen, and I was lucky my car wasn’t damaged. Of course I lost a lot of places. Later on in the race I was able to get some back, but then I got stuck in traffic. When the drizzle set in I was convinced it would be heavier on the next lap and decided to change to wet weather tyres. The team asked me if I meant what I said. When I left the pit lane after the stop I asked on the radio how many laps to go, and my engineer said this one and another one. As I couldn’t see any cars on the track I thought, oh this was probably the wrong decision, but then it paid off. It was a Hero or Zero decision.”
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Robert Kubica: 6th
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1:48.965 min on lap 36 (5th fastest overall)
“I am not happy with the result, as today I had the chance to finish on the podium. We had a problem during the second pit stop. I lost two or three positions and returned to the track behind Nick. When it started raining he went into the pits to change tyres. I could not do the same as it would have cost too much time because I was directly behind Nick, so it would have meant us coming into the pits together. Also I had no information about the weather as I had problems with my radio. We gave away points today. However, that’s racing.”
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Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“It was a turbulent race – both immediately after the start and during the final laps. Nick was involved in a collision in turn 1 after the turmoil at the start and, like Robert, lost some positions. As a result, both cars dropped out of the points’ positions. After that the pit crew had problems connecting the nozzle during Robert’s second pit stop. Finally we recovered from these problems. Nick, his race engineer and our strategists took the right decision two laps before the end of the race by changing to wet weather tyres. The team’s ninth podium and Robert’s sixth place scored us nine points. With five races to go the team has 105 points, four more than in the entire 2007 season.”
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“This was the most amazing race I have ever experienced. Up until two laps from the end everything was quite normal, but then things changed dramatically when it started raining. Nick radioed to the pits that he wanted to change tyres. He was the first driver to take this decision. The pit crew reacted quickly, and from then on he was the fastest man on the track and made up many places. He finally finished third. For Robert things, unfortunately, went wrong during the second pit stop when we had a problem when refuelling, which cost him several positions. However, overall it was a very good result for our team. We scored another podium finish and a total of nine points today.”
Pat Carol
09-07-2008, 02:03 PM
Hopefully there won't be any issues with the final drive.
PC
Not a problem - Transaxle and the half shafts are strong...not a shaft drive. :D
Sounds like someone has a chip on their sholder.:stick Is that a chipped FD?:stick
Ferrari’s Felipe Massa has been declared the winner of Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix after McLaren’ Lewis Hamilton was handed a 25-second time penalty following the race. Hamilton drops to third place as a result, with BMW Sauber’s Nick Heidfeld moving up to second. McLaren plan to appeal the decision.
Hamilton was penalised after stewards decided he had gained an advantage by cutting the final chicane in his late-race battle with Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen. Raikkonen crashed out shortly after the incident, having the led the bulk of the race up to that point.
"I have often said that the race is not over until the official results are published and that was the case today," said Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali. "As usual, Ferrari will not comment on the stewards' decision. After the race, we were called to the stewards and we explained our position.
"We are very disappointed for Kimi, who had driven a great race and deserved the win, especially at this rather difficult time. This result is obviously very important for our championship hopes: now we must maintain maximum concentration and prepare as well as possible for the forthcoming races."
McLaren insisted they had little choice but to appeal the stewards' decision, given that Hamilton had immediately surrendered the lead back to Raikkonen on the start-finish straight, before then passing the Finn going into the La Source hairpin.
"We looked at all our data and also made it available to the FIA stewards," said the team. "It showed that, having lifted, Lewis was 6km/h slower than Kimi as they crossed the start-finish line. Having passed the lead back to Kimi, Lewis repositioned his car, moving across and behind Kimi to the right-hand line and then out-braked him into the hairpin. Based on this data, we have no option other than to register our intention to appeal."
The revised result means that rather than extending his championship lead over Massa, Hamilton now sees it cut, with the Briton heading the Brazilian by just two points, 76 to 74, with five races remaining.
Assuming their right to appeal is accepted, McLaren's case against Hamilton's penalty will be heard by the FIA's International Court of Appeal at a date to be determined.
hlothery
09-08-2008, 09:17 AM
It was in incredible finish, as the rain drenched the track and the leaders were caught out on dry tires. I cannot understand how they can penalize Hamilton, when cars were flying everywhere. Several people had to use the escape lanes when they lost traction. I hate to see a race decided by the stewards, and not on the track........thought Hamilton did a stellar job to hold it together at the end. An ugly decision by the FIA, IMHO.
I don’t think it will hold up under appeal, but then this is Formula 1 we are talking about here. Hamilton cut the chicane and gained a momentary advantage. However; it was clear that he had no choice but to do so and he gave back the lead to Raikkonen before legitimately overtaking him again on the track.
09-08-2008 Press Release
12th – 14th September 2008
14th of 18 World Championship races
Munich/Hinwil, 8th September 2008. The FIA Formula One World Championship’s European season is heading flat out onto the home straight. On the agenda for the next weekend of 12th to 14th September is the high-speed track in Monza’s Royal Park. Nowhere else do the F1 cars reach speeds in excess of 350 km/h. That is thanks to a special aerodynamic package with minimal drag and correspondingly low downforce. Engine power is also high on the wish list for the Italian Grand Prix, and both man and material are subjected to extreme loads during braking. To prepare for the event, the teams put in three days of testing in Monza at the end of August. For the BMW Sauber F1 Team, Nick Heidfeld took on testing duties for two days and Robert Kubica for one.
At last year’s Italian GP the BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers finished fourth (Heidfeld) and fifth (Kubica). Kubica clocked the highest speed of all at 351.7 km/h. In 2006, the maiden year for both team and driver, the Pole was third in only his third grand prix to claim his first podium.
Nick Heidfeld:
“High speed will be the number-one issue in Monza. Currently there’s no other Formula One track where we break the 350 km/h mark. Another extreme factor is how hard we ride the kerbs in the chicanes. Speed and tradition are the hallmarks of this circuit. In other respects it is unfortunately a bit dated. The Italian fans always ensure there’s a special atmosphere at this Grand Prix.
“What is crucial in terms of performance is a good aerodynamic package that doesn’t generate much drag. Nowhere else does the car carry as little wing, and our team normally does a pretty good job of providing us with this special aero package. Testing in Monza was encouraging, and I’m looking forward to the Italian Grand Prix.”
Robert Kubica:
“Monza is one of the most challenging tracks for the cars, as on the calendar it is where we drive with the lowest downforce level and the highest top speeds. The key factors in Monza are low drag, in order to reach the highest speeds possible without losing too much downforce, and good braking stability. The track is unique because of some very long straights where we easily reach more than 300 kilometres per hour. There are some really famous corners such as Parabolica, Ascari or Lesmo, and they are faster than the first chicanes. But you have to approach them braking heavily.
“For me personally, Monza is very special as I achieved my first podium there in 2006 in only my third Formula One race. To mark this special point in my career I will again have a slightly different helmet design in Monza. As I grew up as a driver in Italy, I know a lot of people there and quite a lot of Italian fans will be cheering for me. I also expect plenty of Polish fans to be there. I am really looking forward to the weekend.”
Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director:
“Monza is the classic engine circuit. Since the switchover to V8 engines, the full-throttle percentage per lap has risen to 70 percent. In 2007, Robert recorded the highest top speed of all the drivers in the Royal Park when he hit 351.7 km/h. While Nick will be racing in Italy with the same engine as in Spa, Robert’s car is scheduled to be fitted with a new unit.
“So far Monza has been a rewarding venue for our team. In 2006, Robert had his first podium in what was only his third grand prix, and last year Nick and Robert took a nine-point haul to secure our second-best result of the season. For this year’s Italian Grand Prix too, we have set our sights just as high.
“The 2008 race in Italy again marks the close of the European season, which has been very successful for the BMW Sauber F1 Team. So far in 2008 we have earned a total of nine podium places and celebrated a one-two in Montreal. It means we’ve achieved our season’s target and established ourselves as one of the top three teams.”
Willy Rampf, Technical Director:
“I’m very much looking forward to the race in Monza as it is a special event every time. Monza is pure tradition and the only high-speed track left on the calendar. Because of the four long straights, you have to develop a special low-downforce aero package which enables high speeds on account of its low drag, and is only used in this one race.
“The challenge for the drivers and engineers is to find a mechanical set-up that guarantees good braking stability and allows for aggressive driving over the kerbs. That is absolutely essential to achieve good lap times. We were totally satisfied with our test in Monza, and we’ll be heading for Italy in optimistic mood.”
History and background:
The history of the race track goes back to 1922, since when it has undergone repeated modifications with the aim of reducing its speed. 1935 saw the first chicanes set up, and in 1950 two banked curves were built, which have since crumbled. At one stage the circuit was ten kilometres long, and in this configuration hosted its last F1 event in 1961. That was the race in which Count Berghe von Trips had a fatal accident, which also killed 15 spectators. The Monza track has claimed lives on several occasions, but not for the last 30 years. That is due not only to the track modifications, but to a large degree to the high safety levels of the F1 vehicles.
Since the official launch of Formula One in 1950, this circuit inside a high-walled park has hosted more GPs than any other venue. 2008 will see the 58th F1 race to be staged here. Just one other Italian Grand Prix was held at another track, namely at Imola in 1980.
The town of Monza in Lombardy is just over half an hour’s drive from Milan. Monza has a population of over 120,000 and since 11th June 2004 has been the official capital of the newly created province of Monza and Brianza.
Pat Carol
09-09-2008, 08:09 AM
Not a problem - Transaxle and the half shafts are strong...not a shaft drive. :D
Sounds like someone has a chip on their sholder.:stick Is that a chipped FD?:stick
No chip on my shoulder. I just had to get that dig in. :stick
The BMW F-1 car is one of the finest pieces of machinery in the world. Class, elegance and speed all rolled into one. :thumb
In regards to the FD on my 97 1100rs. Each time I get home from a long tour. I thank God for keeping Lucifer in check. I named my 1100rs Lucifer because that bike is posessed.
Years ago I was leaving a bike blessing near my home in Northeast Michigan. I was about a mile from the town where the blessing was held. The bike threw a rod with only 15k on the odometer. Yes! I was hitting the rev limiter.:uhoh Old Lucifer lasted for 10 miles on one cylinder but, what a nasty racket that engine made for those 10 miles.:blush Those demon's were getting rattled around in the mill pretty good.
No biggy, the bike was covered under warranty. It just took a while for the dealer rep to dislodge his cranium from his rectum. Those girly boy's in Jersey humor me.
Take Care & Ride Safe
Pat Carol
Take Care & Ride Safe
Pat Carol
:wave
I have met dealer reps like that, wonder if they were related? (http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/182734339_r7ER6-L.jpg)
:D
Safe riding!
Pat Carol
09-09-2008, 05:30 PM
:wave
I have met dealer reps like that, wonder if they were related? (http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/182734339_r7ER6-L.jpg)
:D
Safe riding!
At Motorrad HQ in Jersey, they have a laboratory in the basement. That is where they produce DEALER REPS. At first they started with the regular test tube baby technology. As the years went by, they have now switched to Ball Jars. This is due to the fact that they have to fill them with sooooo much BS to pacify the customer, the test tube would explode under all that pressure.
:D
PC
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Rain caused eliminated the first Friday practice. In the second session the boys of the Roundel were second and third fastest.
BMW Sauber F1 Team - Italian Grand Prix - Free Practice
09-12-2008 Press Release
Weather: extreme rain in the morning, sunny in the afternoon, 19-23°C Air, 15-29°C Track
Monza (IT). After the first free practice session was literally washed out by the rain, the second 90 minute session for the Italian Grand Prix was very busy. The BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers, Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld, had a trouble free day and were second and third fastest respectively on the highspeed circuit in the Monza Royal Park.
Robert has a special helmet design for the Monza race showing the Italian flag alongside the Polish national colours. Robert moved from Poland to Italy when he was only 13 years old to pursue a karting career.
Robert Kubica:
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
1st Practice: no timed lap / 2nd Practice: 2nd, 1:23.931 min
“We could not run our programme as planned due to the bad weather conditions – especially in the morning. The conditions improved in the afternoon, although the drying track was still damp. With the conditions changing on every lap over the course of the session, evaluating the results is quite difficult. I hope we have better weather tomorrow.”
Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
1st Practice: no timed lap / 2nd Practice: 3rd, 1:23.947 min
“The lap times don’t look too bad, which was also the case when we were here for testing. But the balance of my car isn’t as good yet as it was at the test. Certainly this has something to do with the lack of rubber on the tarmac after today’s heavy rain. What happens with the weather over the weekend will prove crucial.”
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“As we were testing here in Monza last week, most of the set-up work and the tyre evaluation has been done before the weekend. Today, our main concentration was on some fine-tuning for the car’s set-up. I'm confident we should be quite competitive for the rest of the weekend.”
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The aero work on the car is a high speed set up. Look at how flat the the rear wing is set.
The wonderful thing for a fan to watch qualifying in the rain is you find out the announcers know little more than you do. The confusing thing about rain qualifying is it is difficult to make sense of the results.
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Vettel is on the pole for Toro Rossi. He is now the youngest driver ever to hold a pole. We may well be seeing the development of a future champion in Vettel.
Rain set the field. It is as simple as that.
First set up is impacted by rain. The rules have the race set up fixed when the cars make their first lap in qualifying. If you went out with a fast setup for the race you had to be ready to spin and spin they did. A spin on the last lap of Q2 resulted in Kubica not making it through the session.
Power is the second thing impacted by the rain. With the exception of Kovalainen’s McLaren teams that are down on power did well in the rain. It is easier to control and so the top qualifiers in terms of team go Toro Rossi, McLaren, Red Bull, Toro Rossi, and Williams before you get to Massa’s Ferrari.
What about the race?
The start will be important. With so many of the traditionally fast teams sitting in mid-field grid spots the start could be a big crash as hot cars and drivers dive for the first corner.
Make it through the first corner and the race should be fun to watch because there will be a great deal of passing heading to the first pit stop.
Then again rain on race day could shake things up once again.
Nothing more to say, you guess is as good as mine with this grid.
Rain wins qualifying at Monza this weekend.
Off to see what is up at Bol d’Or and BMW Motorrad.
Rooster tails were the qualifying order of the day.
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BMW Sauber F1 Team - Italian Grand Prix - Qualifying
09-13-2008 Press Release
Weather: rain, 19-21°C Air, 18°C Track
Monza (IT). The whole of qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix on the high speed Monza circuit was in wet conditions, which produced a mixed grid. Robert Kubica missed making it into the top ten by just 21 thousandths of a second and was 11th. Nick Heidfeld made it into qualifying for the final action packed session, but was unhappy with the grip level and ended up tenth.
Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 10th, 1:39.906 min (3rd Practice: 6th, 1:36.972 min)
“The conditions were quite difficult during qualifying, but in the beginning it went pretty well for me. Once I made it into the top ten of qualifying I was expecting more. The last laps were disappointing. Instead of more grip I got less. We now have to figure out why this happened.”
Robert Kubica:
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 11th, 1:36.697 min (from Q2) (3rd Practice: 12th, 1:37.671 min)
“We were a bit unlucky today as the gap to position 10 and the third qualifying session was very narrow. We put a new set of tyres on the car for the second qualifying session, as we planned not to make a pit stop in the session. You need two or three laps to make the tyres work. The track dried up after the first laps, but then it started to rain heavily so unfortunately I was not able to improve the lap times. Congratulations to Torro Rosso and Sebastian Vettel for their first pole position.”
Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“That was the most action packed qualifying I can remember. Under these weather conditions it was a lottery. Congratulations to Sebastian Vettel and Toro Rosso, who did a brilliant job under these conditions. If you look at the result you find some of the top drivers down in the rankings, and of course we are not satisfied with our grid positions of ten and 11. Today it was vital to go out at the right moment and set a quick lap time with warm tyres. We were not able to do this.”
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“Following our strong performance in dry conditions yesterday, we are obviously disappointed with positions ten and 11. Robert didn't make it to Q3 because the rain was heavier towards the end of second qualifying. The grid looks very different to what we are used to, which means we can expect a very interesting race tomorrow. We obviously have to see what strategies the different drivers have chosen.”
The race starts in the damp with the safety car leading the field on the opening laps. Conditions are miserable.
Sebastian Bourdais stalls as the grid pulls away is taken back into the pits and when it rejoins 1 lap down.
When the safety car exited the purple color of fast lap fell down through the field as back markers came through the traps. Raikkonen held if for a bit then Vettel, in the lead, took it back. This has to be driving Fantasy F-1 fans nuts.
Lap 5 and Vettel has pulled out a 5.2 second lead on P2. Kubica P9, Heidfeld P9.
As a result of the rain soaked qualifying we are treated to a curious mid field competition in P11-13 amongst Fisichella, Raikkonen and Hamilton. Normally Fisichella in the Force India car would be blue flagged and move aside for Raikkonen and Hamilton who would be race leaders. In this case we find the three dueling for position and having to contend with Fisichella racing to keep his position in the race. It did not last long as both hot shoes were able to pass and then Hamilton passes Raikkonen. The point of this is that these back competitions put these championship contenders at risk in a way they are not accustomed to.
Lap 11 – Kubica up to P8, Heidfeld down to P10
Lap 14 Hamilton overtakes Heidfeld moving him back to P11
As Lap 15 begins Vettel has a 10.5 second lead over Kaovalainen in P2. Massa is moving up turning in the lattest fast lap.
Lap 16 Hamilton is past Glock for for P9 and will be challenging Kubica for P8 and does take it under braking.
Vettel pits on Lap 18 with a good stop he rejoins the race in P4
LAP 20 has the BMWs in P10 and 11 and 34.2 seconds off the current race leader Kovalainen. They do not be able to make any headway to the front.
LAP 22 the pit stops for the rest of the teams begin – Kaovalinen – Weber – Massa in will Vettel regain the lead and if so by how much?
Lap 23 has Vettel back in the lead by 5.9 seconds and more importantly is 12.0 seconds faster than Kovalainen in P6. Everyone in between has yet to pit.
Hamilton has sliced through the field and from P15 at the start is in P2. Yet to pit could Hamilton be on a one stop strategy? Yes he will make it to the end after his pit on lap 27. He rejoins in P10.
LAP 28 Kubica is in P5 as a result of the pit stops by everyone else. He has yet to pit.
Heidfeld pits first among the BMW team.
LAP 33 Kubica still has not pitted. He just turned his personal best lap.
LAP 34 Kubica an Kovalainen pit.
As lap 35 begins Kubica P5 and Heidfeld P8. Positions are changing in the field as drivers change tiers.
LAP 36 Vettel in and out of the pits and retains the lead.
LAP 37 Kubica is up to P3 currently and Heidfeld in P5 but Hamilton and Massa are turning in fast laps behind them. In P7 and 6 respectively. They must get by Heidfeld and Alonso to get at Kubica. This again is a fight for position as they try to move up so there is no help from the blue flag.
LAP 42 began with P1 to P8 set personal best times during the race and Hamilton set a new fast lap all as the track dries out.
LAP 44 begins with Vettel in P! 13.4 seconds ahead of Kovalainen in P2 and 24.4 seconds ahead of Kubica in P3.
LAP 46 Kubica briefly holds fast lap then is passed down through the field.
LAP 50 finds Kibica in P3 and Heidfeld in P5.
Coulthard and Nakajima have a shunt and leave debris on the track. Could a puncture cause by debris decide the race.
RESULTS
1 -Vettel
2 –Kovalainen
3 – Kubica
4 – Alonso
5 – Heidfeld
6 – Massa
7 – Hamilton
8 – Weber
9 – Raikkonen
10 – Piquet
11 – Glock
12 – Nakajima
13 – Trulli
14 – Rossberg
15 – Button
16 – Coulthard
17 – Barrichello
18 – Bourdais
19 – Sutil
20 – Fisichella
Raikkonen set race fast lap at 1:28.047 on the last lap.
I will post pictures and standings latter today.
This was a fun race to follow, much more than I expected going into this morning. It raises a question for me regarding future rules changes for F1. One change that has been suggested is setting the starting grid in reverse qualifying order. There will be ways to ‘cheat’ around that system. That said it was great sport to see Ferrari and McLaren have to race without the help of the blue flag.
BMW Sauber F1 Team - Italian GP - Race
09-14-2008 Press Release
Weather: Rain at the beginning, slowly drying track. Air: 14°C, Track: 15°C
Monza (IT). Coming from 11th on the grid, Robert Kubica scored the tenth podium of the season for the BMW Sauber F1 Team. It was the sixth podium in 2008 for the Pole, who finished the exciting Italian Grand Prix third. Nick Heidfeld started from tenth and finished fifth in the wet race at the high speed Monza circuit.
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Robert Kubica: 3rd
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1:30.298 min on lap 52 (12th fastest overall)
“I’m very happy to finish on the podium today! Yesterday qualifying was difficult when I was the first one not to make it into the top ten. The only advantage of this was I could choose my race strategy, and we decided to go for just one stop with a very long first stint. At the start the visibility was really bad. When the Safety Car went in after two laps, I overtook Nick before the first chicane without even seeing him. It was really dangerous. Then I was able to drive at my own pace, but towards the end of my first stint I was having problems with the tyres, obviously because the car had been very heavy. We were then lucky with our pit stop, because it was just the right time to change to intermediate tyres. From then on I was easily able to control my position on the track. Third place was a well deserved reward for the whole team. Congratulations to Sebastian and the Toro Rosso Team for winning here today!”
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Nick Heidfeld: 5th
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1:29.807 min on lap 53 (6th fastest overall)
“Coming from tenth on the grid it is okay to finish fifth, but still my race wasn’t ideal. Unfortunately I lost a place to Robert right at the start. It was the right decision to let us start behind the Safety Car. When it pulled off the visibility was still so poor that I braked much too early and Robert passed me. This time it was the team who made the tyre choice. I left it to my race engineer as on the pit wall they had a lot more information about the weather. It was absolutely right to go for intermediates. Today it was important to avoid mistakes and keep the car on the track. I’m happy I had the pace to keep Felipe Massa and Lewis Hamilton behind me at the end. Warmest congratulations to Sebastian and the Toro Rosso team, this was a fantastic victory.”
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Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“As expected, it was an action packed race, but not for the man in front. Under these difficult circumstances Toro Rosso had the best car, and Sebastian Vettel managed to score his and the team’s maiden victory with this excellent performance. Hats off to them! For us as well it worked out perfectly today. The decisive part was the race strategy. We were able to pit late with both cars and changed to intermediates during our single pit stop. It was perfect timing, so both drivers were able to move up a lot of positions. Neither Robert nor Nick made a single mistake. Robert claimed the tenth podium finish for our team, Nick came in a strong sixth, and the team leaves Europe with another ten points in its pocket – Monza again was a good place for the BMW Sauber F1 Team.”
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“It was a very exciting race with a lot of overtaking manoeuvres and a great result for us. At the end of the European season we added another ten points to our tally. The good result is clearly due to the drivers who did a great job. Nick was one of the first drivers to change to intermediates, and Robert managed to climb on the podium under these difficult conditions. If you start the race from tenth and 11th on the grid and come home with ten points it is a great achievement. There were no technical problems. Congratulations to Sebastian Vettel and Toro Rosso, who both did an excellent job today.”
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535is
09-15-2008, 02:04 PM
I never thought I would see the day when I would actually enjoy hearing "Deutschland Über Alles" followed by "L'Inno di Mameli" ... http://www.emofaces.com/en/emoticons/g/germany-emoticon-flag.gif http://www.emofaces.com/en/emoticons/i/italy-emoticon-flag.gif
BMW Sauber F1 Team - Test in Jerez - Day one
09-16-2008 Press Release
Test in Jerez.
September 16th – 19th 2008
Day one – Tuesday
Weather conditions: Some fog in the morning, sunny for the rest of the day.
Temperatures: Air: 15 – 30 °C, Track: 16 – 41 °C
Number of drivers participating: 3 of 3 teams
Fastest lap overall: Marko Asmer (BMW Sauber F1 Team ) 1:20.189 min
Circuit length: 4.428 km
Marko Asmer
Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.08-06 / BMW 86/9
Test kilometres today: 350 kms (79 laps)
Fastest lap: 1:20.189 min
Programme:
Three teams took part in the so called “Young Driver Day” in Jerez. For the BMW Sauber F1 Team Marko Asmer was at the wheel. He worked on the basic set-up of the car to improve his skills as a test driver. Driving 79 laps today, Asmer stayed just inside the “Young Driver Day” mileage limit of 350 kms. As parts of the Jerez circuit have been resurfaced recently, the team was also able to collect data on what are now different track conditions.
What comes next:
The BMW Sauber F1 Team will continue testing in Jerez for three more days. Tomorrow Christian Klien will be at the wheel of the BMW Sauber F1.08. On Thursday and Friday Robert Kubica will take over.
The World Finals for Formula BMW are coming up. Part of the victors prize is a test with BMW Sauber F1
Mexico City to host 2008 Formula BMW World Final.
09-17-2008 Press Release
Munich, 17 September 2008. This year will see the Formula BMW season end in the Americas, with the “Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez”, situated in the heart of Mexico City (MX), hosting the 2008 Formula BMW World Final from 5th to 7th December. A unique prize awaits the winner of this prestigious event: the opportunity of a test drive in a BMW Sauber F1 Team Formula One racing car.
“We are looking forward to the opportunity of taking the Formula BMW World Final to the Americas,” says BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen. “After previous World Finals in Bahrain and Valencia, the young drivers will be able to prove their skills on this classic circuit located in the centre of Mexico’s capital city. I am convinced that this populous metropolis will provide the perfect setting for the highlight of our Formula BMW season. After events in Asia and Europe, the time has come to stage the World Final in the Americas. This year numerous noteworthy talents representing many regions of the Americas are contesting the Formula BMW Americas series – which is one of three successful championships in the Formula BMW program – and therefore it is totally fitting that we meet, literally, in the centre. Once again we are offering the winner of the World Final the opportunity of driving our Formula One car. Consequently the contestants have every motivation to perform right through to the very end of their season.”
The Formula BMW World Final has established itself as the traditional finale of the BMW Motorsport year. The BMW Sauber F1 Team will contest Formula One’s final race on 2nd November in Brazil, with the World Touring Car Championship and Formula BMW Pacific staging their final events in Macau (MO) a fortnight later. With the running of the World Final in December – after the majority of championship titles have been decided – Formula BMW contestants have a further opportunity of ending their respective seasons on a high. The inaugural Formula BMW World Final, held in 2005, saw Marco Holzer win through – with the German a year later experiencing Formula One power for the first time at Valencia (ES). Success for Christian Vietoris (DE) in 2006 saw him inscribed on the roll of honour as the second winner. Philipp Eng’s victory last year will shortly see the 18-year-old Austrian rewarded with his dream prize: on 4th December he will venture onto the circuit in Mexico City with the BMW Sauber F1 Team.
However, this much- coveted main prize is not the Formula BMW World Final’s only attraction. The thoughtfully constructed format offers the young drivers more track time than provided by customary Formula BMW race weekends. Beside free practice sessions, the heat format enables the drivers to amass valuable racing experience.
Approximately 60 young drivers aged 15 and upwards are currently contesting the Formula BMW Europe, Formula BMW Pacific and Formula BMW Americas championships, enabling them to successfully take their first steps towards single-seater racing careers.
09-17-2008 Press Release
Test in Jerez.
September 16th – 19th 2008
Day two – Wednesday
Weather conditions: Sunny all day.
Temperatures: Air: 18 – 26 °C, Track: 20 – 38 °C
Number of drivers participating: 8 of 8 teams
Fastest lap overall: Christian Klien (BMW Sauber F1 Team) 1:19.357 min
Circuit length: 4.428 km
Christian Klien
Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.08-06 / BMW 86/9
Test kilometres today: 372 kms (84 laps)
Fastest lap: 1:19.357 min
Programme:
Christian Klien worked on the mechanical set-up of the BMW Sauber F1.08. He also tested various aerodynamic settings in readiness for the remaining races of the 2008 season. After completing 84 laps (372 kms) Klien said: “A whole day’s testing without any problems gave me the opportunity to provide the engineers with a lot of feedback on new components. The new surface on parts of the track provides better grip, and has smoothed out the bumps that were there before.”
What comes next:
Originally Robert Kubica was scheduled to take over test duties from tomorrow. However, due to an infected tooth he has had to cancel his trip to Jerez at short notice. Therefore Nick Heidfeld is scheduled to take over testing duties in the BMW Sauber F1.08 for the remaining two days of the test.
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bridgestonemotorsport.com ( http://www.bridgestonemotorsport.com/Bridgestone/en-gb/Championships/Formula1/News/Bridgestone+Motorsport+Singapore+Preview.htm): Singapore Preview
bridgestonemotorsport.com ( http://www.bridgestonemotorsport.com/Bridgestone/en-gb/Championships/Formula1/Features/Bridgestone+Motorsport+Singapore+Logistics+Feature .htm): Singapore logistics
09-18-2008 Press Release
Test in Jerez.
September 16th – 19th 2008
Day three – Thursday
Weather conditions: Some sun early in the morning, overcast for the rest of the morning,
rain in the afternoon.
Temperatures: Air: 17 – 25 °C, Track: 20 – 27 °C
Number of drivers participating: 8 from 8 teams
Fastest lap overall: Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing) 1:18.001 min
Circuit length: 4.428 km
Nick Heidfeld
Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.08-06 / BMW 86/9
Test kilometres today: 310 kms (70 laps)
Fastest lap: 1:18.167 min
Programme:
In the morning Nick Heidfeld worked on the mechanical and aerodynamic set-up of the BMW Sauber F1.08, evaluating different configurations for the remaining races of the 2008 season. When it started to rain around lunch time the team changed its plans for the afternoon. Heidfeld said: “As we might have some rain during the forthcoming races we took this opportunity to work on the car’s wet weather set-up.”
What comes next:
Tomorrow Nick Heidfeld will conclude the four day Jerez test, more set-up work with the BMW Sauber F1.08 is on his schedule.
09-19-2008 Press Release
Munich/Hinwil, 19th September 2008. Sunset in Singapore on the weekend of 26th – 28th September will set the scene for a captivating event: the first ever night race in the history of Formula One. The five-kilometre-plus circuit through the streets of the Asian port city will be illuminated by floodlights for the 15th race of the 2008 World Championship season.
The use of artificial lighting has been one of the hot topics in the lead-up to the Singapore Grand Prix, which makes the illuminations created by German artists Friedrich Förster and Sabine Weißinger – better known as “Casa Magica” – particularly appropriate. Credit Suisse will present impressions by the partnership and parallels between the work of the renowned Swiss financial institution and the BMW Sauber F1 Team on the façade of the Meritus Marina Hotel. The projection will run from 25th to 28th September, from sunset to midnight.
As far as the technical preparations for the new street circuit are concerned, however, holding the race at night is barely an issue. The BMW Sauber F1 Team has been using its simulations to prepare for its 50th grand prix, in the same way it did for the recent GP on the new street circuit in Valencia. Using the circuit data as a basis, the technology has enabled the engineers to calculate the anticipated ideal line. Lap time simulations were generated with various different car configurations, and when it came to mechanical set-up the data allowed the experts to determine weight distribution and spring and damper settings. The team then used the calculated speeds to determine the transmission ratio, and downforce levels and the track characteristics to establish the loads on the brakes – in order to confirm material specifications and the amount of brake ventilation required. However, the grip levels offered by the asphalt and the degree of tyre wear will remain unknown until the cars drive out onto the track for the first time.
With the Formula One bandwagon travelling to Asia from Europe, the best plan for the teams’ body clocks will simply be to ignore whether it is light or dark. The team will not eat breakfast until after lunchtime in Singapore, the drivers will go out onto the track in the evening and work will continue into the early hours.
Nick Heidfeld:
“Everyone is really looking forward to the Singapore Grand Prix. Firstly because it’s a new track, secondly because it’s a street circuit and thirdly, of course, because we’ll be driving at night. The floodlights should ensure it is actually as bright as during the day, but nobody has yet experienced how these light conditions will feel at Formula One speeds. I would have welcomed the chance to test on the track, especially in the rain. Rain combined with the artificial light is the great unknown for me with this race. The climate should be similar to that in nearby Kuala Lumpur, and – from experience – it rains frequently there, especially in the early evening.
“In principle, I think it’s a great idea to hold a race at night. I’m more of a night person – I like to go to bed late, but am not a great early-riser. For that reason, the rhythm of this weekend should suit me. It’s a question of adjustment. It’s important to eat and sleep at the right times in order to ensure you’re really on the button when you need to be. I doubt we’ll have much free time, but as the race is taking place in the middle of the city I imagine we’ll be able to absorb a fair amount and sense the atmosphere. I’ve never been to Singapore, apart from sitting in the airport, and am expecting it to be a vibrant and interesting Asian metropolis.”
Robert Kubica:
“I am looking forward to Singapore, as the grand prix will be the second new race of the season. Racing on new tracks is always interesting – I enjoy it very much and I am very excited. Beyond that, I am extremely happy to race on another street circuit as I am a big fan of street circuits. Lots of people consider it interesting that the race will start at night. But from a driver’s perspective I think it does not make a big difference whether we race in the daylight or at night. There are still some question-marks regarding weather conditions and – related to the chance of rain – the light situation. I am sure the FIA have done everything to make it a safe race.”
Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director:
“Singapore is the second unknown quantity on the calendar this year after Valencia. Both are city races, but in Singapore the action will also be taking place at night – and that in an Asian metropolis and against an amazing backdrop. This will give the event even more appeal and excitement. You only need to think of the special atmosphere you get at a football match under floodlights: the surroundings melt into the background, the action itself takes centre stage. I’m expecting this premiere in Singapore to be the highlight of the season.
“We had a look around the circuit at a meeting of team managers in Singapore and were given a demonstration of the lighting system. We were left very much with the impression that, although the race would be at night, it would actually be as bright as day. The only question remaining is whether the light will reflect from the track surface if it rains. That’s something we’ll only find out if we get a wet race.
“We’re very much looking forward to another race in a booming region. I think the wide variety of circuits in the top category of motor racing this year makes sense and is the right approach. And, above all, it makes F1 extremely attractive for the spectators. The overall package represents probably the most spectacular mix of circuits there’s ever been in Formula One.
“The recent back-to-back races at Spa and Monza saw Nick and Robert not only increase our number of podium finishes this year to ten, but also collect a total of 21 points – more than any other team. Now we’re looking to follow up this good showing in the last couple of European races this year with a strong climax to the season.”
Willy Rampf, Technical Director:
“From the spectators’ point of view, the Singapore Grand Prix – the first night race in the history of Formula One – will be a highlight in the truest sense of the word. The circuit has a large number of 90-degree corners in the 100 km/h speed band, which means that traction will take top priority. The downforce level is high, comparable to Monaco. As things stand, the biggest unknown is the track surface. Its lack of exposure to the sun is a factor that should not be underestimated, as the asphalt temperatures will be lower than at other races in this part of the world. That is something we’ll need to take into account with the car set-up.
“Because this is a new circuit for all of us, we’ll be relying one-hundred per cent on our simulation, which has proved to be very good in the past. The unusual working times will certainly demand a fair amount of all involved, but will also be an interesting experience. In Jerez we tested several new aerodynamic components which we’ll be using in Singapore. I’m confident that we’ll be able to continue our positive recent run of results and am looking forward to this new challenge.”
History and background:
The first historical records on Singapore are in the form of Chinese writings from the third century AD. The development of the modern city state began in 1819, when Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles founded the first settlement in the name of the English East India Company. In 1824 the company laid claim to the whole island, having bought it from the Sultan of Johor. In 1867 Singapore became a British crown colony. Singapore fell under Japanese control in 1942 after a successful assault, but was then handed back to the British in 1945. Singapore separated from British control on 1st September 1963 and became a member of a federation with Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak. Singapore was later ejected from the federation following massive unrest and has been an independent nation since 1965.
The history of the country’s name has an altogether calmer feel. It is derived from the Sanskrit language and is a combination of Singha (lion) and Pura (city). Legend has it that a Hindu prince was walking through the dense jungle when he came face to face with a lion. Looking into each other’s eyes, man and beast averted a violent confrontation – the prince let his sword fall to the floor and the lion retreated.
Critics of Singapore object to the authoritarian control mechanisms of the state and the extremely tough penalties for crimes, while supporters praise its cleanliness and low levels of corruption and criminality. The country’s territory stretches over some 700 square kilometres at present, but will expand further through land reclamation. The population of the island state currently stands at more than 4.5 million people. There are four official languages: Malay, Chinese, Tamil and English.
The traditional centres of Singapore’s economic power are its port – one of the world’s largest and most modern transshipment points – and its financial sector.
Appearances in South Korea:
The BMW Sauber F1 Team and Nick Heidfeld have two extra commitments in Asia between the grands prix in Singapore and Japan. They will put on a demonstration run in Seoul on Saturday (4th October) and another in Gwang Ju, 250 kilometres south of the capital, on Sunday (5th October). South Korea is set to host a Formula One race for the first time in 2010.
09-19-2008 Press Release
Test in Jerez.
September 16th – 19th 2008
Day four – Friday
Weather conditions: Sunny all day.
Temperatures: Air: 20 – 33 °C, Track: 21 – 44 °C
Number of drivers participating: 8 from 8 teams
Fastest lap overall: Pedro de la Rosa (McLaren Mercedes) 1:18.992 min
Circuit length: 4.428 km
Nick Heidfeld
Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.08-06 / BMW 86/9
Test kilometres today: 434 kms (98 laps)
Fastest lap: 1:19.250 min
The last day of the Jerez test concluded the BMW Sauber F1 Team’s preparation for the forthcoming races in Asia and South America. “Today I concentrated on the mechanical and aerodynamic development of the car“, Heidfeld said after completing 434 kms (98 laps). “We found some promising solutions to improve the set-up of the car.”
Despite Thursday’s rain, the team was able to finish the Jerez test programme as planned without any technical problems. Including the so called “Young Driver Day” on Tuesday, the BMW Sauber F1.08 completed 1,465 kms (331 laps) during the week, with Marko Asmer, Christian Klien and Nick Heidfeld sharing driving duties.
What comes next:
The BMW Sauber F1 Team is now looking forward to the Singapore Grand Prix at the end of next week, which will be the first ever night race in Grand Prix history.
will3hawks
09-19-2008, 09:17 PM
Beautiful!!!
Now, if they can make is as fast as the Mercedes and Ferrari cars, Kubica could be the next Formula 1 Champion.
F1 driver rumors are back on BMW Sauber’s door step once again.
Heidfeld – Rosberg are rumored to be swapping rides. According to the rumor it could be announced at Singapore. Of course like every good rumor it is being denied by everyone. Williams and Rosberg have not signed ac contract yet representatives say they will stay together. Swiss newspaper Blik continues to report the rumor.
Friday Practice: Singapore – In the dark for more than one perspective
Singapore is a new stop for the F1 circus and a street track on top of that. This makes practice interesting but potentially uninformative.
Interesting; in this case because it is a new track leaving drivers and engineers to go out with best guesses rather than refinements of past experience.
Uninformative because there will be drastic changes between practice settings and qualifying for some drivers. The knights of the Roundel are cases in point. Robert Kubica went out with soft springs that left him very unhappy while providing some great images to watch. Heidfeld went out with what appeared to be a stiffer setup but could not manage the times of his teammate.
I am a bit cautious about this race. I was keyed up for Valencia, another new street circuit and was disappointed with the race. I normally am a big fan of street races but will adopt a wait and see attitude after Valencia.
This is the first race under the lights. It did not seem to affect the drivers and the cars colors were drawn out by the artificial lighting. The Ferraris went from a their normal crimson to almost a candy apple red because of the lighting.
A list of elements to watch for over the race weekend
• Rain – Practice took place on a dry track but Singapore is a wet location with rain being an almost daily occurrence in some amount. If it rains during the race how will the tire spray and artificial lighting combine? How will the driver’s vision be impacted by this combination?
• Track condition – A ‘green’ practice track had many drivers’ tails wagging. As rubber went down things improved but rain could make the track green again.
• Curbs – Drivers complained of high curbs in some areas. F1 did go out and change some. Yet in some chicanes drivers like Kubica found themselves looking more like Baja off road drivers than F1. This after the curbs had been lowered.
• Ride height – This is a down force track which normally would mean a low ride height. However; this is a street circuit with varying track heights requiring some more ride height. During qualifying cars were throwing up showers of sparks in some sections of the track. Cool in the dark but are the planks being worn down? Remember the wonderful high tech wooden plank under these cars must remain a certain thickness. Wearing it down can disqualify you. It is a non issue now for known tracks but could play a role in this new race setting.
• Brakes – Brakes were HOT and smoking. Fire marshals almost dowsed a car in the first qualifying session because of smoking brakes but were stopped. The ambient temperature for practice was 85 degrees. It should not affect qualifying. Combine a warm ambient temp with a high brake effort track and brake life could play a part in the race outcome.
Kubica and Heidfeld did not have stunning times in practice. Kubica was as high as fourth at one point. Heidfeld never made it higher than ninth. With few exceptions Friday practice is not a time for them to shine and today was no exception. What was learned? What actions will be taken and with what results?
Tune in Saturday 10AM Eastern to SpeedTV and find out.
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BMW Sauber F1 Team - Singapore GP - Practice
09-26-2008 Press Release
Weather: dry track, humid air, 28°C Air, 27-29°C Track
Singapore (SG). The first ever night practice sessions in Formula One history, that had been anticipated with a lot of excitement, went smoothly for the BMW Sauber F1 Team. Neither the lights nor the vision gave cause for any complaints, and the unique atmosphere for a Friday attracted an unusually large crowd for the free practice of the Singapore Grand Prix, which will be the BMW Sauber F1 Team’s 50th GP.
Robert Kubica:
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
1st Practice: 5th, 1:46.618 min / 2nd Practice: 6th, 1:46.384 min
“As expected the track is quite demanding – not only for the driver but also for the car. You are always going round corners and the surface is very bumpy, especially in two or three places. It is very important to have a stable car here as you can easily lose a lot of time in several corners. On the first lap I got used to the track and, as I was going at a good pace immediately, we were then able to start working on the set-up. In the second session we did the tyre comparison. Now we have to analyse the data and see what we have to change for tomorrow.”
Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
1st Practice: 8th, 1:46.964 min / 2nd Practice: 16th, 1:47.760 min
“Overall I had a good first practice day here, although my fastest lap from the second session doesn’t give that impression. The track is a lot of fun. It is much more of a street circuit than the new track in Valencia and is more challenging. Here it’s significantly narrower. When I walked the track on Wednesday night the straights appeared relatively long, but that’s not the case when you fly along at F1 speed. I found it easy to get used to the light. After one or two laps you forget it is artificial, although the brightness isn’t exactly the same everywhere. Bumps are an issue, and there are plenty! I have no problem adapting to the rhythm and turning night into day. I just stay awake long enough and then sleep until lunchtime so I can be fit in the late evenings.”
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“This was a good start to what will become the most exceptional race weekend of the year. The atmosphere is fantastic, the style of the place is unique. Both drivers needed a few laps to familiarise themselves with the new circuit, and then, as usual, we were concentrating on race preparation. We have been doing some set up changes and will be analysing all the data tonight.”
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The story in this picture is not Robert Kubica but the skid marks. The picture looks down a short shoot after a hard left. I am not certain of the corner number. Consistently drivers drift over the curb and ever so near the wall. It did eat some during practice. A favorite haunt of photographers and the TV cameras look for debris in this corner during qualifying and the race.
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Overtaking will be an issue so grid position was increibly important. However, the take away for me was the apparent fragility of the electics of these cars and the roughness of the track. That combination could take a number of cars out of the running.
More this evening. Pit crew meetings for me today.:wave
leeines
09-27-2008, 10:42 AM
Hi Mika,
Thank you very much for the F-1 post, again.
Where do you get the photos you post?
What websites do you look at regarding F-1?
Thanks again,
leeines
Thank you.
The pictures and the BMW press releases come from BMW at bmw-motorsport.com. It is a very open site coving the four wheeled BMW racing world. I zero in on F1.
I don’t have a blog that I follow on a regular basis anymore. My first stop is formul1.com the official web site. This is the story source for most of the blogs. Many cut and past along with a bit of analysis. I spend some time at the various team sites in the beginning of the season, and then focus on news aggregators during the season.
The list changes every season and during the season.
bmw-motorsport.com –
Formula1.com – The official F1 site
Motorsport.com – a great aggregator for a wide range of 2/4 wheel motor sports
Paddocktalk.com – They have a fun rumors section that gets picked up by others
Those are the regulars this year the list varies in quality and interest from there. A number of the news sources I follow to do the morning reads also do F1 coverage. These would include AutoWeek from the US and Autocaronline and AutoExpress both from the UK.
A couple of Google search with various Formula 1 search terms will yield you a ton of results. Find a blog you like then if you want start to figure out what the blogger is using for their source and go there. They all seem to lead back to just a few original sources.
The 'analysis' in the threads is my own. Everyone is an expert on the internet, don't you know!
:type
:lol
Qualifying begins at dusk
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And continues into the night
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Don’t worry. The BMW Umpa Lumpas are not up past their bed time. Most teams are remaining on European time tables.
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BMW Sauber F1 Team - Singapore GP - Qualifying
09-27-2008 Press Release
Weather: dry track, humid air, 29-31°C Air, 31-32°C Track
Singapore (SG). The BMW Sauber F1 Team achieved good results in qualifying for the first ever night race in the history of Formula One. Ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix Robert Kubica qualified fourth in the heat of the night, while Nick Heidfeld was sixth.
Robert Kubica:
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 4th, 1:45.779 min (3rd Practice: 7th, 1:45.425 min)
“My qualifying was quite ok. I’m happy with P4 but not with my final lap. I was struggling a little bit with the overall grip. In the last stint of Q3 I had hardly any grip in the first sector. I lost quite a lot of time there. Felipe Massa was in front of me on his out lap, perhaps the tyres didn’t reach the right temperature. However, the race will be a completely different story. It will be a very tough one. The track is very bumpy and very demanding. The tyre degradation will be a crucial factor.”
Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 6th, 1:45.964 min (3rd Practice: 11th, 1:45.689 min)
“I’m quite happy as I had a good lap. Right from the first practice sessions on Friday we have made several changes and most of them were right. The car has improved and I have familiarised myself with this circuit and also improved. Tomorrow a good start will be crucial. Overtaking is extremely difficult here because the track is so narrow and off line dirty and even bumpier. This could become the most demanding Grand Prix of the year.”
Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“That was a very good performance by both of our drivers under difficult conditions. We had to be prepared all the time for yellow flags out on the track. Apart from that it wasn’t obvious which tyre would be quicker. Because of that in Q1 and Q2 we went out twice and used both types of tyres. In the end Robert made it to P4 with the harder compound and Nick qualified sixth with the softer ones. We have very good grid positions to start the race from.”
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“It was a very exciting qualifying, and with fourth and sixth we are well prepared for the race. Under these tricky conditions both drivers did a very good job to get a perfect lap. Even if overtaking will be quite difficult, we are expecting an exciting race tomorrow.”
Heidfeld was subsequently penalized three grid spots for pit lane hindrance incident
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After qualifying Heidfeld was demoted 3 grid spots for and incident during qualifying involving the entrance to pit lane. Marshals say as the German BMW driver negotiated the controversial pit lane entrance he hindered Rubens Barrichello. Barrichello was handed a 10,000 euro fine for his actions in the incident.
autosport.com ( http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/70947): Q&A with Heidfeld regarding the incident
One legal oddity for you about the Singapore race. Singapore is a very conservative city state with VERY strict laws about littering. A special caveat to the littering laws was added so that drivers would not be fined for each visor tare off they removed during the weekend.
In the last few seasons F1 cars have become incredibly reliable; that is if you don’t crash them. Each team is given two wildcard penalty free engine changes other wise the engines are expected to last two races.
This weekend the bullet proof nature of these cars will be put to the test. Raikkonen had a failure of the electronics in his gear box. Alonso’s engine just went dark while he was on an incredible pace during qualifying that may well have seen him on the pole instead of Massa. Hamilton’s brush with possibly not making it out of Q2 goes to a shaken sensor according to various sources. In all of these the electronics that are central to the operation of these F1 cars were so shaken by the Singapore street circuit they failed.
Electronics my be the power card in the game of Grand Prix racings at Singapore this weekend.
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ALONSO WINS!
Hamilton extends his lead in the championship.
McLaren takes over the constructers championship lead as Ferrari fails to score any points.
Heidfeld finishes sixth adding a point BMW Saubers constructor bid. Poor showing for BMW Sauber
Crashes, safety car deployment, and penalties define the race.
Penalties
Pictures and more this evening
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BMW Sauber F1 Team - Singapore Grand Prix - Race
09-28-2008 Press Release
Weather: Dry track. Air: 28-30°C, Track: 31-32°C, Humidity: 66%-79%
Singapore (SG). Instead of the predicted procession on the narrow Singapore Marina Circuit, the huge crowd saw a very exciting first Formula One night race. However, the rewards for the BMW Sauber F1 Team were somewhat poor with only three points for Nick Heidfeld (6th) after Robert Kubica’s very bad luck. The Pole needed to refuel when the pit lane was closed during a safety car period, and after being penalised he finished eleventh.
Nick Heidfeld: 6th
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1:47.306 min on lap 14 (11th fastest overall)
“Although I shouldn’t complain about finishing sixth when I came from ninth, I must say it is such a shame I couldn’t show my pace today. The car was so good and I could have gone a lot faster if I hadn’t been stuck in traffic all the time. I was even saving fuel and tyres because I hoped the others would kill their tyres and I could attack later. I think some did ruin their rubber, but still this wasn’t enough of an advantage to overtake. I had a good start during which I managed to pass Nico Rosberg. However, because of how the race turned out for me I hardly sweated at all.”
Robert Kubica: 11th
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1:46.899 min on lap 14 (6th fastest overall)
“The race was physically very hard. There are so many bumps, I hope the organisers will work on the surface for next year. On top of that, the visibility was getting worse and worse as I was getting tired. Over the final fifteen laps I had an incredible headache. The decision not to pit on the first lap when the pit lane was closed because of the Safety Car was unlucky, and cost me a good race result as the cars behind me closed the gap. The team thought the pit lane would reopen very soon, but this was not the case. However, that’s racing.”
Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“Another spectacular chapter was added to the Formula One history book. The first night race was a total success. My compliments go to the organisers. The race itself was turbulent and influenced by the first safety car period. Unfortunately the safety car rule meant Robert was completely out of contention in the race, whereas Nick was able to stay out just long enough until the pit lane was reopened. This was a shame for Robert because he was well on his way to score important points for the championship standings. By finishing sixth Nick made up three positions and scored three points. Everything didn’t go according to plan either for our direct competitors as, apart from Nick, out of the top six only Lewis Hamilton scored points. Congratulations to Renault and Fernando Alonso for the win in this exciting race.”
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“The race start was okay for our drivers. Robert managed to defend his position and Nick gained a place. After that the race went according to plan for both cars and they were able to open a gap over the cars behind. However, then the first safety car period ruined Robert's race completely. We had to refuel although the pit lane was still closed. The penalty dropped Robert into a hopeless position at the end of the field - and this on a circuit where anyway you can hardly overtake. In the end Nick scored three points, so this means we have still scored championship points in every Grand Prix this year.”
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Just some random thoughts on F1 while watching the Packers is driving me crazy.
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Pit Stops and Penalties
Pit stops were put in to make races more exciting. F1 races were parades for many years as it became more and more difficult to pass on the track. Pit stops were intended to mix the grid up during the race put strategy in and as a result make it more exciting for the fan.
Thank you F1. They have brought strategy back to the track. Robert Kubica’s podium finish at Monza was in very large part due to pit strategy. This week Alonso and Reanualt made a brilliant move to start on soft tires, short the first fuel run and as a result bring home a win. It is fun to see how teams will work fueling and required tire changes into their strategies.
What we do not want to see is someone killed during fueling. High pressure fueling, in terms of both hose pressure and speed demands, are going to kill a pit crew member if this is not addressed soon. F1 is known for high technology. The technology currently being applied to pit stops is not improving things. F1 and the FIA have to get control of this before they kill someone due to lack of action. The teams are culpable in this, yet the rules were made to protect the interest in and resulting revenue from F1 racing. The teams are making the best of the current situation that F1 and the FIA have created.
Safety Car Deployment and the need to pit must be better managed by the rules of F1. Too many races this season have had results for various teams impacted by this.
The initial fuel load determined in qualifying. The Q3 starting fuel load locks the tanks for the top ten at that time. This load must cover qualifying and first leg of the race. An adjustment needs to be made in either the qualifying/race fuel load procedures or for the first deployment of the safety car.
The penalties for the pit violations have been staggering for race results in the way they are applied. In most races it takes the penalized driver out of the competition. That was the case once again for BMW and Robert Kubica. With the exception of Alonso everyone who finished behind Rosberg could well be upset. Rosberg and Williams-Toyota gained an advantage in pitting then were able to consolidate that position in the way they were able to gain interval by being in P1 and running away from the rest of the field.
Bottom line for me F1 is your effort to bring strategy into races is going to bring tragedy. Find a way to avoid the tragedy and fewer and fewer penalties will be issues in determining race results.
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BMW Sauber – Racing in 2008 or Building for 2009
The reality is in the second half of the season every team must do both. Some of the team’s resources must be deployed to the development of next year’s car. The first race is so important. You can not casually give up points in either the constructors or drivers championships. At the same time how do you manage for the current season?
Renault’s progress in closing the performance gap between it and BMW Sauber may be coming at some cost to their 2009 season. Wins help secure sponsors, solidify contracts and the willingness of corporate boards to expend the money Renault must in order to race and develop engines.
BMW Sauber has struck a politically correct kind of solution that has real potential to stink up the house.
The Drivers Championship –
Kubica in third is upset at the balance of support within the team. Heidfeld is still in fifth but frankly in the second half of the season has not seemed to contribute out of brilliance but out of luck. Resources are supposedly split evenly between the two. At this point in the season why not push your front horse.
Constructors Championship –
BMW is secure in third. Yet there is no reason that with a strong commitment to the 2008 season they could not be in second place. They have not found what it takes to move them to the next level.
Develop for 2009 –
Part of every team from the top of the P1 to P20 is in the process of developing their 2009 car. In the case of Force India your strategy is to do what it takes to field a car this year but all development is focused on the 2009 car. The top level teams, in this era insert Ferrari and McLaren, find ways to manage these two championship hunts and develop their 2009 car.
BMW has not managed the driver championship. Kubica is at the point of turning into a bitter prima dona. He was taken in tow by management going into this weekend with mixed results at best. Heidfled is reaching his useful end within the team. He has not been signed for next season. Why not see if you can move Kubica up in this championship and help set his attitude early for next season by shifting resources in that direction?
We will not know until the 2009 car is revealed and raced if the proper balance has been struck between racing for the current season and developing for the next.
Fans are fickle. They root, boo and analyze for what is in front of them at any given moment.
Drivers race the hardware they have in the season they are in.
Team management and owners are the only group that constantly has one foot in the present while stepping forward into and defining the future. At this juncture I am a bit dubious that step is going to take BMW Sauber to the next level in 2009.
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The way things look in the future or just a cool picture from Singapore 2008?
leeines
09-29-2008, 10:34 AM
Good Morning Mika,
Thank you once again for your posts on yesterday's Singapore F-1. Excellent work. I appreciate the fact that you spend a lot of time getting this to those of us who are F-1 fans.
Thanks also for your suggestions on F-1 sites on the web.
Please keep up the great work.
Regards,
Lee of leeines:wave
10-03-2008 Press Release
10th – 12th October 2008
16th of 18 World Championship races
Munich/Hinwil, 3rd October 2008. The mountain calls. Following the night race in Singapore – as glamorous as the BMW Sauber F1 Team’s points haul was modest – Formula One now heads for the Japanese Alps to race at the foot of the sacred volcano of Mount Fuji.
There are still three races on the agenda, including the Japanese Grand Prix (http://www.formula1.com/races/in_detail/japan_802/circuit_diagram.html) on 12th October. Rarely has a season proved as diverse and unpredictable as this one. The battle for the top places in the World Championship rankings is about to enter its decisive phase.
Nick Heidfeld:
“Firstly, I’m hoping Fuji won’t bring the kind of torrential rain we had in 2007. Basically I enjoy driving in the rain, but with last year’s deluge it was just impossible. Visibility was zero, which led to a number of collisions. Somebody drove into my car as well and damaged it. Even so, shortly before the end I was in sixth place, but then an engine problem put me out of the race.
“It’s a fun circuit. There are lots of uphill and downhill gradients and several blind corners. But I’m a bit hard on it as Suzuka was always my favourite GP track. One feature of the Fuji circuit that stands out is its extremely long straight.
“It’s a beautiful landscape, and the road from the hotel to the track could serve as an excellent rally special stage. I hope Mount Fuji is going to show its face again. Overall there doesn’t seem to be much going on in the area, but that’s fine after all the hustle and bustle of Singapore.”
Robert Kubica:
“This season we go to Fuji for the second year in a row. I guess everybody remembers last year’s Japanese Grand Prix (http://www.formula1.com/races/in_detail/japan_802/circuit_diagram.html)as the weather conditions were crazy. It was extremely wet and visibility was poor. From a driver’s perspective the track is very interesting. There are some challenging corners with different radii and also some blind corners. Under dry conditions it was very enjoyable to drive, although the last sector is quite slow as there are a lot of tight corners.
“As always in Japan, I think the fans will bring a unique atmosphere to the Formula One track. Usually they come to the track early in the morning and leave it after us.”
Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director:
“The spectacular night-race premiere in Singapore is over. For the next two races we will be stopping off in Asia as well, first in Japan and just a week later in China. Some team members flew back to Munich and Hinwil from Singapore, while others stayed on in Asia for a few days’ relaxation. Others, in turn, are travelling to South Korea, where Nick will be doing some demo drives with the Formula One car on Saturday and Sunday.
“The Fuji Speedway celebrated its successful comeback to the F1 calendar in 2007. The circuit is in a picturesque setting in the Japanese Alps, against the backdrop of Mount Fuji that rises majestically behind it. Last year, however, the sacred mountain could only be seen on Friday, and in the sunshine it was the most photographed view. Unfortunately, it then disappeared behind a thick wall of fog and rain and was never seen again. The weather had a profound impact on the entire race weekend in 2007.
“After our unlucky experience with the Safety Car regulations in Singapore – the second time this season – which lost us important points, we aim to make up for lost ground in Japan. In the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships the leaders are bunched close together, which promises plenty of excitement for the remaining races.”
Willy Rampf, Technical Director:
“After the spectacular night race in Singapore, Formula One will be returning to normality in Fuji. Last year was our first race there, though it was dominated by a very wet track. But we still managed to gather some information in terms of the car set-up.
“At around 1.5 kilometres, Fuji boasts the longest genuine straight of any Grand Prix circuit. It means there are real overtaking opportunities. At the same time, the medium-fast and fast turns require plenty of downforce, which calls for a compromise in the aero set-up. In Fuji we drive with medium downforce, comparable to Valencia. Bridgestone supplies the two medium tyre compounds, which shouldn’t pose us any major problems.
“After Singapore’s turbulent race, where the Safety Car phase threw a spanner into the works, we want to achieve a strong points haul with both cars in Japan.”
History and background:
The Fuji race track opened its gates in 1966. It has already hosted Formula One races in 1976 and 1977, and even then became notorious for its rain. At the start of the 1976 GP – the closing race of the season – the rain was bucketing down. Aquaplaning forced defending champion Niki Lauda to park his Ferrari in the pits after just two laps. Mario Andretti went on to win the race, and James Hunt was crowned World Champion with a single-point lead.
In 2005 the complex was given a complete overhaul in order to meet the Formula One standards set out by the FIA. 2007 saw the return of Formula One to the Fuji circuit. As of 2009, the Japanese Grand Prix is to be held alternately in Suzuka and Fuji.
The Speedway takes its name from Fujiyama or Fuji-san, as the mountain is more commonly known today. Both “yama” and “san” can mean “mountain”, depending on whether one follows Kunyomi or Onyomi pronunciation.
The composite volcano rising to a height of 3,776 metres above sea level is Japan’s tallest mountain. Its rock is dated 100,000 years old. Not only is the volcano a highly popular photo opportunity, it is still active, though classified as harmless. The last eruption was recorded in 1707.
Mount Fuji is in the Japanese Alps on the main island of Honshu. Its summit marks the border between Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures. Geologically, the volcano is located where the Eurasian, Pacific and Philippine plates meet.
Thanks to its gently sloping contours, it is relatively easy to climb. The first to do so was a Japanese monk in the year 663. Today such an expedition has lost any trace of exclusivity, with thousands of people congregating at its peak in summer.
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10-04-2008 Press Release
Formula One demonstrations in Seoul and Gwang-ju.
Seoul (KR), 4th October 2008. The BMW Sauber F1 Team marked a rather special debut in South Korea on Saturday when Nick Heidfeld became the first Formula One driver ever to clock up mileage in an F1 car in South Korea’s capital, Seoul. Along a closed-off section in the Samsung-dong area of the city, the German racing driver was cheered by an estimated 20,000 spectators who had come to watch his demo drive.
On Sunday, the BMW Sauber F1 Team will be putting on another show in Gwang-ju. This city lies in the South Korean province of Jeollanam-do, where there are plans to host a Formula One race in the future. From there, Heidfeld will continue on to Japan for the Grand Prix to be held in Fuji on 12th October.
In Seoul, Heidfeld blasted up and down a half-kilometre strip five times, leaving behind lingering smoke clouds after each scorching U-turn. “It was great fun, particularly as we’re not allowed to do any donuts on the race tracks,” said the man from Mönchengladbach. “And the spectators seemed to enjoy the show as well. I just love the sheer enthusiasm of the Asians. South Korea was unknown territory for me, but the delight of the fans, who were literally squealing, is just as evident here as in Japan, our next stop.”
The event was staged on the initiative of the Korea Auto Valley Operation (KAVO). KAVO is a joint venture between the government of Jeollanam-do Province and the promoter M-Bridge Holdings. The circuit plans were presented at a press conference.
From the team web site
The BMW Sauber F1 Team will line up with drivers Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld once again in 2009.
The BMW Sauber F1 Team has opted for continuity and will once again line up with Poland's Robert Kubica and Germany's Nick Heidfeld as its race drivers in the 2009 season. The Austrian Christian Klien will remain the team's test and reserve driver.
"We see Nick and Robert as a strong driver pairing and Christian as an experienced test driver. We are in no doubt that we will again achieve our ambitious aims with them in the team's fourth year," explains BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen.
On Tuesday Formula One racing’s governing body, the FIA, released an amended calendar for the 2009 world championship. A provisional schedule was released in June.
The revised calendar sees the Turkish Grand Prix changing from its original August slot to a June date, while the Canadian race has been dropped. In another revision, the Italian and Belgian races have swapped positions, with the Spa event now taking place on August 30, a fortnight before the Italian Grand Prix at Monza on September 13.
The 18-race championship will reach its finale in mid November with the inaugural Abu Dhabi race.
The revised 2009 calendar in full:
29 March Australia
5 April Malaysia
19 April Bahrain
10 May Spain
24 May Monaco
7 June Turkey
21 June Great Britain
28 June France
12 July Germany
26 July Hungary
23 August Europe (Valencia)
30 August Belgium
13 September Italy
27 September Singapore
11 October Japan
18 October China
1 November Brazil
15 November Abu Dhabi
paddocktalk.com ( http://paddocktalk.com/news/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=96188&newlang=&topic=8&catid=0): BMW Explains Heidfeld decision
Or
F1 2009 Begins
BMW Sauber F1 Team: Results - 2008.
09-30-2008
That is where the press release appeared to end. At first glance I wondered what was up with this. I clicked on a link and found the chart below and still wondered what was up. I have come to the following conclusion; this is the BMWs first public shot fired for the 2009 F1 Championship series.
Formula 1 fans are familiar with ‘The Silly Season’. Its main element is driver contracts. Who will drive for what team in the next season? While the current championship series are fought there is a growing interest in contracts for drivers for the next season. Race results are interpreted in terms of what the implications are for a driver’s current ride or where he could go in the coming year. We often miss or are not exposed to the meaning of the second silly season; Sponsor Season.
Rumors slide under the radar. Will a major sponsor for McLaren move to Ferrari in the coming season? We may glance at such articles but for the most part race fans pass them over and focus on the titles at hand and root for their favorite team or driver.
The Silly Season has other implications. For the technicians, engineers and developers they must decide on a balance between development of the current car within the current rules and the next season’s car and rules. Management gets involved in the game of poker that we know as driver contracts while doing its part in the balance between the seasons.
There is a second Silly Season. This is the Sponsor Season. The BWM Sauber F1 car is not dripping with sponsor logos like some other race series cars are. However; the people who pay to have their names placed on it pay a pretty penny for the space.
There is no doubt that any F1 team owner pumps a lot of their money into the team. Yet the ability to generate sponsor money has a huge impact on the team’s ability to compete. BMW Sauber F1 is not immune from this despite the BWM part of the name. No matter how brilliant the plans are for the next seasons race car are if the money is not there to take it from paper to the wind tunnel then the track they are useless.
To secure the loyalty of current sponsors and attract new sponsors in addition or to replace ones lost this looks like the first public glimpse into the beginning of the 2009 season for BMW Sauber F1.
Gentlemen Start Your Contract Pens!
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BMW Sauber F1 Team - Japanese GP - Practice
10-10-2008 Press Release
Weather: dry, sunny in the morning, overcast in the afternoon, 21-28°C Air, 29-31°C Track
Fuji (JP). Both the BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers completed their usual programme during the first free practice sessions in preparation for the 2008 Japanese Grand Prix in Fuji, which basically is tyre comparison and set-up work.
Robert Kubica:
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
1st Practice: 8th, 1:20.160 min / 2nd Practice: 11th, 1:18.865 min
“It was a normal Friday. We did some set-up work in the morning, and concentrated on the tyre evaluation in the afternoon. I really enjoyed driving on this track, as it’s demanding and fun at the same time. The balance of the car is quite okay, but we are lacking overall grip.”
Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
1st Practice: 14th, 1:20.628 min / 2nd Practice: 19th, 1:19.894 min
“My first day of practice didn’t go too smoothly this time. I’m not happy with the balance of the car yet, it is sliding too much. Because of this in the first session I spun once, which seldom happens to me. Also, which is exceptional for us, in the second session I had minor technical problems. First the brake balance adjuster in the cockpit came loose, and shortly before the end of the session we had a hydraulic alarm and I came into the pit. There were only three minutes left, so it wasn’t worth going out again. However, I didn’t really loose track time and it’s only Friday. I’m totally confident we shall improve for tomorrow.”
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“That was a full Friday. The track was in a good condition right from the beginning so we were able to start our set-up work early on. As usual, we concentrated on set-up and tyre comparison. The long-runs were satisfying. At the end of the second session Nick had a hydraulic alarm, so we are now investigating the reason for this.”
From Formula1.com
FIA Friday press conference (http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/10/8494.html) - Drivers
FIA Friday press conference (http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/10/8505.html) - Managers
fia.com ( http://fia.com/EN-GB/SPORT/CHAMPIONSHIPS/F1/JAPAN/Pages/circuit.aspx): Grand
Prix of Japan.
I am sorry I have not published this sites information in the past. For old hands this post will cover well known territory. For the rest I hope it helps you understand a bit more of what is going on during practice, qualifying and the race. It is the information the race announcers use to set themselves up to do the commentary.
The track map is rich with makers. Understanding the Key to the makers will help you make sense of these.
The track each track is divided into three sectors with independent timing set up for each. Sector times give an indication of how the car set up is working and gives a glimpse into each teams track strategy in the attempt to arrive at the best overall lap time for their car.
Friday practice is the setup day and lap and sector times while important are really just setting the base line for Saturday.
Saturday’s practice will reflect changes made based on Friday’s data. There will be setup changes during and after this practice.
Beyond the obvious importance of Qualifying, a comparison of sector times within and between teams will give you an indication of were the “on track battles” may take place.
The most important box to understand is the Pit Stop Schedule. This is the link between qualifying and the race. It helps you separate the sprints from the others. This holds true even within the various pit stop strategies.
Remember that in Q3, unlike Q1 and 2, cars go out with the fuel load to qualify and that they will start the race with. The added weight of the latter explains why the times in Q3 are normally slower than Q2.
In each of the pit stop strategies there is ‘window’ of laps. When a car pits within these windows gives an indication of where the car plans their sprint to the front.
In a multi stop strategy the first teams in during a window are the early sprinters. The standard interpretation is they want to build laps and separation early in the race and defend that advantage in the end. The teams on the same stop number strategy but pitting latter in the window are setting themselves up for a sprint at the finish.
The wild card in pit stop strategies is the cars and teams that adopt a strategy out of sink with the norm. A team that qualified poorly could adopt a one stop strategy while everyone else is on a two stop plan. They will have to accept being a mid pack car for most of the race, manage their tire wear with a two fold purpose. They will gain track position when the other teams are in the pits for their extra stop and in the process set themselves up for a sprint for position at the end of the race.
There is more that may be gleaned from this page and the FIA site, but I will leave it to you to decide what is important and helpful.
Hamilton takes his 7th pole.
Massa is in P5
Kubica P6
Heidfeld did not make it out of Q1 and is starting 16th.
The BMWs did not look fast in any of the sessions.
It rained overnight in Japan leaving green and damp track at the beginning of practice. Once again rain held off and the track dried during the session. BMW may have been caught going with a damp car setup while others went for a dry.
Heidfeld has better best sector times than his teammate but was not able to put an entire lap that would move him out of Q3. Kubica went to Q1 but the best position he could attain in any session was a fourth midway through Q2.
The car seems to be suffering from set issues both in aerodynamics and gear selection. The overnight rain may have led to the wrong setup selection which is frozen in for the race. BMW fans should hope for a wet track.
As you watch the race, look for different pit strategies for the two drivers. Heidfeld will probably be on a one stop strategy. Kubica most likely will be on a two stopper and may be starting with a heavier load than the others. The hope here would be to hope for problems for the leaders while setting him up to push at the end. The car just does not have it in it to sprint from the start.
If it rains forget everything I said. Here is what the team press release has to say about qualifying.
BMW Sauber F1 Team - Japanese GP - Qualifying
10-11-2008 Press Release
Weather: wet in the morning, dry for qualifying, 20-24°C Air, 22-25°C Track
Fuji (JP). While Robert Kubica came sixth in qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix, Nick Heidfeld just missed getting into Q2 when he was 16th in Q1. In hindsight, the decision to stay on the harder tyre compound for his second run in Q1 was too big a risk for him.
Robert Kubica:
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 6th, 1:18.979 min (3rd Practice: 1st, 1:25.087 min)
“Yesterday we were struggling with low grip, so the rain last night and this morning definitely didn’t help us as it washed away the rubber. The balance of the car was fine, but it was just lacking grip. I tried everything I could, and this was the best I could manage. Sixth is not bad under the circumstances.”
Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 16th, 1.18,835 min in Q1 (3. Training: 4th, 1.25,474 min)
“Now we know it was the wrong decision to stay on the harder tyre compound for the second outing in Q1. After my initial run on the first set of those tyres, I knew I could improve on the Prime tyres, so we took the risk and put on another set. I actually did improve, I was about half a second quicker, but still it wasn’t enough and I missed Q2 by one tenth of a second. Robert just made it. Of course from so far back on the grid it will be very difficult to do something in the race. But we have seen everything happen in Formula One and I shall never give up.”
Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“Qualifying didn’t go as we hoped it would. The main reason was we estimated incorrectly how the track conditions would improve, and their influence on the tyres in Q1. We sent both drivers out twice on the harder compound, while others were already changing to the softer tyres. The unexpected big difference between both compounds left us in the situation where Robert just made it into Q2 and Nick didn’t. In the remaining qualifying sessions Robert put in the performance we were expecting and was 6th.”
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“The most difficult part of today was the first session of qualifying, during which we planned to use the harder of the two tyre compounds. We wanted to have enough sets of the softer one for the remainder of qualifying and for the race. This decision cost Nick a place in Q2. It will be difficult to score points from 16th. Robert’s performance was strong and he managed to clinch sixth. This was what we realistically expected.”
Japanese GP Slideshow (http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/swfpopup.mg?AlbumID=6206399&AlbumKey=QSv6T)
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Green strips indicate the third optional compound for this race.
Alonso wins the Japanese GP
Kubica a well deserved second
Raikkonen third.
Heidfeld finished a dismal 10 in an unimpressive effort motoring his BMW Sauber around on a one pit stop strategy.
A disastrous race for McLaren. Hamilton finished in 12th just short of being one lap down. Kovalainen’s engine blew up on the 51st lap.
The race was thrown into mass confusion in turn 1 on the first lap. Raikkonen had a good start jumping Hamilton only to have Hamilton and Kovalainen run both Ferraris wide and overtaking. Raikkonen quickly cycled back to P7. In the mess Kubica was able to squirt through and take the lead with Alonso in P2.
This was the case through the first pit stop. Kubica was not able to open any lead on Alonso who consistently held P2 only about a second and a half behind.
Kubica was first into the pits and took on a heavy load. Alonso stayed out and set a race fast lap and then dove into the pits and took a significantly lighter load – estimated at a 5 lap lighter load and returned to the race ahead of Kubica.
The spread between Alonso and Kubica grew slowly as they cycled forward as other teams began making pit stops. When Alonso finally cycled back into the lead he, by nature and at the urging of his team, started to add to his lead building it to 13.2 seconds at one point.
In this middle stage Kubica was running a car that should not have been in P2 very hard and yet in a very contained way. Raikkonen in P3 seemed to be willing to just motor on without really pressing the BMW. Perhaps he expected to find himself in P2 after the final set of pit stops. It did not work out that way.
Alonso remained in P1 after the final stops. Kubica pitted before the Ferrari and was able to get ahead of Raikkonen and reclaim P2 as Raikkonen exited the pits. This set up several laps of great racing to watch. Hard fought clean racing for position which in the end had Kubica defending well and running the tires off the Ferrari in the process.
Heidfeld who mathematically was still in the championship hunt is no longer. Heidfeld ran a one stop race that can be best described as busing the car to 12th. At one point he could not separate himself from Barrichello who was also running a one stop strategy and Barrichello had the slowest lap time of the race during this period.
What was BMW thinking when they resigned him?
Hamilton’s race was worse than Heidfeld’s. He came into the pits on lap 2 as a result of the incident in turn 1. He would latter serve a drive through penalty for his part in that incident. He suffered a NASCAR style bump from Massa that spun him out at on lap 18. It was only in the final laps that he was able to unlap himself.
Coulthard was the first DNF of the race with suspension failure on lap 1that damaged Nakajima’s car sending him to the pits for a tires and a new nose.
Fischella had a rear tire come apart on lap 45 and retired.
Kovalainen’s engine blew on lap 51.
Sutil retired on lap 59.
Glock was looking strong then had problems that sent
Ferrari regains the constructor lead.
The drivers championship is still up for grabs. Massa is under investigation for an overtaking infraction and may be dropped 10 grid positions as a penalty in China. Kubica made up a good deal of ground sitting in third after this race.
The Constructor’s Championship is what disappoints me. There is no reason that BMW should be sitting back in third instead of in a very tight fight for first. It is disappointing that the team is not able to do better.
Pictures, standings and other things latter today. I am off to bed.
Massa set race fast lap and established the new track record.
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Slide Show: Japanese GP (http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/swfpopup.mg?AlbumID=6206399&AlbumKey=QSv6T)
BMW Sauber F1 Team - Japanese GP - Race
10-12-2008 Press Release
Weather: Dry but overcast, Air: 16-17°C, Track: 21-22°C
Fuji (JP). In the Japanese Grand Prix the BMW Sauber F1 Team claimed its eleventh podium of the 2008 season. Robert Kubica finished second in Fuji, coming from sixth on the grid. It is the seventh podium for the Pole this year and his third second place. Nick Heidfeld, who started from 16th, improved to tenth in the dramatic race, which saw the championship contenders dropping back right after the start. In the Constructors’ Championship the BMW Sauber F1 Team is third, 13 points behind leader Ferrari.
Robert Kubica: 2nd
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1:19.292 min on lap 16 (7th fastest overall)
“My start was good but the clutch slipped a little, therefore Jarno Trulli was able to pass me on the straight. I then decided to take the inside line and braked very late, too late actually and I locked the front wheels. But then everybody went wide while I was more or less able to keep my line, and after the second corner I was in front. I then tried to pull away, but I couldn’t. My tyres were graining and I lost time, particularly in the last sector. I was pushing as hard as I could, but after the pit stop, Fernando Alonso was in front of me and I was not able to match his pace. At the beginning of the final stint the tyres were graining heavily and my lap times were slow, so I came under strong pressure from Kimi Räikkönen and we had a great fight. At one point he was beside me in corner two, but I was on the inside, just didn’t back off and was able to keep him behind. After a few laps the graining went away and I was able to run at my normal pace. It’s a great result for the whole team at a time when it is not easy. We have been struggling a little bit recently and we were under pressure from some teams, so this second place is a real boost for our morale. Now we have nothing to lose, but everything is possible.”
Nick Heidfeld: 10th
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1:19.461 min on lap 67 (8th fastest overall)
“Compared to the Williams cars in front of me, my start was okay, but the Hondas behind got off the grid even better. There was an awful lot of traffic in the first corner and I was lucky to get through all the hassle. For me the nicest moment of the race was certainly when I managed to overtake two cars at the same time on lap four. I was on a one stop strategy and, as well as that, the second last one-stopper to pit. It was not easy to handle the heavy car. Now I’m looking forward to next weekend’s race in Shanghai where we should do better in qualifying.“
Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“This was a really strong performance from Robert. In the first corner chaos after the start he took the lead. Later in the race he had to let Fernando Alonso go, but defended successfully against Kimi Räikkönen. It was our team’s eleventh podium of the season, and Robert has now been on the podium seven times in 2008. Nick also did a good job by improving from 16th to tenth, but couldn’t score points today. We are now looking forward to exciting final races in China and Brazil.”
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
”Contrary to all the prophecies, this was an exciting race. Robert had the best result at the start as he managed to take the lead, thanks to a little bit of luck and lots of guts. He was in the lead until the first pit stops, but after that we weren’t able to match the pace of Fernando Alonso. In the third stint Robert defended his position from the attacks by Kimi Räikkönen in a clever and fair way, and claimed his well earned seventh podium of the season. That was really a brilliant performance by Robert. Nick managed to move up to tenth with a one-stop-strategy, but unfortunately, because of coming from 16th on the gird, more than this was not possible.”
formula1.com (http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/10/8517.html): Alonso makes it two wins in a row.
formula1.com (http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/10/8521.html): FIA post race press conference
formula1.com (http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/10/8519.html): Penalties put Hamilton and Massa out of race contention
formula1.com (http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/10/8518.html): Selected driver quotes
PAGoldsby
10-12-2008, 09:48 PM
Good for Fred, GREAT result for Robert! Kimi, true-to-form-as-late, had it, then lost it. I think his claims that the car was "damaged" by both the McLarens is ... specious.
Pretty enjoyable race. I fell asleep right before the last round of pit-stops, but watched the end as soon as I got up this morning. Thank you, DVR!!!
Thanks, M1ka, for doing all the work to keep this thread pumping. Only two more races. :(
This is the second half of back to back race weekends for the F1 Cirucus.
fia.com (http://fia.com/en-GB/sport/championships/f1/china/Pages/circuit.aspx): The track and a variety of information from the FIA are here. formula1.com (http://www.formula1.com/races/in_detail/china_803/circuit_diagram.html): has its version with a bit easier to understand lay out of sectors here.
BMW Sauber F1 Team - Chinese GP - Preview
10-12-2008 Press Release
17th – 19th October 2008
17th of 18 World Championship races
Munich/Hinwil, 12th October 2008. The Asian leg of the Formula One season continues with the penultimate round of the 18-race World Championship in Shanghai this coming Sunday, 19th October.
Nick Heidfeld:
“On the whole, I quite like this circuit. The first three corners are among the best on the calendar. You come in with a lot of speed, and the first corner remains pretty fast initially. But then it tightens up more and more and you have to change down into second gear. Getting out the other end in good shape will be just a bit more difficult this year with the absence of traction control. Every time you come here you’re impressed by the huge scale of the paddock and grandstands; there’s nothing else like it. Last year I got unlucky with the timing of a tyre change onto a fresh set of wets. Second place was possible, but that turned into seventh when I had to come in for an extra stop.
Shanghai will be the fifth Asian city in a row I’ve visited – after Singapore, Seoul, Gwang-ju and Tokyo – and each one is different. Shanghai is certainly the fastest-growing and without doubt the one with the worst traffic conditions. Each time we come to Shanghai there are new skyscrapers, but every year a few of the old districts also disappear from the city centre.”
Robert Kubica:
“Shanghai is an interesting circuit with a very long straight, and here there’s a good chance to overtake. The track offers a mixture of very different corners; there are some slow areas but also several fast sections. The first corner is particularly challenging. You stay on the brakes for a long time, and then it quickly switches into a left-hander. I haven’t had much luck at this circuit so far. I hope that changes this time and I can pick up some important points for the World Championship.”
Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director:
“Just a week after the race in Japan we travel to China for the second part of this Asian double-header. This means we will have had five races on this continent this year. If you add the Turkish Grand Prix, that means there are six GPs in Asia – a third of the season. Plus, next year will also see the first visit of Formula One to Abu Dhabi. All of which shows that the top category of motor racing has established a major foothold in Asia.
Shanghai has developed dramatically as a business centre and China is a future market with significant growth potential. From the point of view of BMW and our partners, the race in Shanghai is therefore of particular importance. BMW has operated its own production facility in China since 2004, where the BMW 3 Series and BMW 5 Series models are made.
This will be the fifth time that Formula One comes to China. The scale of the facility in Shanghai is beyond any other venue on the calendar and the track layout is a tough challenge. We are very much looking forward to the penultimate race of the season.”
Willy Rampf, Technical Director:
“The track in Shanghai stands out with its very special layout. A particularly interesting section is the double right-hander, double left-hander combination at the end of the start-finish straight. The drivers approach it with a lot of speed and then stay on the brakes for a long time on the entry. This is a very unusual section, which places heavy demands on the tyres.
The long straight offers a good overtaking opportunity, as it feeds into a hairpin and the track is very wide at this point, allowing the drivers to take two different lines. The combination of widely contrasting corners demands a high level of aerodynamic efficiency. With the tyres put under such heavy loads we use the hardest Bridgestone compounds here.”
History and background:
Formula One has been coming to China since 2004. The Shanghai circuit, built on reclaimed marshland, is located outside the booming metropolis. The driving time through the chaotic traffic from the city centre to the track is difficult to calculate.
The circuit designers were keen to bring a local flavour to both the track layout and the design of the overall circuit. The layout is based on the Chinese character “Shang”, which translates as “high” or “above”, and the massive pit buildings and grandstands emulate traditional Chinese design features.
Shanghai lies on the vast Yangtze Delta where the river drains into the East China Sea. Land reclamation is allowing the municipal area to grow steadily. As with most of these huge cities, population estimates fluctuate widely. Ten million people in the municipal area and another five million in the suburbs offers a reasonable indication.
Today’s Hype – From BMW and others
reuters.com (http://uk.reuters.com/article/motorSportsNews/idUKT16546820081013?feedType=RSS&feedName=motorSportsNews&sp=true): I can still do a Kimi, says upbeat Kubica
hondaracingf1.com (http://www.hondaracingf1.com/loband/news.php?pagest=0&pageln10&item_id=2328&year=2008): Realistic expectations for Chinese GP
Toyota-f1.com (http://www.toyota-f1.com/public/en/gp2008/17_china/preview_press.html?F=RSS): Chinese Grand Prix – Preview
lewishamilton.com (http://www.lewishamilton.com/news/2008/10/Exclusive-QandA-Post-Japan2008): Post Japan q&a
Technical
A look a some of the technical developments made to various cars for Japan. Many of these will carry over to China. The Toro Rosso piece is an example of teams looking at the competition and developing a version to their needs.
Ferrari 2008 – rear suspension development (http://www.formula1.com/news/technical/2008/802/598.html)
Renault R28 – revised sidepods (http://www.formula1.com/news/technical/2008/802/598.html)
Williams FW30 – rear wing development (http://www.formula1.com/news/technical/2008/802/596.html)
Toro Rosso STR3 – nosecone delta winglets (http://www.formula1.com/news/technical/2008/802/595.html)
BeemerMike
10-14-2008, 08:36 AM
So . . . the question is . . . is Lewis Hamilton going to throw away the F1 world championship in the final races for two years in a row?
PAGoldsby
10-14-2008, 09:54 AM
So . . . the question is . . . is Lewis Hamilton going to throw away the F1 world championship in the final races for two years in a row?< snicker >
I think Massa is in the best position for a strong finish. Perhaps Kimi and Fred will switch seats for '09.
I don't think we will ever know.
I lost track of the engine change cycle and wild cards. My bet is Hamilton blows an engine in either China or Brazil. As a result no clear answer to the question.
If he does not win this year I believe he will be in the hunt for the driver to win the most Grand Prixs and never win a championship, assmuming his career lasts long enough.
hondaf1racing.com (http://www.hondaracingf1.com/loband/news.php?pagest=0&pageln10&item_id=2329&year=2008): Shanghai in detail
crash.net (http://www.crash.net/motorsport/f1/news/170488-0/champions_fear_for_risky_hamilton.html): Champions fear for ‘risky’ Hamilton
autosport.com (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/71400): Theissen insists BMW can win titles.
Theissen is correct in the thinking that BMW can compete for titles.
Kubica has a dark horse chance at the driver’s championship. Given the capacity of Hamilton and Massa to become caught up in the heat of the moment and take themselves out it may not be as dark a chance as one may think.
f1-live.com (http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/081014102426.shtml): Barrichello to test IndyCar
f1complete.com (http://www.f1complete.com/content/view/10641/900/): Ferrari struggling with 2009 development
planet-f1.com (http://www.planet-f1.com/story/0,18954,3213_4334936,00.html): FOTA steps up campaign to revamp F1
formula1.com (http://www.formula1.com/news/technical/2008/802/599.html)’s technical section continues its debriefing of changes made by teams for the Japanese GP. Today it is the Toyota TF108 –revised rear wing.
Formula1.com ( http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/10/8530.html): Japanese Grand Prix – you decide
The video is a slow load. In an unusual move Formula 1 is posting the video of the turn one incident from all angles, the Massa punt of Hamilton and Bourdais penalty. These include long range views and in car video.
timesonline.co.uk ( http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/formula_1/article4944971.ece): Five year plan to save F1
Will this save F1 and kill the Constructers Championship in the process?
Could this cause a shuffle in the schedule for ’09 that puts Canada back on the schedule? Or, as one blogger suggested is it only another sign of F1 greed killing a GP?
grandprix.com ( http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns20880.html): French GP cancelled!
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A day the office for BMW. Kubica was strong in session one then went into the garage. Heidfeld had a good second session. Both seemed to be spending time working the two tire compounds on different loads.
BMW Sauber F1 Team - Chinese GP - Practice
10-17-2008 Press Release
Weather: dry, sunshine and clouds, 24-26°C Air, 23-26°C Track
Shanghai (CN). On what was a technically trouble free Friday with two 90 minutes sessions, both BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers worked hard to improve the balance of their cars. However, there were mixed fortunes – on the first day of the Chinese Grand Prix weekend Nick Heidfeld seemed to be happier than Robert Kubica.
Robert Kubica:
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
1st Practice: 5th, 1:36.507 min / 2nd Practice: 12th, 1:36.775 min
“As usual on Friday, we did the tyre evaluation and worked on the set-up of the car. We tried all kinds of different things, but I’m not happy yet with the balance of the car, and the overall level of grip is poor. We have to analyse the data carefully to make the right changes for tomorrow. There is still a lot of work to be done.”
Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
1st Practice: 7th, 1:37.040 min / 2nd Practice: 9th, 1:36.553 min
“In the second session especially I was quite happy with the long runs, as well as with the single laps. We have done quite a lot of set-up changes in the course of the day and during both sessions. Not every step was one in the right direction, but we understood and learned a lot.”
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
”So far it is hard to make a judgement on the performance here in Shanghai. Up to now we haven’t found the perfect balance for both cars. With regard to the car’s set-up, it is difficult to find a good compromise between both tyre compounds. We did a complete race distance with both cars today and gained a lot of valuable data, which we shall now evaluate. We had no technical problems.”
China GP 2008 – Gallery ( http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/swfpopup.mg?AlbumID=6275883&AlbumKey=SyxF6)
Qualifying practice found Heidfeld and Kubica being the bread that sandwiched Hamilton. Heidfeld and his BMW were faster than Hamilton who had dominated all the practice sessions to this point with his McLaren. Hamilton had made it down into the 1:35s in previous sessions.
In the pre-qualifying session P1 and P16 were less than a second apart. Heidfeld had made the most progress in times before qualifying and was very happy with his car. Kubica was in his curmudgeonly form making incremental progress in his times. Both made big moves in where they were in the practice time field standings.
It is not qualifying but it has to give confidence going into the garage after practice to prepare for qualifying knowing that your cars have the speed. It portended a aggressive qualifying session.
Things were not so good for Weber. His engine blew in practice and was replaced. It does cost him a 10 spot grid penalty.
With the start of Qualifying everyone was out except BMW. They continue to wait until the half way point of a session to put a tire on the track. They must have their reasons but I do not see them.
Tire management is key to qualifying. Drivers must work them up to the proper temp on the track to get the most out of a compound. This always seems to be a problem for Heidfeld. For Kubica it is the last adjustments that must be made to get his car around on the very last flying lap to score his best session time.
Once again in China Heidfeld reversed the tables on his team mate coming out of Q 1 in sixth. Kubica did just enough to make it to Q2 and avoid relegation.
There is a potential cloud that hangs over BMW and Heidfeld. Coulthard may file a complaint with the Race Steward against Heidfeld. Coulthard is claiming that the BMW driver impeded him on his last flying lap in Q1 resulting in his failure to advance.
Q2 and the BMWs were the last cars out once again. For all that the morning practice session portended for qualifying the storyline did not play out. Heidfeld made it into Q1. Kubica was complaining about understeer and did not make it into Q3. This is only the second time and given his championship aspirations not the best time to fail to make it to qualifying.
Q3 saw a great deal of strategy play out. The end result is we have the same two on the front row to start the race. Heidfled sits in P7. If he keeps his head and starts well he could find himself with an opportunity similar to what Kubica had in Japan.
Kubica will move up one spot due to Weber’s 10 position penalty. The grid position is poor but not the end of the world. Pit strategy will be very important to any chance the Pol will have during the race.
The grid listed is provisional. It does not reflect Weber’s penalty and any other changes by the Race Stewards.
http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/396495949_M3UY9-L.jpg
leeines
10-18-2008, 12:01 PM
Hello Mika,
Thanks again for your great posts on F-1.
leeines
BMW Sauber F1 Team - Chinese GP – Qualifying
10-18-2008 Press Release
Weather: dry, 27-28°C Air, 34-36°C Track
Shanghai (CN). Mixed feelings for the BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers in qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai. Nick Heidfeld was rather happy with his car and took seventh place, while his team mate, Robert Kubica, struggled with the balance of his car and wasn’t able to do any better than 12th.
Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 7th, 1.37.201 min (3. Training: 1st, 1.36.061 min)
“I think this was the best I could manage today, and I’m glad the positive trend in qualifying I had in the last three races has continued. I feel sorry for Robert. Apparently he struggled here and this grid position reduces his championship chances, but certainly we’ll never give up.”
Robert Kubica:
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 12th, 1:35.814 min in Q2 (3rd Practice: 3rd, 1:36.150 min)
“A very disappointing qualifying! I was struggling with the balance of the car all weekend. We made some changes before qualifying, but they had a negative effect. The car was difficult to drive and I couldn’t push as I wanted. I expect a tough race because now we are not allowed to change the set-up.”
Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“That was a disappointing qualifying for Robert and the whole team, especially because he didn’t progress from Q2. Throughout the whole weekend Robert has not been happy with the balance of his car, and this did not change in qualifying. The only advantage in this situation is we can choose our own strategy for Robert tomorrow. From the team’s point of view we are relying on Nick for our chances. He did a good job in Qualifying and managed to set the seventh best time.”
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“The result is obviously not what we were hoping for. With Robert we were not able to bring the good result from the third free practice into qualifying, which meant he was unhappy with the balance of his car and only ended up 12th. Nick did a good job and qualified where we expected him to be.”
BMW Sauber F1 Team - Chinese GP – Qualifying[/b]
10-18-2008 Press Release
Weather: dry, 27-28°C Air, 34-36°C Track
Shanghai (CN). Mixed feelings for the BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers in qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai. Nick Heidfeld was rather happy with his car and took seventh place, while his team mate, Robert Kubica, struggled with the balance of his car and wasn’t able to do any better than 12th.
Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 7th, 1.37.201 min (3. Training: 1st, 1.36.061 min)
“I think this was the best I could manage today, and I’m glad the positive trend in qualifying I had in the last three races has continued. I feel sorry for Robert. Apparently he struggled here and this grid position reduces his championship chances, but certainly we’ll never give up.”
Robert Kubica:
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 12th, 1:35.814 min in Q2 (3rd Practice: 3rd, 1:36.150 min)
“A very disappointing qualifying! I was struggling with the balance of the car all weekend. We made some changes before qualifying, but they had a negative effect. The car was difficult to drive and I couldn’t push as I wanted. I expect a tough race because now we are not allowed to change the set-up.”
Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“That was a disappointing qualifying for Robert and the whole team, especially because he didn’t progress from Q2. Throughout the whole weekend Robert has not been happy with the balance of his car, and this did not change in qualifying. The only advantage in this situation is we can choose our own strategy for Robert tomorrow. From the team’s point of view we are relying on Nick for our chances. He did a good job in Qualifying and managed to set the seventh best time.”
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“The result is obviously not what we were hoping for. With Robert we were not able to bring the good result from the third free practice into qualifying, which meant he was unhappy with the balance of his car and only ended up 12th. Nick did a good job and qualified where we expected him to be.”
[url=http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/swfpopup.mg?AlbumID=6275883&AlbumKey=SyxF6]Chinese GP Shanghai ([b)
formula1.com (http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/10/8559.html): Heidfeld hit with three position penatly - revised grid
Stewards did side with Coulthard. Crazy weekend for BMW.
BMW's take on thier situation before the race.
Nick Heidfeld will start this year's Chinese Grand Prix ninth. Despite starting from eleventh position on the grid, a glance at the 2008 season record book demonstrates that Robert can secure a good result nonetheless.
- Having secured ninth position on the grid, Nick will start the 17th Grand Prix of the season from row five, alongside Nelson Piquet jr (Renault). Meanwhile, Robert will share row six with Toyota's Timo Glock. Both BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers gained a position, compared to their qualifying results, as Red Bull Racing's Mark Webber - who qualified sixth - received a ten-position grid penalty for an engine change.
- In the Chinese Grands Prix Nick has contested as BMW Sauber F1 Team driver to date, the 31-year old has always qualified eighth and finished seventh.
- Although only eleventh on the grid, Robert can also achieve a good race result. Only once in his career to date, in the 2008 Italian Grand Prix, has he held this position on the grid - and he made it to the podium by finishing third.
- In the team-internal qualifying battle of the BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers, Nick has reduced Robert's lead to 13:4.
- At Shanghai, Robert is contesting his 39th Formula One race, while for Nick it's his 151st Grand Prix.
- With our "Race Updates" we will keep you informed about what is going on at Shanghai. To get these short updates, please click "GP China" in the "Season 2008" section of this website.
A lap of Shanghai with Robert Kubica
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Technical development from Formula1.com
BMW Sauber F1.08 (http://www.formula1.com/news/technical/2008/803/602.html): Front wind development
Ferrari F2008 (http://www.formula1.com/news/technical/2008/803/601.html): revised sidepod winglets
Ferrari F2008 (http://www.formula1.com/news/technical/2008/803/600.html): rear diffuser development
http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/397257094_zxpiM-L.jpg
The fight for the driver’s championship goes to Brazil with only Hamilton and Massa in contention.
BMW placed well running a bit boring but consistent race strategy. They moved their drivers up and kept them out of trouble.
Constructor Championship Standings (http://www.formula1.com/teams_and_drivers/teams/)
Driver Championship Standings (http://www.formula1.com/teams_and_drivers/drivers/)
Off to bed - I am going ridding latter today.
Chinese GP 2008 Gallery (http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/swfpopup.mg?AlbumID=6275883&AlbumKey=SyxF6)
BMW sauber F1 Team - Chinese GP - Race
10-19-2008 Press Release
Weather: dry and overcast, 27°C Air, 28-31°C Track
Shanghai (CN). Both BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers put in strong race performances in the Chinese Grand Prix. Nick Heidfeld started ninth and improved to fifth, while Robert Kubica was eleventh on the grid and finished sixth. However, a further seven points for the BMW Sauber F1 Team and three points for Robert in today’s race were not enough to keep the outsiders championship chances alive.
Nick Heidfeld: 5th
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
Fastest lap 1:36.498 min on lap 56 (3rd fastest overall)
“I’m quite happy with today’s race. At the start I gained positions and in corner two I overtook Sebastian Vettel on the outside. He touched the rear of my car, but he has already told me it wasn’t on purpose and, anyway, nothing happened. So after a few corners I was sixth again – just where I thought I would start from after qualifying. Later in the race I reduced the engine revs to save it for Brazil. It is a fact we now don’t have any hopes of claiming the constructors’ title, and neither can Robert win the drivers’ championship. But we shouldn’t be too disappointed, the team has had a fantastic third season, and Robert especially had a very good year. It’s not over yet.”
Robert Kubica: 6th
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
Fastest lap 1:36.854 min on lap 56 (7th fastest overall)
“After a very difficult qualifying I’m pleased with sixth. I made up a position at the start and then another two when Jarno Trulli and Sébastien Bourdais touched in the first corner. The balance of the car was still not good in the first two stints, and it only changed in the final stint after we changed to the softer compound. There is now one race left, and I shall try hard to defend my third place in the drivers’ championship.”
Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“Coming fifth and sixth is a good outcome after yesterday’s disappointing qualifying. Both drivers put in the ground work for this result at the start, and after that drove fine races without any mistakes. The strategy was good, all pit stops worked out perfectly, and we had no technical problems.”
Willy Rampf (Technischer Director):
“If you start from ninth and 11th on the grid and finish the race fifth and sixth you do have to be satisfied. The drivers gained three positions each right at the start. Robert, in particular, reacted perfectly when a car spun right in front of him. During the race both drivers were doing well with the strategy. Thank you to the whole team for the good work, especially during all the pit stops.”
The FIA released the following statement with no further comment.
Joint FIA and FOTA Statement
21/10/2008
Today’s meeting in Geneva has produced significant cost savings for 2009 and 2010.
FOTA are working urgently on further proposals for 2010 and thereafter.
The meeting agenda ( http://fia.com/public/fia_fota_agenda.pdf) was published yesterday with along with a explanatory note. ( http://fia.com/public/fia_fota_explanatory_note.pdf)
BeemerMike
10-21-2008, 02:19 PM
The FIA released the following statement with no further comment.
Joint FIA and FOTA Statement
21/10/2008
Today’s meeting in Geneva has produced significant cost savings for 2009 and 2010.
FOTA are working urgently on further proposals for 2010 and thereafter.
The meeting agenda ( http://fia.com/public/fia_fota_agenda.pdf) was published yesterday with along with a explanatory note. ( http://fia.com/public/fia_fota_explanatory_note.pdf)
Sounds like a Formula 1 "spec" car. Wow! Bernie E. must be afraid his F1 golden goose might die.
BeemerMike
10-21-2008, 02:49 PM
The fight for the driver’s championship goes to Brazil with only Hamilton and Massa in contention.
So, with a 7 point deficit, Massa has to win or place second, and Lewis . . . well, he has to pull a Lewis! Should be exciting. We'll all be watching Turn 1.
I have had a chance to read the notes and a few blogs. Here is my take on the FIA FOTA meeting notes.
The explanatory notes for the meeting between the FIA and FOTA seem to offer a mixed bag to BMW, at least from a BMW Sauber F1 observer.
Engines
Option 1: BMW, in its various efforts over the years, has been a Formula 1 engine supplier until its purchase in the controlling interest in Sauber. A standardized engine provided by a third party seems to eliminate any justification, rationalization or fantasy BMW uses to explain dumping the buckets of money it undoubted does into the F-1 racing efforts.
Option 2: This option seems to allow BMW to continue to build a highly scrutinized and tested engine. The devil is always in the detail but where are the savings? Development and production costs remain while complying with even more regulation.
Option 3: This option seems to offer the best of many worlds. BMW would become a builder supplier in this option. The supply of engines would go to teams such as Red Bull, Toro Rossi, Force India and hopefully new teams. The companies who are engine manufacturers would supply the non manufacturer teams with engines. The down side to this option is being a manufacture for others, meeting dead lines for design, production and delivery while doing the same for your own racing team. Ferrari and possibly McLaren would seem to keep their advantage in this case. They are the ones that have been doing this the longest and are geared to it. Honda and Renault are suppliers but their success problems and the lack of success to the teams supplied seem to point to the difficulty of pulling this off in the real world.
Chassis
The chassis proposal is where the field gets leveled. Ferrari has been at chassis development the longest. McLaren is only rivaled by Ferrari in its chassis expertise. Chassis development is perhaps even harder than engine development and is what separates McLaren and Ferrari from all the rest including BMW. BMW would gain ground with respect to those two and loose ground to the others. However; this would put the focus back on BMW engines which is where I think they would like it.
Racing Rules
FIX the safety car – pit stop – and qualifying issues before you KILL SOMEONE. The three elements are intertwined. In the current form it is a question of when not if someone will be killed. The potential of a conflagration that would engulf multiple teams and potentially fans is to0 real to ignore. The rest of the paragraph on regulations seems to be fluff by comparison.
I could be way off base in my interpretation; it wouldn’t be the first time. I am curious what your takes are.
The Brazilian GP
Turn 1 could be very interesting along with many others.
The race has a history of being dangerous on and off the track.
On the track fight baselines were set by Montoya and Schumacher or Prost and Senna for example. With the current rankor a new low could be set that eliminates both.
Off the track team cars, caravans and other things have been stolen, team members mugged and more. One has to hope an off track off site incident doesn't decide the champioship.
It should be interesting.
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10-24-2008 Press Release
31st October – 2nd November 2008
18th and final World Championship race
Munich/Hinwil, 24th October 2008. Rarely has a season been so unpredictable. Fears of humdrum afternoons were dispelled as thrilling battles unfolded; while where high drama was expected, an orderly procession ensued. On 2nd November one of the most exciting Formula One seasons on record will go down to the wire in São Paulo. All we know for certain is both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ World Championships will be decided at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Although still in its early years on the grid, the BMW Sauber F1 Team retained an outside chance of claiming both titles right up to the 17th of 18 World Championship races. A one two, a total of 11 podium finishes, one pole position and two fastest race laps, as well as 100% technical reliability and the fastest pit stops on the grid, have so far provided the success stories in the team’s third season.
Robert Kubica goes into the final race of 2008 determined to hold onto his third place in the drivers’ standings. But that is no easy task, with the Ferrari of reigning World Champion and last year’s Brazilian Grand Prix winner, Kimi Räikkönen, lurking six points behind him. Nick Heidfeld lies fifth in the standings, nine points behind the Finn and seven ahead of Renault’s resurgent Fernando Alonso.
The Constructors’ Championship could also see further shifts in position. The BMW Sauber F1 Team is currently third on 135 points, ten points behind McLaren Mercedes. In 2007 the BMW Sauber F1 Team collected 101 points in 17 World Championship races.
While Heidfeld will line up at Interlagos with the same powertrain as in China, Kubica is due both a new engine and gearbox. The two drivers have been out of sync in this respect since the first race of the season, when Kubica’s F1.08 was rear-ended in the Australian Grand Prix.
Before setting off for Brazil, the team’s drivers and management are scheduled to make a pit stop in Munich. Kubica is visiting the BMW plants in Landshut and Dingolfing today (Friday), then on Saturday he and Heidfeld, the test drivers Christian Klien and Marko Asmer, plus Mario Theissen, Willy Rampf and Peter Sauber will all be attending the BMW Sauber F1 Team Race Club Fan Event in and around the BMW branch in Fröttmaning. Around 1,000 members of the fan club came to last year’s get-together in Munich. The highlight of the event will once again be the demo runs with the Formula One car on a sealed-off road.
Nick Heidfeld:
“I’m pleased for the fans, but also personally, that we have an exciting finale to the World Championship. Plus, I’m curious to see whether the track is still the same as it was in 2007. That was a nice surprise, as the track’s surface used to be really bad and very bumpy. It was always being patched up, but it was only when the track was re-asphalted ahead of the 2007 Grand Prix that it really became a good surface. The layout of the Interlagos track is excellent and very demanding on the drivers – not least, of course, as far as our neck muscles are concerned. I think São Paulo’s pretty cool as a city, but at the back of your mind are always the stories about muggings and you hear about that sort of thing every year.”
Robert Kubica:
“Brazil is traditionally the final race of the season, and Interlagos is a very demanding and interesting circuit. My first race there was in 2002 in Formula Renault, and I’ve been back with the BMW Sauber F1 Team for the last two years. Interlagos is physically very tiring because we drive the circuit anticlockwise. That’s something we’re not used to, and we feel it especially in the neck. I’m currently third in the drivers’ standings, six points in front of Kimi, and, of course, it’s my aim to defend this position.”
Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director:
“The 2008 Formula One season is now going onto the finishing straight. In 2007 the outcome of the title was only decided in a thrilling final race in Brazil. Perhaps the Formula One fans will also get to enjoy a similarly exciting finale this year. Two drivers still have a chance of becoming World Champion in São Paulo.
“The Interlagos circuit has many different aspects, and the weather can also be unpredictable. The long, uphill start-finish straight places particularly heavy loads on the engines. This uphill section also makes the start extremely exciting. Another of its characteristic is the altitude of São Paulo. The thin air means that the engines generate approximately eight percent lower output than at sea level. We are very much looking forward to the final race of 2008 and are aiming to record another good result to round off the season.
“This is the final race in what has been our most successful season since the launch of the BMW Sauber F1 Team. We have achieved our ambitious aims for the third year in succession. We not only proved to be one of the top teams from the outset, we also recorded our maiden race win. It was all the sweeter, of course, that our success in Canada came in the form of a one two. As things stand, we have now had 11 podium finishes this year, compared with two in 2007. This statistic alone is evidence of the considerable steps forward we have made.
“Added to that, Nick brought us our first fastest race lap in Malaysia, Robert claimed our first pole position in Bahrain, and we’ve now scored points in 34 consecutive races, something no other team can match. The last time we went home empty-handed from a GP weekend was in Brazil in the final race of 2006. This achievement does not come down to chance. Our trump cards this season have been spotless reliability, our – for the most part – excellent race strategy, outstanding work in the pit stops and a very small number of mistakes from the drivers.
“In terms of pure performance, we still have ground to make up on Ferrari and McLaren Mercedes, and we didn’t make the progress we hoped to in the second half of the season. Indeed, some of our development projects did not yield the expected performance gains on the track. But I am certain we shall learn the lessons from this for 2009. After all, we want to be up there fighting for the World Championship title next season.”
Willy Rampf, Technical Director:
“For us, the Brazilian Grand Prix represents the end of a highly successful season, and of course we want to round the year off on a positive note. Interlagos is one of the few circuits – alongside Istanbul Park and Singapore – which we drive anticlockwise. Here, the middle sector is critical, with one corner following the next. The key elements are good traction and car balance. Top speed is important in the first and third sectors, with engine output playing a particularly prominent role on the uphill start-finish straight. This section also offers a good overtaking opportunity, as does the end of the straight in sector one. The track was resurfaced in 2007, which evened out a lot of bumps. In contrast to last year, when we opted for the softest tyre option, this time around we’ll be using the medium compounds.”
History and background:
Paulista coffee plantations laid the foundations for the economic growth of the region around São Paulo in south-eastern Brazil. The industrialisation of the late 19th century brought riches, but these have been spread unevenly among the population. Today, the people of São Paulo suffer from the effects of jarring social disparities – bitter poverty and immense wealth exist side by side and crime is rife. The city of São Paulo, founded in 1554, is the capital of the Brazilian state that bears its name and the country’s financial and trading hub. The size of the local population can only be estimated. Eleven million people are thought to live in the city itself, 20 million in the wider São Paulo area. The climate is subtropical.
F1 has been hosted by Brazil since 1973, and 2008 marks the country’s 36th Grand Prix. The debut event was held at Interlagos, with the track still covering 7.96 kilometres at the time and located outside the São Paulo city limits. The city has since mushroomed right up to the outskirts of the race track. In 1978 the Brazilian GP was hosted by the Jacarepagua circuit near Rio de Janeiro for the first time, and it was held there on ten occasions in all. In 1990 F1 returned to Interlagos, where the Brazilian GP has been staged ever since.
Brazilian GP – Gallery (http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/swfpopup.mg?AlbumID=6426572&AlbumKey=G8RLT)
BMW Sauber F1 Team - Brazilian GP - Practice
10-31-2008 Press Release
Weather: overcast, some raindrops, 17°C Air, 21-22°C Track
Interlagos (BR). Despite some drops of rain, the very last Friday sessions of the 2008 Formula One season went smoothly for the BMW Sauber F1 Team. Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld completed their respective programmes in preparation for the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Robert Kubica:
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
1st Practice: 4th, 1:12.874 min / 2nd Practice: 12th, 1:12.971 min
“This was a usual Friday and we finished our scheduled programme. We did some basic set-up work and evaluated the different tyre compounds. At the end of both the sessions there was drizzle in some of the corners. However, the few drops did not really influence the grip. We shall now analyse the data we collected today.”
Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
1st Practice: 9th, 1:13.426 min / 2nd Practice: 13th, 1:13.038 min
“After being really unhappy with the balance of the car in the first session, we improved it for the afternoon, but I still find the car difficult to drive. Because of the weather the programme was a little bit different to normal, but we have enough information to work on further improvements. The track isn’t as good as it was after it was freshly resurfaced last year, but it is still far better than it used to be! I would say it is on the same level as other Grand Prix circuits.”
Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“It was a normal first practice day. Although the light rain started at exactly the moment we did the tyre comparison, despite this we collected enough data for us now to be able to analyse. We presume the weather could give us some surprises throughout the whole weekend.”
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FIM.com (http://fia.com/en-GB/sport/championships/f1/brazil/Pages/circuit.aspx): The circuit information
weather.com ( http://uk.weather.com/weather/today-Sao-Paulo-BRXX0232?fromSearch=true): Sau Paulo Brazil
FRIDAY: Practices Times
Session 1 ( http://www.formula1.com/results/season/2008/804/6582/)
Session 2 ( http://www.formula1.com/results/season/2008/804/6583/)
SATURDAY:
Practice ( http://www.formula1.com/results/season/2008/804/6583/)
QUALIFYING ( http://www.formula1.com/results/season/2008/804/6585/)
STANDINGS
Team ( http://www.formula1.com/results/team/)
Driver ( http://www.formula1.com/results/driver/)
Massa takes the pole with Trulli’s Toyota alongside. Hamilton in P4 on the outside of Kimi Raikkonen make up row two.
Heidfeld starts in P8 for BMW and his team mate Kubica did not make it out of Q2 and into Q3 stats in P13!
The weather prediction is for rain on Sunday. The announcers are all second guessing pit strategy. How light cars are run will make a difference in the order through turn 1. Turn 1 will be important as ever but the Formula1 starting fight at Interlogos is not over until you get through the third corner.
Getting to left hand turn 1 first is always important; however, at Interlogos it is a relatively shot shoot to right hand turn 2. Your win in turn 1 can quick be taken away by the guy in P2 as you fight your way through the second turn and he is better set up for it and keeps you to the outside. This fight takes you to the sweeping left that is turn three and sets you up to take control of the race in the first real straight.
BMW is not placed well. Heidfeld starts in P8 and lines up on the dirty side of the track. His challenge will be to negotiate the pile of cars in front of him through the first three corners. The moving pile, if everyone makes it through cleanly or more importantly not getting caught up in a crash in the first lap.
Kubica starts in P13 on the preferred inside line. The drivers that surround him are use to this portion of the starting grid and will not do anything particularly stupid in an effort to miraculously advance at the start. Kubica’s challenge is how much ground can he make up on the starting straight and where does he stand as he enters turn 1. Turn 1 is the most important issue for him than other drivers in his hopes for getting a podium finish for the driver’s title this year.
Qualifying was completed in dry conditions. The prediction is for a 80% chance of rain on Sunday.
cheesewhiz
11-01-2008, 01:48 PM
I know you are just joking but, do NOT bite the hand that feeds you!
:nono
:D
I am starting to think that you are tied into the military grade super computers that the F1 teams have. The Q's just ended and you have the results up already.
Do you have any information on the drag and wind dynamics analysis with todays changes or are the engineers not in agreement yet ? :wave Is it to early to ask for tomorrows agenda ?
:hide
Brazilian Grand Prix – Gallery ( http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/swfpopup.mg?AlbumID=6426572&AlbumKey=G8RLT)
Heidfeld sixth on Brazilian Grand Prix grid
Mixed emotions for the BMW Sauber F1 Team: While Nick Heidfeld delivered in solid style to secure eighth on the Brazilian GP grid, Robert Kubica encountered another difficult qualifying session. The Pole had to make do with 13th.
In the first knockout phase of qualifying, both BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers easily advanced to Q2. Both drivers went out twice and both set their personal best times on their second runs. Nick crossed the line in 1:12.371 minutes to finish ninth, while Robert was exactly one hundredth-of-a-second slower than his team-mate. With his 1:12.381-minute lap, he secured tenth. The fastest time of Q1, a 1:11.830-minute lap, was set by Ferrari's local hero, Felipe Massa.
Eliminated: Kazuki Nakajima, Jenson Button, Nico Rosberg, Giancarlo Fisichella and Adrian Sutil.
While Nick had no problems advancing to the top-ten shootout, Q2 meant the end of Robert's qualifying efforts. On his first run, the 23-year-old set a 1:12.300-minute lap to finish twelfth, while on his second he failed to improve. At the end of day he finished 13th. Nick, however, delivered in impressive style. At the second split time of his first flying lap the German even was the quickest of the entire field. When he crossed the line in 1:12.026 minutes he held sixth. Nick also went out for a second run but aborted it when it became obvious that none of the drivers behind him would be able to go faster. This time, McLaren's Heikki Kovalainen was the quickest, setting a 1:11.768-minute lap.
Eliminated: Nelson Piquet, Mark Webber, Robert Kubica, David Coulthard and Rubens Barrichello.
Having been 1.2 seconds slower than in Q2, Nick had to settle for qualifying eight. On his first run, the 31-year-old set a 1:13.603-minute lap, while on his second he improved to 1:13.297. Eighth position on the grid should allow Nick to add more points to his and the BMW Sauber F1 Team's tallies. Pole position was secured by Massa, while the Brazilian's World Championship rival, McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, had to settle for fourth on the grid.
Result: 1st Felipe Massa, 2nd Jarno Trulli, 3rd Kimi Räikkönen, 4th Lewis Hamilton, 5th Heikki Kovalainen, 6th Fernando Alonso, 7th Sebastian Vettel, 8th Nick Heidfeld, 9th Sébastien Bourdais, 10th Timo Glock.
Reactions to qualifying sessions
While Nick Heidfeld made it easily into the top ten and qualified eighth for the Brazilian Grand Prix, Robert Kubica struggled with a lack of grip and dropped out in the second part of qualifying. The Pole only qualified 13th in Interlagos.
Nick Heidfeld: "Qualifying was okay for me. In Q3 I thought in the end I could have improved more than the three tenths of a second I managed from the harder to the softer compound, but I have to say it was a good lap and I just couldn't do any better. I really hope for a good race tomorrow."
Robert Kubica: "This is obviously not the best position for tomorrow's race. This is the second weekend in a row that I have been struggling with the overall grip of the car. Starting from so far behind will make the race very difficult for me."
Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director): "Traditionally on this track the time differences in qualifying are very close. Sometimes five or six cars are within one tenth of a second. A driver who is not able to fully exploit the potential there and then will find himself on the back of the grid. We are not happy with our result and, especially for Robert, the situation is not easy for the race. He has been suffering from lack of grip throughout the whole weekend, and we did not completely solve the problem in qualifying. Nick did better and set the eighth quickest time. Only tomorrow when we get to the first set of pit stops shall we see what we can do from here."
Willy Rampf (Technical Director): "We cannot be happy with our qualifying. Robert did not make it beyond Q2. Ten cars were within three tenths of a second, so with only the slightest mistake one is out. Nick did better. Our goal is now to make up a few positions."
Statdawg – no tie in to military super computers, like many F-1 teams finally figured out how to use some of the power I had during the season finally for the last race.
:blush
cheesewhiz
11-01-2008, 10:00 PM
Mika,
I had heard that Mc Claren was to run a new rear wing this weekend.
Is this in fact true and, do you have any pics?
Thanks!!!
:bow
cheesewhiz
11-01-2008, 10:01 PM
It's nice to see Seabass 9th :dance
Mika,
I had heard that Mc Claren was to run a new rear wing this weekend.
Is this in fact true and, do you have any pics?
Thanks!!!
:bow
It is true, but I don't have any pics. What I do have is a link to formula1.com (http://www.formula1.com/news/technical/2008/804/605.html)'s technical section and their explination of the changes.
Provisional – in F1 you never know until the race results are certified
Masa wins the race and Hamilton the Drivers Championship
Ferrari wins the Constructors Championship
Standings
Driver ( http://www.formula1.com/results/driver/)
Team (http://www.formula1.com/results/team/)
I began writing a summary about lap sixty and blew it away with rain and lap sixty five.
Brazil this year was a great race to watch with frustrating outcomes if you are Ferrari and BMW.
Heidfeld – P10 -1L
Kubica – P11 -1L
Brazilian GP – Gallery (http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/swfpopup.mg?AlbumID=6426572&AlbumKey=G8RLT)
Season Finale becomes weather gamble
BMW-Sauber-f1.com
The Brazilian Grand Prix proved to be an extremely difficult race for the BMW Sauber F1 Team. At the end of the day, Nick Heidfeld finished tenth and Robert Kubica had to settle for finishing eleventh. Meanwhile, McLaren's Lewis Hamilton finished fifth to secure the drivers' title.
Just before the scheduled start of the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix, a short, but heavy, downpour thwarted the strategic plans of the BMW Sauber F1 Team. The start was subsequently delayed by ten minutes and although the rain had stopped when the field started the formation lap, everybody, apart from Robert, was on intermediates. However, the Pole's gamble didn't pay off and at the end of the warm-up lap he pitted for intermediates - and consequently had to start the race from the pit lane.
Meanwhile, Nick lost several positions at the start and dropped back to twelfth. He subsequently moved up to eighth after passing Rubens Barrichello and Mark Webber. As the conditions improved quickly and everybody had to come in for dry-weather tyres between laps 8 and 12, Nick was unable to benefit from his strategy and rejoined in tenth position, while Robert held seventeenth.
Neither Nick or Robert was able to gain ground. Nick had what it takes to match the pace of the cars in front of him, but further overtaking proved to be virtually impossible. However, the weather gamble was not yet over. Seven laps before the finish, another rain shower hit the "Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace".
Nick and Robert both pitted for intermediates even before the rain had begun to fall, but unfortunately for the Munich and Hinwil based squad the rain shower wasn't as heavy as the one encountered prior to the start. One lap later, the rest of the field also pitted for intermediates. Robert succeeded in passing four opponents to move up to eleventh, while Nick remained tenth, but both had to leave Sao Paulo empty-handed.
The fight for the drivers' title, however, was a breath-taking affair: When Felipe Massa (Ferrari) crossed the line as race winner he appeared to be the new world champions, as Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) had dropped back to sixth. But Hamilton got past Timo Glock (Toyota) in the final combination of corners, thus improving to fifth and securing the championship.
On equal points with Kimi Räikkönen (Ferrari), Robert ends the season in fourth position in the Drivers' Championship. Nick finishes in sixth place in this classification. In the Constructors' Championship, the BMW Sauber F1 Team finishes third with 135 points, with Ferrari winning the title.
BMW Sauber F1 Team - Brazilian Grand Prix – Race
11-02-2008 Press Release
Weather: Showers, 26-30°C Air, 20-38°C Track
Interlagos (BR). The BMW Sauber F1 Team had a disappointing final to what was a very successful season. At the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica finished tenth and eleventh. For the first time since 34 races (2006 Brazilian Grand Prix) the team failed to score in a race. Kubica finished fourth in the championship behind Kimi Räikkönen, with both of them having scored 75 points. Heidfeld is sixth in the final standings, with 60 points. In the Constructors’ championship the BMW Sauber F1 Team is third (135 points).
Nick Heidfeld: 10th
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
Fastest lap 1:14.652 min on lap 41 (10th fastest overall)
“My biggest problem today was the start. I just had too much wheel spin, so I literally stuck on the spot. Then I had a few good overtaking manoeuvres and gained positions. Later the balance of my car tended to become very difficult and, especially when I was behind Jarno Trulli, I lost downforce. Later in the race I was behind Mark Webber and tried to fight him, which ruined my tyres. When the first rain drops appeared with eight laps to go I gambled and pitted for intermediates. There was nothing to lose. I was tenth, but unfortunately I stayed tenth. Anyway we didn’t have a good race today, but nevertheless we had a good season. Congratulations to the world champions!”
Robert Kubica: 11th
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
Fastest lap 1:14.375 min on lap 61 (9th fastest overall)
“Losing third place in the Drivers’ championship in the last race is definitely not the best situation. We made too many mistakes during the weekend and this is the result. Unfortunately I started on dry tyres, as we had the wrong information about the track conditions. During the race I was stuck behind Adrian Sutil for quite a long time. I managed to make up some positions in the final laps of the race, but it was too late. Congratulations to Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton!”
Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“As last year, it was a dramatic final. Lewis Hamilton clinched his title literally on the last kilometre of this race – congratulations, also to Ferrari! For our team it was a disappointing finish to a very strong season.”
Willy Rampf (Technischer Director):
“For our team this was an end of season to forget. With Robert we gambled at the start with dry tyres, but the track was too wet. Therefore he pitted immediately for a tyre change, and after this found himself at the end of the field. From here there was nothing he could do. Nick lost position right after the start. Even pitting earlier than others at the end of the race did not change the situation. Nevertheless it was a very successful season for our team, and this race doesn’t change this. Congratulations to Lewis Hamilton and to Ferrari for winning the championship.”
Understanding the Formula One: Steering Wheel and related.
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So the day after the last race he understands the steering wheel, hope springs for the 2009 season.
:brad
After the Brazilian GP about all I can say is WOW!
But that has never stopped me in the past. :ha
The drama of the race was palpable. With various championships at stake and all the lead up the drama was only increased by the rain delayed start.
The 10 minute delay allowed teams five minutes and announcers ten to kibitz over tire selection to start the race. The starting race tires must be affixed to the car five minutes prior to the start of the race. The extra five minutes allows teams to clear the starting grid leaving drivers and cars.
Kubica’s dive into the pits after the formation doomed his chance for a podium finish in the Driver’s Championship. He tied with Raikkonen in points but lost out in tie breakers.
The front runners were able to make it through the first three corners without the feared crash. However; one of them must have been leaking large quantities of irony. Coulthard slipped on the irony that he started his F1 career with Williams and would end it in turn two being knocked out of his final race by a Williams car. In doing so he must have splashed any remaining irony on the track up and onto the Speedtv announcers who spent the rest of the race reminding us of it while they tried to get it off every time Coulthard’s name was mentioned.
Qualifying times separated P2 through P19 by less than a second. On the race track this resulted in many incredible duels and great frustration at times. I agonized with Kubica as lap after lap he had a 0.2 second gap between him and Sutil. He could maintain pace but the parity of cars in this final race made it all but impossible for him to pass. When he did pass in one case it was by following in Hamilton’s slip stream as the car he had been dueling with in front of him moved over to allow a lead lap car pass. Both unfortunately remained a lap down to the Massas and Hamiltons of the race.
Rain at the finish jumbled everything once again and resulted in the championship being decided after the checkered flag had dropped on the race winning championship contender.
Today everyone in F1 must be scratching their heads including Bernie Ecclestone and me. The economics of F1 continue to demand that savings must be found, but I hope not at the expense of the sport.
Engines: Engine parity can be found without going to a third party engine provider. Ferrari factory and factory supplied engines were trading fast laps all race. McLaren was able to maintain contact with the front on engines said to be tuned to the conservative side so that they would survive to the checkered flag. BMWs suffered from qualifying not power. Renaults were in the hunt and even Hondas had power this weekend.
Parity can be reached but how to achieve savings.
Chassis: If Speedtv’s commentary is to be believed McLaren in the last weeks of the season spent roughly a third of what a NASCAR team spends to run the entire year. This on chassis development alone. I don’t have the answer but there must be savings to be had, parity to be gained and great racing to be enjoyed as a result of almost any solution there.
Rules: All sorts of rules are coming into play for 2009 and more are being talked about. I am not a F1 or FIA legislator so I will leave it to them. My deepest hope is the sport finds a way to deal with the intertwining of qualifying, pit stops and the safety car before someone gets killed.
2009
So where does all of this leave me? Well frankly I am scratching my head wondering about team management for BMW.
At one point I expected to write either a farewell to Heidfeld or a condemnation at the end of the season. When he was signed for 2009 I began some research into perfect laps as the basis for my condemnation and was surprised instead.
The perfect lap is imaginary. Take the best sector time from all drivers for a race for