BMW Sauber

Formula 1 Team reports for the 2009 F1 season includes race previews, reports and reviews
Ed
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Post by Ed » Sat May 09, 2009 1:40 am

Spanish Grand Prix 8th – 10th May 2009
5th of 17 World Championship races

Preview.

With all eyes focused on the challenge ahead in the 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship, the BMW Sauber F1 Team engineers at the factories in Hinwil and Munich are working flat out on improvements to the F1.09. The team will line up for the first race of the European season in Barcelona on 10th May with an initial development package in place.

Robert Kubica: “I am looking forward to the race in Barcelona. After a block of four overseas races Formula One comes back to Europe, which I am happy about. As all Formula One teams have tested in Barcelona, I expect the pack to be very close together – even closer than up to now. We will bring a new aero package and we hope to improve significantly compared to our recent performance, as it is our goal to close the gap to the top teams.
“The track is nice to drive and quite challenging. There are some high speed corners, some low-speed corners and a hairpin which requires very heavy braking. As we have all done a lot of kilometres here, I guess we could drive the circuit with our eyes closed.”

Nick Heidfeld: “We know the Barcelona track like the back of our hands, as we used to test here a lot. I’ve been to the circuit so many times. As recently as last year we had 16 days of testing in Barcelona. This year we had four days in March, two for each driver, and there will not be any more. Barcelona is a tricky track to drive because it presents a variety of challenges and the circuit is very sensitive to changes in temperature. If the wind, temperature or grip levels change even slightly, a set-up which was fine one minute is suddenly all wrong the next.
“Like everybody in the team, I am also placing my hopes on our new aerodynamic upgrades. The team has put an incredible amount of energy into trying to close the gap to the leaders. I hope we will perform rather better against our rivals in Barcelona, but that’s difficult to predict as all the teams will be bringing upgrade packages of varying degrees to the first race of the European season.”

Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director: “The Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona signals the start of the European season after four races overseas. Traditionally this represents something of a second start to the season.
“For the BMW Sauber F1 Team this applies more so than usual this year, as we cannot be satisfied at all with the first four races of the season. After our positive winter testing, all of us at the BMW Sauber F1 Team envisaged a rather different start to the season. The car is not fast enough and we have recorded only one podium finish – Nick Heidfeld’s second place in Malaysia.

“We are approaching this challenge in a positive way and are working intensively in Munich and Hinwil to get back to our old form. We will be lining up in Barcelona with an extensive aerodynamics-focused development package, and are already working on further upgrades to be introduced later on in the season.”

Willy Rampf, Head of Engineering: “Although the teams know the Barcelona track extremely well from all the testing they’ve done there in the past, this circuit frequently presents a new challenge. The problem is the track conditions can change very quickly here and the wind has a big impact on the cars’ handling through corners.
“We will be lining up in Barcelona with an extensive development package for the F1.09, which we have put together for the start of the European season. The nose section, more deeply undercut sidepods and the rear wing are all totally new. Added to which, modifications have also been made to the front wing, engine cover and underbody. We expect these improvements to significantly reduce our lap times.
“Of course, we know that the other teams will also have made modifications to their cars for Barcelona. However, we expect to be able to close the gap to our rivals. We won’t find this out for certain, though, until the race weekend. Up to then we will only have the results from the wind tunnel and simulations to go on and, of course, can no longer test in advance on the track. Seeing the full potential of the car reflected in results on the track will be a big challenge for the engineers.”

Ed
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Post by Ed » Sat May 09, 2009 1:44 am

Spanish Grand Prix – Free Practice, Friday – 08.05.09
Weather: sunny and dry, 19-25C° Air, 22-42°C Track

Working on the new aerodynamic package of the BMW Sauber F1.09 was the main focus for the BMW Sauber F1 Team during the first two practice sessions of the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona. The F1.09 has been modified in several areas. The front nose, the side pods and the rear wing are completely new, while the front wing, the engine cover and the diffuser have been modified. So it could concentrate totally on the work with the new aero package, the BMW Sauber F1 Team decided not to use KERS in Barcelona.

Robert Kubica: BMW Sauber F1.09-03 / BMW P86/9
1st Free Practice: 3rd, 1:22.221 min / 2nd Free Practice: 16th, 1:22.948 min
“Today was a special Friday because we have a lot of new aerodynamic parts on the car. We spent quite some time working on the set-up and tried different things. We now have to analyse the data so we can exploit the potential of the car to its maximum. In addition, as usual on the Friday, we compared the two tyre compounds, but it was very soon obvious the option specification gives better performance.”

Nick Heidfeld: BMW Sauber F1.09-06 / BMW P86/9
1st Free Practice: 4th, 1:22.658 min / 2nd Free Practice: 17th, 1:23.173 min
”Unfortunately I lost some time this morning when we had a couple of problems during the first free practice session. Only at the end was I able to work properly on the programme. That was a shame because with such a new package and, for me, driving the car for the first time without the KERS, track time is especially important. Considering the small amount of mileage from the morning, we made quite good progress when preparing the car for the second session, and I think there is room for more improvement.”

Willy Rampf (Head of Engineering): ”We have come to Barcelona with a comprehensive aerodynamic package. To find a basic set-up was today’s main task. A first evaluation of the aero data shows we made a step forward. Now we are curious about the first real comparison in Saturday’s qualifying to see where we really stand in relation to the competitors. Because of a brake problem Nick completed less laps in the morning than planned. As usual we concentrated on race preparation.”

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Post by Ed » Sun May 10, 2009 1:53 am

Spanish Grand Prix – Qualifying, Saturday – 09.05.09

Weather: dry and sunny, 20-23°C Air, 28-37°C Track

The new aerodynamic package meant an improvement to the BMW Sauber F1.09, but neither driver could get the most out of it for different reasons. Nick Heidfeld wasn’t very well prepared for qualifying after he crashed in the morning’s free practice. He came 13th. Robert Kubica made it into the top ten qualifying but couldn’t improve on his last run due to a mistake by the team when fitting the tyres. The Pole qualified tenth for the Spanish Grand Prix.

Robert Kubica: BMW Sauber F1.09-03 / BMW P86/9
Qualifying 10th, 1:22.685 min (3rd Free Practice: 5th, 1:21.239 min)
“Qualifying started really well for me. I did two solid runs in Q1 and then an excellent one in Q2. The time was even good enough to take a little gamble. I only did one outing to save a set of tyres. This worked out, and it is a clear indication we have made progress with the performance of the car. But then in Q3 the car understeered heavily right from the beginning of the decisive lap. It was clear that something was wrong and I came back to the pits. It’s disappointing that this problem hindered me in getting the full potential out of the car.”

Nick Heidfeld: BMW Sauber F1.09-06 / BMW P86/9
Qualifying 13th, 1:20.676 min in Q2 (3rd Free Practice: 20th, 1:23.457 min)
”It is good news that our car has obviously improved with the new aero package, so it is even more regrettable that I couldn’t get the most out of it. After I went off in turn twelve in this morning’s free practice and hit a tyre barrier I couldn’t do anymore running to prepare for qualifying. Predictions for the race are difficult and overtaking isn’t easy in Barcelona, but I still hope for points.”

Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director): “Today the performance of the car showed the upwards trend which we hoped for. Robert only had to do one run in Q2 to make it into the top ten. Then, however, in preparation for the decisive run in Q3 the team made a mistake while fitting the tyres. Nick missed Q3 by just a fraction. Obviously, the fact that he went off in the morning and lost some valuable time to set up the car also played a role.”

Willy Rampf (Head of Engineering): “The new aero package definitely proved to be a step forward. How big it is in comparison to the competition is something we now need to look at in detail. With Robert we were able to take a risk in Q2 when we left him in the garage after just one run in order to save a set of tyres, and it worked. But in Q3 he had to interrupt his final attempt because we made a mistake when fitting the tyres. Nick unfortunately just missed getting into the top ten. In tomorrow's race we should be able to score some points."

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Post by Ed » Mon May 11, 2009 10:31 am

Spanish Grand Prix – Race, Sunday – 10.05.09

Weather: dry and sunny, 24°C Air, 38-43°C Track

The BMW Sauber F1 Team scored two points at the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday with Nick Heidfeld finishing seventh. While Heidfeld gained some places at the start, his team mate, Robert Kubica, lost several at this early stage and later in the race was stuck in traffic. He finished 11th. The new aero package on the F1.09 proved to be a clear improvement.

Nick Heidfeld: 7th
BMW Sauber F1.09-06 / BMW P86/9
Fastest lap 1:23.878 min on lap 29 (10th fastest overall)

”It was a tough race but I think it was one of my better ones. I had hoped for points as a birthday present, but honestly didn’t really believe in this as I was starting from 13th. The start was the decisive time when I gained four positions. In the first corner I was hit from behind but luckily my car wasn’t damaged. It was not easy to defend my position against Kimi Raikkonen later on in the race, and our fight slowed me down, so I lost the contact with the front runners. Our pit crew did a fantastic job and got me in front of Nico Rosberg at my second pit stop. It is a great result for us and the race pace proved the new aero package is a clear improvement, which is very good news for the rest of the season.”

Robert Kubica: 11th
BMW Sauber F1.09-03 / BMW P86/9
Fastest lap 1:24.078 min on lap 26 (11th fastest overall)

“At the start I lost several places due to a clutch problem. But that was only the beginning of a very difficult race. After the safety car period, my car had no grip at all. I just couldn’t push and the car was sliding all over the place. I really don’t understand what happened. Up to Q3 yesterday everything was going well, and the performance of the car was good, but today there was nothing I could do. We have to analyse what happened.”

Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director): “We made a come back for the start of the European season, although our situation after the first lap wasn’t that good. Robert got stuck in traffic at the start, lost five positions and was just able to avoid the early accident. Whereas Nick on the outside was able to gain some places. During the race it was our pit crew that did a great job and enabled Nick to get by another car with every pit stop. Two points for seventh place is not a big result, but it demonstrates the improved performance of the car with the new aero update. We can build on this.”

Willy Rampf (Head of Engineering): “The significant modifications we made to the F1.09 obviously brought us one step forward. After the accident at the start Nick moved up from P13 to P9, and later he was able to gain another two positions. This was also thanks to the fantastic work by the pit crew with two excellent pit stops. Robert was unlucky as he was squeezed in at the start and lost a lot of positions. During the race he wasn’t able to drive at his true pace for most of the time because he was stuck in traffic. Now it’s all about bringing the next development steps onto the car as quickly as possible."

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Post by Ed » Tue May 19, 2009 7:32 pm

Monaco Grand Prix
21st – 24th May 2009
6th of 17 World Championship races
Preview

The Monaco Grand Prix is both a relic of the past and a highlight of the Formula One calendar. Guests and teams alike will be looking to put on impressive displays around the narrow streets of the principality from 21st to 24th May.

Nowhere else do the drivers complete so many laps of the circuit (78 ), yet the race distance here is the shortest of any Formula One GP. The tightness of the track makes this an unforgiving place for the drivers: errors are punished with damaged cars, a successful overtaking manoeuvre is worthy of a knighthood, not just a place up the rankings. A good grid position is vital in Monaco, and qualifying is a correspondingly tense affair.
The BMW Sauber F1 Team is heading in an obvious direction. Extensive improvements were made to the F1.09 following a disappointing start to the season, and the Spanish Grand Prix pointed to an upward trend. A sudden leap to the front of the grid is not a realistic aim in Formula One, but the team’s positive progression is set to continue. The characteristics of the Monaco circuit present the teams with challenges they will encounter nowhere else during the course of the season, which adds additional intrigue to the question of performance.

Robert Kubica: “I’m a big fan of street circuits, so I’m looking forward to the race in Monaco. I always have a really good feeling going into the weekend here and enjoy driving between the barriers and walls. There is no margin for error, which makes things particularly interesting. Of course, you can’t tell in advance how the 2009-spec cars will feel there with the new aerodynamics and slick tyres. We’ll find out more on Thursday.”

Nick Heidfeld: “Monaco is one of the highlights of the season. It’s crazy that the venue least suited to Formula One is also the most popular. The tight and twisty street circuit is brilliant. Only Macau is comparable, but we don’t drive there in Formula One.
“There may be a bit less hype nowadays, but the Formula One weekend in Monte Carlo is still something special. It’s all about Formula One and parties. There are a lot of famous people around, the harbour is packed with yachts, the sound of the F1 engines reverberates across the principality, and the track is jammed with crowds of people through the evening. In Monaco the spectators get closer to the action than at any other venue. For me, every time I come here it’s a wonderful sight.
“On a few occasions already this season, the new, larger front wings have proved to be a bit awkward in the tight confines at the start of races. It’s extremely tight through the first corner in Monte Carlo, so there’s a big risk of knocking your front wing off against another car.”

Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director: “We are currently experiencing an extremely demanding period for Formula One – both as a team on the race track and behind the scenes. In both cases, the important thing is to keep a cool head. We lined up at the Spanish Grand Prix with a far-reaching aerodynamic package. That was the result of some extremely hard work, but represents just the first step on a long road. We scored two points, which was extremely positive following the low-point we reached in Bahrain but clearly does not meet our aims. We will step up our pace of development. Monaco presents very specific challenges, as we all know, and the next performance package for the race in Istanbul is already being prepared.
“Monaco is one of the mainstays of Formula One and one of the circuits, alongside the Nürburgring, Spa, Monza and Silverstone, which has made the sport great. Monaco is Formula One up close and personal. Only street circuits like the one in the principality can bring the spectators so near to the action. This is the most famous and glamorous grand prix of the year. The yachts, the parties, the show business – nowhere are they such an integral part of the Formula One experience as in Monaco.
“In sporting terms, the important thing in Monaco is driving precision, mechanical grip and an engine with good drivability at low revs. Monaco has the lowest average speed of any grand prix. High levels of downforce are more important here than low drag, and the cars’ aerodynamics are therefore adjusted to generate maximum downforce. There are no long straights at this circuit, but it does have a lot of slow corners and the tyres are subjected to exceptionally high loads under acceleration out of these corners. Monaco is also a test of endurance for the brakes. The speeds the cars reach may not be very high, but that means there is also a lack of cooling airflow.”

Willy Rampf, Head of Engineering: “Monaco has the lowest average speed of any circuit on the calendar, so we run maximum downforce on the cars. In the past, this meant that the teams often produced aerodynamic configurations which you didn’t see anywhere else – with small and also larger auxiliary wings sprouting out of the cars. That’s now a thing of the past, though, as the 2009 regulations no longer permit these kinds of modifications. As a result, the cars will run a similar amount of downforce to last weekend in Barcelona.
“The large number of tight corners in Monaco places a particular emphasis on grip, and we have prepared a specially optimised spring and damper set-up in response to this. The circuit is open to public traffic between practice sessions, which represents a particular challenge with the negative impact on grip levels. This means that the conditions – and therefore lap times – improve significantly in a short space of time as more rubber is laid down during the course of each practice session. The car’s steering lock is adjusted to the demands of the circuit; after all, Monaco has the tightest corner of any Formula One venue.”

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Post by Ed » Fri May 22, 2009 1:21 am

Monaco Grand Prix – Free Practice,
Thursday – 21.05.09
Weather: sunny and dry, 23-26°C Air, 32-42°C Track

While BMW Sauber F1 Team driver Nick Heidfeld experienced a run of the mill start to the 2009 Monaco Grand Prix, with the usual tyre evaluation and set-up work in free practice, his team-mate Robert Kubica missed the entire second session due to an engine failure.

Nick Heidfeld: BMW Sauber F1.09-06 / BMW P86/9
1st Free Practice: 17th, 1:19.579 min
2nd Free Practice: 17th, 1:17.109 min
“After brake problems on both cars in the morning, the second session was okay for me. On the long runs I was lucky in terms of traffic, but it was the opposite when I was on new tyres towards the end of the session. I lost time when I was stuck behind other cars, but even without this it doesn’t look as if this circuit is good for our cars. We will keep working on it.”

Robert Kubica: BMW Sauber F1.09-03 / BMW P86/9
1st Free Practice: 16th, 1:19.560 min
2nd Free Practice: no time
“Today was extremely disappointing. We clearly lack outright performance and, due to the engine failure in the second session, I had far too little track time. There is nothing to add.”

Willy Rampf (Head of Engineering): “This was a disappointing practice day. The car’s performance is a long way behind what we were expecting. On top of that, due to technical problems, we lost valuable time for setting up the cars. Robert’s engine failure happened during the last planned running of this engine on a Friday. Therefore, the failure doesn’t impact on the number of engines we can use over the rest of the season. Of course the failure cost Robert valuable time when he should have been working on his car’s set-up.”

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Post by Ed » Sun May 24, 2009 12:53 am

Monaco Grand Prix – Qualifying, Saturday

Weather: dry and sunny, 23-24°C Air, 33-45°C Track

The BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica ended up disappointed after finishing 17th and 18th in qualifying for the Monaco Grand Prix.

Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.09-06 / BMW P86/9
Qualifying 17th, 1:16.264 min in Q1
(3rd Free Practice: 19th, 1:16.661 min)

“Obviously this is extremely disappointing. We made a lot of changes after Thursday’s free practice and even more changes after this morning’s session, although this is always a bit risky shortly before qualifying. But we knew we hadn’t much to lose. Actually it was rather a change for the worse than for the better, but it didn’t really make a big difference anyway. It is frustrating when you go to the absolute limit and take every risk, especially here on this special circuit, and you still end up nowhere. Currently we don’t know what’s wrong. In Barcelona we made a step forward, but here we are way behind expectations.”

Robert Kubica: BMW Sauber F1.09-03 / BMW P86/9
Qualifying 18th, 1:16.405 min in Q1
(3rd Free Practice: 18th, 1:16.599 min)
“So far we have only had difficulties. We struggled on Thursday and again this morning. I had a very bad out lap with a lot of traffic. As a result my tyres cooled down a lot. However, the overall performance of the car is not good enough. We have to realise we are bad. We have to adapt to the situation and we have to work very hard now.”

Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director): “The qualifying result reflects the problems we already faced in free practice here in Monaco. No matter which set-up or on what tyre compound – none of our cars were able to achieve the necessary grip. Our data shows the tyres never reached their operating temperatures. Positions 17 and 18 are disappointing. We have a lot of work ahead of us.”

Willy Rampf (Head of Engineering): “Monaco is a special track for which you do special preparation work. But, despite several set-up changes, we never found an acceptable grip level and car balance. So far this has been a poor performance from us. The drivers tried everything and didn't make mistakes, but our cars were simply too slow. Now we have to start to figure out the reason and begin to solve the problems before Istanbul.”

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Post by Ed » Mon May 25, 2009 2:02 am

Monaco Grand Prix – Race,
Sunday – 24.05.09
Weather: dry and sunny, 25-26°C Air, 40-52°C Track

The BMW Sauber F1 Team leaves Monaco empty handed. Nick Heidfeld finished 11th, while his team mate, Robert Kubica, retired after 29 laps because of brake problems.

Nick Heidfeld: 11th
BMW Sauber F1.09-06 / BMW P86/9
Fastest lap 1:16.268 min on lap 49 (15th fastest overall)
”I tried to make up positions at the start and on the first lap, but this time it just didn’t work out. It is too narrow here. I was stuck behind Adrian (Sutil) for quite a while. Apparently he had problems with his tyres, and once I even touched the rear of his car. In turn one Lewis (Hamilton) hit me, but I was happy I was able to continue. I was on a one stop strategy, and with the softer compound on the second stint I had degradation. We gave everything today but we were too slow here.”

Robert Kubica: Retired after 29 laps
BMW Sauber F1.09-03 / BMW P86/9
Fastest lap 1:17.558 min on lap 25 (17th fastest overall)
“We had difficulties over the entire weekend. I had a problem at the start and fell to the back of the grid. Then I had a puncture on my rear right tyre. After the necessary pit stop I was lapping well with a very heavy car – taking the car’s potential into account. In the end I had to retire as I had brake problems.”

Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“A better result was not possible for us here this weekend. At no point was our car competitive. No points are the result. We have to improve our speed of development significantly in order to match our own expectations. Robert had a damaged tyre on lap two and later on suffered from brake problems, which caused him to retire. Nick was the first driver to change to the softer tyre compound after a long first stint. Nobody else was on Option tyres for such a long period, and they degraded dramatically before recovering a little towards the end of the race.”

Willy Rampf (Head of Engineering):
“After the free practice and qualifying sessions it was clear that today’s race would be difficult. Nick’s race ran without any special incidents. In the closing laps he was able to defend his position against Lewis (Hamilton) with worn out soft tyres. Robert had a flat tyre early in the race. Surprisingly, he was then able to do good lap times with a very heavy car. We had to bring his car back to the pits early due to a brake problem. Overall, this was a disappointing weekend. It is now our goal to be competitive again in Istanbul. A lot of work lies ahead of us."

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Post by Ed » Fri May 29, 2009 10:29 pm

Turkish Grand Prix
5th–7th June 2009
7th of 17 World Championship races

Preview

The work continues and there’s no time for licking our wounds. After the disappointing result in Monaco, the BMW Sauber F1 Team will be turning up on the grid for the Turkish Grand Prix with a batch of further developments for the F1.09. An initial aero update sparked a forward trend at the fifth Grand Prix in Spain, but didn’t bear fruit under the specific demands of the Monaco circuit. Meanwhile, the next package of innovations is in place for World Championship race number seven on the modern high- speed track outside the gates of Istanbul. Here the F1.09 will feature a double diffuser for the first time.

Robert Kubica: “The track in Istanbul is totally different to Monaco. It is a very modern race track with a couple of high-speed corners. The most famous high-speed corner there is the left-hander turn 8. Of course, we hope to perform better in Istanbul than in Monaco.”

Nick Heidfeld: “I hope our dismal performance in Monaco proves to be a glitch and that it was down to that particular circuit being unsuitable for our car. After all, there were signs of a forward trend at the previous race in Spain, and the next update is ready for Istanbul – also including a double diffuser.
“The Istanbul circuit has some extremely good sections, particularly turn 8, of course, which is quite a challenge – very long, fast and with several apexes. For the long straight with the right-hand kink you need a good top speed.
“It’s a vast city, very international and fascinating. I’ll be there on Wednesday already for an event with our partner Intel. I’m staying at a hotel on the European side again and will take a motor scooter to carve my way through the congestion over the bridge to Asia.”

Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director: “Ahead of the Turkish Grand Prix our results are quite sobering. Nobody in the team expected the season to pan out as it has so far. After taking a forward step in Spain, we were clearly off the pace in Monaco. To regain our competitiveness we will have to ramp up our development speed significantly. In Istanbul we will have the next step of our development ready and will be using a multistage diffuser for the first time.
“After three successful years, this phase is our first setback. We can deal with it. After all, it was the same team in Munich and Hinwil that ensured our progressive advancement since the BMW Sauber F1 Team was founded. We are all determined to get ourselves back among the front runners again.”

Willy Rampf, Head of Engineering: “We’ll be lining up in Turkey with a new development package, which also features a double diffuser. Since the F1.09 concept was not designed for this, we had to make a number of aerodynamic adjustments. There are modifications to the front wings, side bargeboards, rim shields and the rear part of the engine cover. We expect this to take us a step forward, although we know that our rivals are not standing still.
“After the race in Monte Carlo we also had an in-depth look at the tyre problems. For the race in Turkey, Bridgestone is providing the soft and hard compounds, which are hugely different. The harder of the two compounds in particular will pose a challenge for the engineers.
“The Istanbul Park circuit is run in an anti-clockwise direction and it’s as varied as it gets. It has slow sections where good traction is crucial, but there are also fast parts such as the spectacular turn 8 with its four sections, which has to be taken in a single line at around 250 km/h. Overall, the track makes stringent demands on the car’s balance. After the disappointing outcome in Monte Carlo, we hope to come away with a positive result here.”

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Post by Ed » Sat Jun 06, 2009 12:26 am

Turkish Grand Prix – Free Practice, Friday – 05.06.09

Weather: dry, partly cloudy, 23-27°C Air, 31-45°C Track

The BMW Sauber F1 Team runs a new aero package including a double diffuser in Istanbul. Due to the Formula One test ban the team had to run a packed programme during the two 90 minute practice sessions on Friday.

Robert Kubica:
BMW Sauber F1.09-03 / BMW P86/9
1st Free Practice: 16th, 1:30.645 min / 2nd Free Practice: 3rd, 1:29.056 min
“Today we worked on the set-up of the car and tried to understand the two tyre compounds Bridgestone have brought to Istanbul. Additionally this was the first time we have had the double diffuser on our car. We did a couple of different tests so as to understand how it works and what effects it has on the car’s balance. It is too early to say if it works well as the difference between Monaco and Istanbul is too large.”

Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.09-06 / BMW P86/9
1st Free Practice: 17th, 1:30.689 min / 2nd Free Practice: 16th, 1:29.550 min
“My lap time doesn’t look good but I still have confidence in our new aero package. Actually the balance of my car wasn’t right, but Robert’s lap time is quite promising. On the positive side, the bad balance of the car has indicated the direction we need to go in and so we can work on it. We didn’t do major changes in the second session because we had to do some important comparisons.”

Willy Rampf (Head of Engineering):
“We used the double diffuser for the first time today, and it looks like this is a step forward. However, we still have a lot of work to do, because it’s quite difficult to find the right balance with both tyre specifications. Between the morning and the afternoon sessions we changed the set-up of the two cars quite a bit to make the new aero package work. In the afternoon, as usual, we did our race preparation and the pace looked quite promising.”

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Post by Ed » Sat Jun 06, 2009 11:32 pm

Turkish Grand Prix – Qualifying, Saturday – 06.06.09

Weather: dry and sunny, 26-30°C Air, 40-47°C Track

Qualifying for the Turkish Grand Prix in Istanbul saw an obviously improved performance from the BMW Sauber F1 Team. Tenth and 11th on the grid for Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld is not a reason to celebrate, but nevertheless motivating as it is a move in the right direction.

Robert Kubica:
BMW Sauber F1.09-03 / BMW P86/9
Qualifying 10th, 1:29.357 min in Q3
(3rd Free Practice: 5th, 1:28.320 min)

“Starting from P10 is definitely better than starting from P18 the way I did in Monaco. However, we still lack a bit of pace compared to the top cars. The track clearly suits our car better than the Monaco track did. However, we really have to fight tomorrow. Although the gap to the lead cars is quite close, there are a lot of cars between us and the front row. It will be difficult.”

Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.09-06 / BMW P86/9
Qualifying 11th, 1:27.521 min in Q2
(3rd Free Practice: 14th, 1:28.715 min)

“I have mixed feelings about today’s qualifying. On one hand it is annoying to miss the top ten qualifying by such a margin, but on the other I’m happy to see the progress we’ve made. The car was quick enough for Q3. I was seventh overall before my final outing in Q2 but then I was stuck in traffic on the last sector of my out lap. Given how the 2009 tyres are, this is enough to prevent them from heating up properly and consequently ruin your flying lap. Our new aero package with the double diffuser is obviously a step forward. This is not only compared to Monaco, but also to Barcelona where I scored two points after starting 13th on the grid.”

Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“We produced a solid performance in today’s qualifying. Obviously, our goal was, to get both cars into Q3, which didn’t quite work out. Today, once again, the whole field was very close. Nick missed Q3 by just five hundreds of a second, and Robert was finally tenth. What this means in terms of the race we will only see once we know the competitors’ strategy. On the positive side, in Q2, when all the drivers were running in the same conditions, the gap to the front runners was only just 0.4 of a second. This proves the new aero package has had a positive effect.”

Willy Rampf (Head of Engineering):
“Today‘s result confirms we have made a step in the right direction. However, if we want to fight for the top positions we have to bring updates of the same magnitude to the next races. Yesterday we were able to find a basic set-up for the new aero package, which was also important for the ongoing development of the car. For Robert and Nick it will not be easy to score points tomorrow.”

Ed
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Post by Ed » Mon Jun 08, 2009 1:36 am

Turkish Grand Prix – Race, Sunday – 07.06.09

Weather: hot and dry, 32°C Air, 48-49°C Track

Robert Kubica came seventh and scored two more points at the Turkish Grand Prix to add to the BMW Sauber F1 Team’s tally. These are the first two points for the Pole in 2009. His team mate, Nick Heidfeld, came 11th in the heat of the Istanbul Park.

Robert Kubica: 7th
BMW Sauber F1.09-03 / BMW P86/9
Fastest lap 1:28.008 min on lap 58 (7th fastest overall)

“It is good to finally score points. I think I raced well today. My pace was good and I made no mistakes. The race was very hard, as nearly all the time I had someone very close behind me, and the smallest mistake would have cost a position. It was very hard to keep up the pace. However, finishing seventh was a clear step forward and we now have to keep up the speed of development.”

Nick Heidfeld: 11th
BMW Sauber F1.09-06 / BMW P86/9
Fastest lap 1:28.214 min on lap 43 (10th fastest overall)

“For me today’s race was disappointing because I lost all my chances in the beginning when I had a problem with the car. As early as the formation lap I realised the car pulled to one side and the front left tyre had no grip at all. It stood still when I tapped the brakes softly. The start itself was okay as I was ninth, but then I more or less went straight on in the first corners because of my problems, and quite a few cars went by me. It was better in the second and third stints, but it was way too late for points. Nevertheless it is positive that the car has generally improved and again we are able to score on our own merits.”

Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director): “This was a thrilling race for us right from the start to the chequered flag. Coming from P10, Robert made it to seventh and therefore deserved the two championship points due to his great commitment. In the early stages our cars were not fast enough to make up ground compared to our competitors. Only after lap 40 were our drivers able to set the lap times which we expected. Nick lost a lot of ground and many positions right after the start and was therefore not in a position to fight for championship points. Conclusion of the weekend: Our car was fast enough today to score points thanks to our own performance. This is the basis from which we will prepare the next development steps.”

Willy Rampf (Head of Engineering): “For our team today’s race was really exciting. Our strategy proved the right one and Robert was able to exploit the car’s potential. We were rewarded with two World Championship points. Nick’s race was over immediately after the start. Despite our positive result there is no reason for slowing down now. We have to make more progress quickly to close the gap to the top teams. However, tonight we are happy about Championship points."

Ed
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Post by Ed » Fri Jun 12, 2009 10:54 pm

British Grand Prix 19th – 21st June 2009

8th of 17 World Championship races

Preview

Spurred on by the World Championship points collected in Turkey, the BMW Sauber F1 Team is working tirelessly on further improvements to the F1.09. The British Grand Prix at Silverstone offers another opportunity for the recently debuted double-decker diffuser to prove its mettle, along with a series of other upgrades.

The ingredients which make up the special atmosphere at the British Grand Prix read like a template for motor sport: a challenging track layout, renowned high-speed corners, frequently unpredictable weather and, above all, enthusiastic fans.

This is racing at its purest. The large number of medium and high-speed corners at Silverstone place a premium on downforce and aerodynamic balance.

Many will travel to Silverstone this year with tears in their eyes; for 2010 there is no Formula One race planned at the time-honoured Northamptonshire circuit. Instead the British Grand Prix is supposed to move to Donington Park.

Robert Kubica: “I always like to go racing at Silverstone. The British fans are amazing. It is a historic motor sport place and you can always feel the special racing atmosphere there. Usually the weather is quite unpredictable at Silverstone. Wind plays an important role. Especially in the high- speed corners it can have a big effect on the car’s behaviour. From a driver’s perspective the circuit is quite challenging. The first sector is very fast and has a couple of real high-speed corners. I think Silverstone might be a track that suits our car.”

Nick Heidfeld: “I’ve always really liked driving at Silverstone and I’ve been there many times. I first raced at the track in Formula 3000 and then did a lot of kilometres there in my early days as a Formula One test driver. I’ve always enjoyed competing at the circuit but, despite the number of laps I’ve covered there, for some reason it has never been one of my showcase tracks, unlike Budapest or Suzuka. Last year’s race in Silverstone was great. In the middle of all the chaos caused by the weather we opted for the right tyres, and I was able to pull off several good overtaking manoeuvres and finish second.
“The whole opening section at Silverstone is fantastic – very fast and unmistakable. I would be really disappointed if Silverstone did end up being taken off the calendar. I’ve never found the circuit outdated –traditional yes, but not antiquated. In addition to the wonderful corners at the track, the very special atmosphere generated by the fans would be a big loss.”

Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director: “Going into the British Grand Prix we are well aware that we still have a serious amount of work to do. However, we can now build on our performance in Istanbul. We fitted a double- decker diffuser for the first time in Turkey and the effect was clear. Our car was fast enough to score points thanks to our own performance. Of course, nobody within the team is satisfied with the result, but we will use it as a platform to put the next steps into action. We have increased our speed of development and will arrive at Silverstone with another package of new components. From now on we will introduce significant improvements to the car at two to three-race intervals, and these will include further development stages of the double- decker diffuser. We are a long way away from writing off the 2009 season.”

Willy Rampf, Head of Engineering: “To be quick at Silverstone you need to have a car with a lot of downforce, but above all one with very good balance. The track is characterised by its many medium and high-speed corners, and it is critical that the drivers carry a lot of speed out of them. Maggots-Becketts- Chapel is one of the best and most challenging combinations on the Formula One calendar. The track surface is pretty rough, which means that tyres come in for a good deal of punishment. Bridgestone is bringing the same two compounds to Silverstone which did such a good job in Istanbul. We used the double-decker diffuser for the first time in Turkey and took a step forward as a result. This was certainly pleasing, but we are still far from satisfied with the situation. Our intention is to introduce improvements to the car at short intervals. We will be running a further developed front wing at Silverstone with the aim of improving the balance of the car. I am confident we can continue our upward trend.”

Ed
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Post by Ed » Sat Jun 20, 2009 6:52 am

British Grand Prix – Free Practice, Friday

Weather: dry, overcast, 14-17°C Air, 20-34°C Track

Mixed feelings for the BMW Sauber F1 Team on the first day of the British Grand Prix in Silverstone. While Nick Heidfeld was able to complete his programme as planned in both sessions and test the new front wing, Robert Kubica suffered from technical problems. In the second session he was only able to do little mileage. After an evident loss of engine power the team ordered him to pit and in 35 minutes replaced the engine, which had almost reached the end of its scheduled life circle.

Robert Kubica: BMW Sauber F1.09-03 / BMW P86/9
1st Free Practice: 20th, 1:21:801 min / 2nd Free Practice: 11th, 1:20.622 min
“It was a difficult day for me. In the morning I had electronic problems on the car which prevented me from doing one single proper outing. Then, in the early stages of the second free practice the engine lost power. A big thank you to the mechanics who did a fantastic job changing it in a very short time! This meant that at least I had the chance to do two problem-free outings in the afternoon and some set-up work.”

Nick Heidfeld: BMW Sauber F1.09-06 / BMW P86/9
1st Free Practice: 13th, 1:21.103 min / 2nd Free Practice: 15th, 1:20.932 min
”For me it was a rather normal Friday. I did the tyre comparison and set-up work as planned. The track was very dusty, dirtier than usual, and therefore improved quite quickly during the session. That makes it difficult to make a judgement on the changes and on the new front wing, but I think it is better and gives us more downforce.“

Willy Rampf (Head of Engineering): “We started the race weekend with a new front wing that just was delivered in during the first session. The first impression was positive. We concentrated fully on set-up work today. Nick finished his programme as scheduled and also did a long-run in preparation for the race in the afternoon. Meanwhile Robert lost some valuable time due to various reasons. In the first session he had cut outs due to the electronics. We changed the relevant parts. In the afternoon he told us he had a sudden loss of power. We immediately called him in, because we did not want to run the risk of him having to stop on the track. The engine was changed in a record time of 35 minutes so he was able to finish part of his programme.”

Ed
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Post by Ed » Sun Jun 21, 2009 12:31 am

British Grand Prix – Qualifying, Saturday – 20.06.09

Weather: dry and overcast, 13-16°C Air, 15-26°C Track

The BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld qualified only 12th and 15th for the British Grand Prix in Silverstone.

Robert Kubica: BMW Sauber F1.09-03 / BMW P86/9
Qualifying 12th, 1:19.308 min in Q2
(3rd Free Practice: 20th, 1:21.039 min)

“This has been a very difficult weekend so far. Yesterday, I had technical problems in both sessions and then again this morning. During the three free practice sessions I had maybe ten laps without any problems, which was simply not enough to do the necessary work. No surprise that the set-up of the car was not very good in qualifying. P12 was the maximum I could achieve under the circumstances.”

Nick Heidfeld: BMW Sauber F1.09-06 / BMW P86/9
Qualifying 15th, 1:19.448 min in Q2
(3rd Free Practice: 18th, 1:20.696 min)

“Being 15th on the grid is obviously disappointing, although I have to admit I didn’t have too high expectations before we came here. We brought a new front wing to this race, but other teams apparently have bigger updates. It will be difficult to collect points from where we are starting – that is if it stays dry, which is something you never can rely on here in Silverstone. However, for the next races we have more new parts, so we will keep working and never give up.”

Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director): “Obviously we are not satisfied with the qualifying result. Our goal was to get into the top 10. It did not help Robert that he has had technical problems in every free practice session, and therefore was not able to do proper set-up work.”

Willy Rampf (Head of Engineering): “So far it has been a very difficult weekend for us, and that continued in qualifying. With starting positions 12 and 15 we are not satisfied. A main problem was getting the ideal tyre temperatures in these cold conditions. Even with our new aero-update that did not work out.”

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