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Willy Rampf hands over top slot to James Key

Hinwil, 24th February 2010 – In April the BMW Sauber F1 Team will see a change that has been long in the planning: after ten years as Technical Director in Hinwil, Willy Rampf (56) will hand over to Englishman James Key (38 ), who takes up his new position on 1st April. Willy Rampf will be leaving the team at the end of April.

“The first time I saw the facilities in Hinwil, I knew straightaway the kind of opportunities open to me there,” says Key. “The wind tunnel, the supercomputer, the machine park and the expertise of the team were extremely persuasive. There is significant potential at Sauber, and with the ever-changing world of F1 I think the team is very well placed at present. I am grateful to my old team for the past 12 years I spent with them, but now I very much look forward to starting my new job. I would like to thank Peter Sauber and the team for this great opportunity.”

After two years as a designer with Lotus, Key launched his Formula One career in 1998 as a data engineer with Jordan, where he went on to become Takuma Sato’s race engineer. After a year in the aerodynamics department he was made head of vehicle dynamics. Soon after the Midland Group took over the team, he was appointed Technical Director in season 2005, at the age of just 33. He retained this position when the team became SpykerF1 and ultimately Force India. Key was in charge of the VJM02 with which the private team took a pole position, a podium place and a fastest race lap in 2009.

James Key was born on 14th January 1972. He studied Mechanical Engineering at the University of Nottingham. He is currently preparing his move from Warwick, UK to Switzerland. Key is married with three children.

Team Principal Peter Sauber notes: “Despite his young age, James looks back on more than a decade of experience in Formula One – and the 2009 car in particular proved quite a revelation. James comes from a private team and knows how to work around a limited budget. With us he will enjoy high-level technical opportunities. Willy and James will be devoting April to the handover. I have known about Willy’s plans for some time, of course,” Sauber continues, “and fully understand his decision. He has achieved great things for our team. I had managed to get him on board as race engineer for season 1994. Then in 1998 he temporarily left the team to pursue his Paris-Dakar Rallye dream and ran BMW’s motorcycle involvement – a successful interlude, as we know. In 1999 he returned to the fold with the clear aim of becoming Technical Director. It was practically his first Formula One car that was out on the grid in 2001, and we finished fourth in the Constructors’ Championship as a privately -run team. We have Willy to thank for a great deal.”

Willy Rampf said: “When you’re Technical Director of a Formula One team, the job comes first and everything else is subordinate to it. I have done my job with a passion for ten years, but now it’s time to hand over the baton. Peter Sauber gave me the chance to enter this league of motor sport and I greatly value all my years spent working with the team.”

Test in Barcelona

Barcelona, 25th February 2010

Pedro de la Rosa was at the wheel on the first day of the final 2010 pre- season test, held on the driver’s home ground in Barcelona. The BMW Sauber F1 Team carried out a lot of set-up work today.

Weather Dry with some cloud, air 12 - 19 °C, track 10 – 23 °C
Circuit length 4.655 km
Driver Pedro de la Rosa (ES)
Chassis / engine BMW Sauber C29-01 / Ferrari
Kilometres today 339.815 km (73 laps)
Fastest lap 1:23.144 min

Pedro de la Rosa “We did an aero test for Bahrain and were trying to get the car’s balance right for the Circuit de Catalunya, which is a demanding track with lots of bumps. I think we learned a lot today and are looking forward to tomorrow.”

Willy Rampf (Technical Director) “Today we have been concentrating on different mechanical set-ups and different downforce levels in preparation for the Bahrain Grand Prix. We are not satisfied with the car’s balance yet, but we have recorded a great deal of useful data which will help us further improve it.”

What comes next Tomorrow, Friday, Pedro de la Rosa will be driving again before handing the car over to Kamui Kobayashi for Saturday and Sunday

BMW Sauber F1 Team agrees sponsorship for young driver Esteban Gutièrrez

Hinwil, 26th February 2010

The BMW Sauber F1 Team is taking 18-year-old Esteban Gutièrrez under its wing. The Mexican driver will attend a number of the Grands Prix in 2010, observe the goings-on in the pits, listen in to the radio communications and be present at meetings. Added to which, he will be incorporated into the team’s driver development programme. This means that he will follow the same training regime as race drivers Pedro de la Rosa and Kamui Kobayashi, and his physical condition will be monitored and evaluated in the same way.

“We view this link-up as a kind of sponsorship arrangement,” explains team boss Peter Sauber. “Nowadays you can only give young drivers a very limited amount of help in gaining a foothold in Formula One. With the limited number of testing opportunities, it is important for the teams to have the race drivers in the cars during those sessions. However, the world of Formula One is so complex that you can learn a great deal just by watching and listening to what’s going on. That’s the opportunity we’re giving Esteban. And we will also help him to get himself in F1-trim physically.”

Gutièrrez also gave his thoughts: “I felt very comfortable at the young driver test at Jerez in December and enjoyed every second, but I also saw that I still have a lot to learn before I’m ready to be a good Formula One driver. Experience behind the wheel is, of course, the most important thing, but I’m under no illusions. I’m happy that the BMW Sauber F1 Team has shown so much confidence in me by giving me the chance to look behind the scenes and learn about the sport. And at the same time, I will be training hard with an instructor, which will definitely help me achieve my goals in the GP3 series.”

Gutièrrez will line up for the ART Grand Prix Team in the new GP3 race series this season. Seven of the eight GP3 races in 2010 will take place on the Formula One support programme

Test in Barcelona

Barcelona, 26th February 2010

The BMW Sauber F1 Team and Pedro de la Rosa enjoyed a very busy second day of testing. The team ran a simulation of free practice, qualifying and a race distance in one day with excellent track conditions and zero technical problems for the C29.

Weather Sunny and dry all day, air 12 - 20 °C, track 13 – 28 °C
Circuit length 4.655 km
Driver Pedro de la Rosa (ES)
Chassis / engine BMW Sauber C29-01 / Ferrari
Kilometres today 530.670 km (114 laps)
Fastest lap 1:20.973 min

Pedro de la Rosa “Today was a very good preparation for the season’s start in Bahrain. The reliability of the car was perfect and I think the performance was also good, especially in the race simulation. It was avery good exercise and I feel we have now done everything possible to get ready for the first Grand Prix. It was also a big day for me because it has been a while since I last completed a race distance. I feel very well and also really confident now.”

Willy Rampf (Technical Director) “Overall it was a good test day for us. We improved the car’s balance significantly compared to yesterday by doing some set-up changes. We then simulated an entire race weekend with free practice, qualifying and a full race distance without any technical problems. We are quite happy with the overall pace and reliability.”

What comes next Tomorrow, Saturday, Kamui Kobayashi will be taking over driving duties in Barcelona for the remaining two days.

Test in Barcelona

Barcelona, 27th February 2010

The BMW Sauber F1 Team’s second race simulation was run under changing weather conditions with light rain on and off. After the lunch break Kamui Kobayashi continued to do some set-up work.

Weather Overcast with some light rain showers, air 8 - 15 °C, track 10 – 16 °C
Circuit length 4.655 km
Driver Kamui Kobayashi (JP)
Chassis / engine BMW Sauber C29-01 / Ferrari
Kilometres today 488.775 km (105 laps)
Fastest lap 1:26.216 min

Kamui Kobayashi “Certainly it would have been more convenient to do the race simulation with ideal track conditions. However, on the other hand it was an even better practice because we had to do additional tyre changes due to the weather, and every pit stop helps to improve our skills in communications and procedures. So I think it was a very productive day, and anyway tomorrow we expect better weather.”

Willy Rampf (Technical Director) “Today the main task was another race simulation, so we could practice all the routines and procedures for pit stops and various instructions for the crew and, of course, Kamui. We did this before the lunch break in inconsistent weather conditions, which explains today’s lap times. In the afternoon we carried out some further set-up work.”

What comes next Tomorrow, Sunday, will be the final day of 2010 pre-season testing with Kamui Kobayashi being at the wheel again.

Test in Barcelona

Barcelona, 28th February 2010

On the final day of pre-season testing Kamui Kobayashi was again on duty for the BMW Sauber F1 Team. A gear box problem cost about two hours of track time before lunch. In the afternoon the team tried to catch up with the programme, but had to contend with an early stop to its running. Nevertheless, Technical Director, Willy Rampf, has drawn a positive conclusion after a total of 16 test days.

Weather Dry track, partly overcast, air 15 - 18 °C, track 15 – 25 °C
Circuit length 4.655 km
Driver Kamui Kobayashi (JP)
Chassis / engine BMW Sauber C29-01 / Ferrari
Kilometres today 311.885 km (67 laps)
Fastest lap 1:20.911 min

Kamui Kobayashi “We didn’t manage to achieve the expected mileage today because of technical issues. However, for me it was still a good day because we ran through several procedures for the first race weekend. As I said yesterday, these things are very important for me and I can see I’m improving. I feel ready for Bahrain.”

Willy Rampf (Technical Director) “After the car ran smoothly during the earlier tests, unfortunately our final day of testing was hampered by reliability problems. In the morning it was a shifting problem, which needs to be analysed, and at the end it was a problem in the fuel system. Certainly both can be solved before Bahrain. In Barcelona we have been testing new aero parts, which confirmed the performance we expected after the wind tunnel tests. We also concentrated further on getting the best out of the mechanical set-ups. We have defined the Bahrain package now and feel ready for the season to kick off. The team has four very busy weeks behind it and we are very much looking forward to finally going racing. We are happy with the overall performance of the car, considering the conditions under which the lap times were achieved.”

What comes next The next time the team will be out on track will be for the first race weekend in Bahrain (12th to 14th March).

Preview - Bahrain
Grand Prix 1st of 19 Championship Rounds, 12th – 14th March 2010

One thing is certain: after it has slimmed down and transformed into a private team the BMW Sauber F1 Team is very happy to line up with two C29s for Pedro de la Rosa and Kamui Kobayashi at the season’s opening race. But just turning up is far from what the team is aiming for. The car’s development has been pushed forward non stop and the tests in February were on the whole positive. So to score points is what the team wants to achieve on March 14 in the Kingdom of Bahrain at the first of the 19 rounds that make up the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship.

Pedro de la Rosa: “I have good memories of Bahrain. In 2005 when I had to jump in I scored the fastest race lap. In 2007 I was there for two days of testing. However, I think the new section which is added to the infield will make it an all new track, because it means we have to adapt the downforce level. The best aspect of the circuit is that you can overtake. There are three long straights with each followed by a corner where you have to brake really hard. We will have good racing there, I think, and all I want is to fight because this is what I missed most. It is difficult to tell yet which track will be good for our car. In any case it will be very interesting to see how the strategies unfold, and how the teams will react to each other’s strategy in the race. Due to the fact that refuelling isn’t allowed anymore, the team can influence the outcome a lot more. After we have had four good tests on three different circuits I feel very confident for the season’s start. I covered a lot of mileage with the team and we learnt a lot. Bahrain will mark my return to racing and I can’t wait.”

Kamui Kobayashi: “I won two GP2 Asia races in Bahrain in 2008 and 2009 and I have been testing there in Formula One in 2009. I like the fact that the season starts on a circuit I know so well. The track is quite nice, I like every corner and now we get some more of them. The track has a lot of stop-and-go corners and I really enjoy that style, while I also think it will suit our car. During the tests I learnt a lot and I’m training hard. I definitely feel ready for the start of the season and I’m also looking forward to the usual good weather in Bahrain, as I really like it warm.”

Willy Rampf, Technical Director: “The kick off for the coming season promises extra excitement because very few of the teams showed their full potential during the tests. Due to the refuelling ban the fuel cells have become much larger and, therefore, we’ve got radically different cars. It is an engineer’s task to find a set-up which provides a good balance for the cars, although they will now be a hundred kilos heavier at the start of the race. Race strategy also provides totally new challenges. Pit stops will be mainly dictated by the tyre performance. Both tyre specs still have to be run. The circuit lay-out in Bahrain has changed significantly as it is now dominated by a narrow section in the infield with eight additional corners. The downforce level will be a compromise. On the one hand the many low speed corners require high downforce, but on the other the extraordinary width of the track encourages overtaking and this means you can’t disregard the need for top-speed.”

Bahrain GP – 1st/2nd Free Practice

Weather: Sunny and dry, 28-34°C air, 36-48°C track

After the first two practice sessions of the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship, on the modified and lengthened Bahrain International Circuit, neither of the BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers was completely happy with the set-up of the C29. Pedro de la Rosa came tenth in the afternoon session, Kamui Kobayashi was eleventh.
The new section in the circuit’s infield makes the set-up work more challenging.

Pedro de la Rosa: BMW Sauber C29.03 / Ferrari 056
1st Practice: 17th / 2.00.250 min (18 laps) / 2nd Practice: 10th / 1:57,255 min (24 laps)
“Well, it was not easy. We managed to make the car feel better during the day, but we definitely need to improve the set-up for tomorrow as much as we can. The overall grip level is very low out there and the new part is really bumpy. One bump especially before turn seven I find dangerous because the cars are bottoming there a lot. The heat is no issue at all. I don’t regard this circuit as physically very demanding anyway.”

Kamui Kobayashi: BMW Sauber C29.02 / Ferrari 056
1st Practice: 18th / 2.01.388 min (11 laps) / 2nd Practice: 11th / 1:57.352 min (27 laps)
“After we lost some track time this morning because of a puncture, we were able to complete our programme in the afternoon. We now have to look at the set-up again. I have the impression the bumpy new infield is pretty difficult for us, but we will work on that. I have no complaints about the heat either, as I definitely prefer it compared to the winter in Europe.”

Willy Rampf, Technical Director: “We mainly concentrated on race preparation today, so consequently we were running on a high fuel load for most of the time. We want to be sure to find a set-up which is acceptable for the race distance. We will work on the qualifying set-up tomorrow. It’s the first time this year we are running in climate conditions like this, so we still have a lot of work to do. Kamui suffered a puncture, which was caused by a piece of debris, but apart from that the cars ran reliably.”

Bahrain GP – Qualifying – Saturday, 13.03.2010

Weather: Sunny and dry, 31-36°C air, 41-47°C track

Both BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers made it into the second qualifying session, but neither of them moved up into the top ten qualifying. Still struggling with the car on the winding and bumpy new part of the circuit, Pedro de la Rosa qualified 14th for the first race of the season in Bahrain and Kamui Kobayashi qualified 16th.

Pedro de la Rosa: BMW Sauber C29.03 / Ferrari 056
Qualifying: 14th / 1.56.237 min (in Q2) / 3rd Practice: 13th / 1:56.063 min (14 laps)

“I can’t say I’m satisfied because before we came here we expected to be a bit higher up. But we already knew yesterday this is a bad track for us with the new infield. I have to blame myself for losing a couple of tenths, because I made mistakes on my very last lap when I just pushed too hard because at this time there wasn’t much to lose. So this was not good and it will be a tough race tomorrow for the drivers and teams, especially in terms of tyre management. I’m afraid they will overheat from lap one. Well, despite not being happy with the result, in a way I have to say I still enjoyed my first qualifying after three years.”

Kamui Kobayashi: BMW Sauber C29.02 / Ferrari 056
Qualifying: 16th / 1.56.270 min (in Q2) / 2nd Practice: 17th / 1:56.530 min (14 laps)

“After winter testing we thought we would be quicker, but we are really struggling with the bumpy new part of the track. Of course the temperatures are much higher here, which is also something new as we now see what the effect is between the car and the tyres. We have to work really hard for improvements. Tomorrow’s race will be hard but I still hope our car will not be hard on the tyres and we can move up a bit. There is always a chance for points.”

Peter Sauber, Team Principal: “After our promising testing I expected more from the first qualifying of the season. The problems with this track, which we had already seen yesterday, could not be solved for qualifying.”

Willy Rampf, Technical Director: “Based on the results in winter testing our goal was to get one car into Q3. However, we missed that by a big margin. We will now try to make up positions in the race using the right strategic options which are now allowed by the new rules. Before the next races we have to improve the car significantly.”

Bahrain GP – Race – Sunday, 14.03.2010

Weather: Sunny and dry, 35-36°C air, 36-40°C track

After a difficult qualifying the BMW Sauber F1 Team was heading for points in the opening round of the FIA Formula One World Championship, but the Bahrain Grand Prix ended in disappointment with both drivers retiring due to hydraulic failures.

Pedro de la Rosa: DNF (lap 29, position 12, hydraulic problem)
BMW Sauber C29.03 / Ferrari 056
“I actually had a good start, but then lost positions when I had to go off the track to avoid colliding with other cars. On the grass I lost acceleration and some cars were able to pass, so when I arrived at turn four I had lost several positions. Then I felt we had a car that was good enough to fight for points, and there still was a chance to achieve this when I was called into the pits on lap 29 because of an hydraulic problem.“

Kamui Kobayashi: DNF (lap 12, position 13, hydraulic problem)
BMW Sauber C29.02 / Ferrari 056
“Unfortunately it was a short race for me because on lap 12 I lost the power steering and from then on I wasn’t able to shift anymore due to a hydraulic problem. I had quite a good start when I made up four positions, but then I flat-spotted a tyre and, in hindsight, I also believe it would have been better to start on the softer compound. Pedro was faster on them.”

Peter Sauber, Team Principal: “I obviously had different hopes for how I would return to Formula One as a team principal, particularly after our promising winter testing. But even before the race our grid positions were disappointing. The race itself was okay from a performance point of view, with both drivers fighting for positions before they both stopped with a hydraulic problem. We have to analyse and to solve this problem very quickly.”

Willy Rampf, Technical Director: “The race pace was okay. Pedro drove an intelligent race and managed his tyres really well. Kamui, who was on the harder compound, was forced to stop before his first scheduled pit stop, therefore there is not much to say. Neither car finished the race due to a hydraulic problem which we have to analyse.”

Preview - Australian Grand Prix
2nd of 19 Championship Rounds, 26th – 28th March 2010

The very unproductive opening race in Bahrain, with set-up troubles followed by failures in the race, has been analysed. At the Australian Grand Prix, held from 26th to 28th March in Melbourne, the BMW Sauber F1 Team wants to perform the way everybody expected after testing – with scoring points achievable.

Pedro de la Rosa: “I’m very much looking forward to this Grand Prix. I really want our performance in Bahrain to be forgotten. Also it is one of my favourite Grands Prix because of the great atmosphere there. My last race there was in 2002. In 2005 I drove in Friday practice. This means I definitely have some memories of the track, but it will be like learning a new one for me. I believe we will be more competitive in Melbourne. Reliability was never an issue in testing, and it was very unlucky that we retired with both cars in Bahrain and with two different reasons as well. Albert Park is a difficult track with many chicanes, stop and go corners and bumps. As it is not a permanent race track it changes significantly over the weekend. This makes it important to read the track properly in order to deal with the grip level. It will not be easy for us in Australia and we need to work hard to be able to fight for points.”

Kamui Kobayashi: “For sure I hope we will be more competitive in Melbourne than we were in Bahrain - we just have to be. I only know the track from the Toyota simulator which I have been in after the race in Bahrain. I like the lay-out of the Albert Park Circuit, and I also like Melbourne as a place. I have been there twice as a reserve driver. The city is great and the spectators are true fans, so I can’t wait to race in front of that crowd. To me a four week trip begins now and I’m really excited about that. From Melbourne we go to Kuala Lumpur and before the race in Shanghai I go and spend some time in Japan.”

Technical Director Willy Rampf: “After our disappointing performance in Bahrain we have to make up for a lot in Australia. We have analysed the data and drawn conclusions accordingly. I expect us to be significantly more competitive in Melbourne. The failures were caused by hydraulic leaks in both cases, but for different reasons. For both problems we will have solutions ready for the race.
“The Albert Park Circuit is a stop-and-go track, being very demanding on the brakes and requiring high brake stability as well. At the same time good traction is a must. You drive with maximum downforce. Especially at the beginning of the weekend, the grip level is very low and then improves continuously. You have to make sure this development doesn’t confuse your set-up work and so you have to keep working in the right direction. I’m curious about how the tyres will be working. Last year the softer of the two compounds was degrading badly after just a few laps. This time Bridgestone is providing us with a harder compound, which naturally has an impact on the set-up.”

Australian GP – 1st/2nd Free Practice – Friday, 26.03.2010

Weather: Mid-day sunny and dry, later rain, 26-26°C air, 21-37°C track

Because of mixed weather conditions with some rain in the second free practice session for the Australian Grand Prix it is difficult to estimate everybody’s performance. However, Pedro de la Rosa and Kamui Kobayashi had a trouble free second session and were 12th and 13th. The first 90-minutes session at lunchtime hadn’t been as pleasant. After only a few laps Kobayashi had ripped off half of the front wing when hitting a cone and needed to come in for repairs. On his next run the new front wing came off. Kobayashi only did five laps. Ten minutes before the end of the session De la Rosa also stopped on the track due to a clutch problem.

Pedro de la Rosa: C29.03 / Ferrari 056
1st Practice: 15th / 1:29.465 min (13 laps) / 2nd Practice: 12th / 1:27.108 min (25 laps)
“Generally the car feels better than in Bahrain, which is good news. Of course more running would have helped to improve the set-up, but I can’t complain as I had some dry running.”

Kamui Kobayashi: C29.02 / Ferrari 056
1st Practice: 18th / 1:31.588 min (5 laps) / 2nd Practice: 13th / 1:27,455 min (23 laps)
“In the first session I came too close to that cone and hit it, and then I could not do any more running after I lost the new front wing. Of course I would have liked to do more laps, but the rain in the second session did not help. However, I still got a good feeling for the track. We will now concentrate and work on improving the car, the main problem is an overall lack of grip.”

Willy Rampf, Technical Director: “In the first practice we lost time on Kamui’s car due to a broken front wing mounting. This resulted from damage earlier to the wing. Pedro was hindered by a clutch control problem in the first free practice and also lost some time. In FP1 we tested a new rear wing. However, there was not enough time to collect sufficient data, therefore we decided to go back to the previous version and concentrate on working on the set-up of the car. Due to the mixed weather conditions in the second session we were not able to complete our programme. However, I think we found a baseline for tomorrow.”

Australian GP – Qualifying – Saturday, 27.03.2010

Weather: Overcast but dry, 21-22°C air, 23-26°C track

Despite identical grid positions as in the first race in Bahrain there is some progress to report. Pedro de la Rosa and Kamui Kobayashi qualified 14th and 16th respectively for the Australian Grand Prix but the C29’s set-up has improved and both drivers are optimistic to go and fight for points in tomorrow’s race.

Pedro de la Rosa:
C29.03 / Ferrari 056
Qualifying: 14th / 1.25.747 min (in Q2) / 3rd Practice: 18th / 1:26.818 min (18 laps)
“We are still a step away from Q3 but we were closer than in Bahrain. We will keep working hard and further improve the car for the future, and tomorrow we will go and fight for points. This is what I really want – finishing a good race and score. I was pushing hard in qualifying and basically I’m happy with my fastest lap. In the traffic it was very difficult to get in a clear lap, especially in Q1 we obviously had many cars and on different speeds. I tried my best to stay out of everybody’s way but it doesn’t always work although I’m very well informed from the pit lane about which car is close to me.“

Kamui Kobayashi:
C29.02 / Ferrari 056
Qualifying: 16th / 1.25.777 min (in Q2) / 3rd Practice: 14th / 1:26.275 min (21 laps)
“I expected to finish qualifying a bit higher up because the speed in the third free practice was encouraging. I pushed very hard and nearly lost the car, but we didn’t make it into Q3. Nevertheless we definitely improved compared to Bahrain. Although the positions are the same the gap is smaller. I’m quite confident for the race.”

Peter Sauber, Team Principal:
“P14 and P16 in qualifying don’t meet our expectations, therefore we cannot be satisfied. I think that today we didn’t really exploit the full potential of the car.”

Willy Rampf, Technical Director:
“It was a qualifying without any particular problems, but our grid positions are quite disappointing. We are not fast enough for Q3, but nevertheless we expected to be further up the grid. There is a pack of cars in the midfield where the gaps are very close, and where you can win or lose positions with just a small time difference. On the positive side, the balance of the car was definitely better here than in Bahrain, but we have to further improve the overall performance.”

Australian GP – Race – Sunday, 28.03.2010

Weather: Drizzle after the start, dry later, 25-26°C air, 22-23°C track

Following Kamui Kobayashi’s retirement after a crash on lap one, it looked good for Pedro de la Rosa to score the team’s first points. But in the end his tyres degraded too much and he had nothing left for defending.

Pedro de la Rosa: 12th place
C29.03 / Ferrari 056
“For a while the race went okay, I managed to stay out of trouble and there was a good chance to get our first points. But, I’m afraid, we underestimated the tyre degradation. In the end I really had no rear tyres left. For the last 15 laps it was just a question of how to keep the car on the track. I was absolutely helpless when Michael and Jaime came in the end to overtake me“

Kamui Kobayashi: accident on lap 1
C29.02 / Ferrari 056
"It looks as if I touched a kerb or another car in turn three. Everything was very close and I don’t really remember anything major, but on the data it looks like there was something. I had no worries about the front wing, but a few corners later it went off and got stuck under the car. At first I had no idea what had happened. I had no control anymore.”

Peter Sauber, Team Principal:
“Looking at how the race evolved, it’s a disappointing result. For a third of the race Pedro was able to defend ninth against Rubens Barrichello, but then he lost out, and in the penultimate lap he was also passed by Michael Schumacher and Jaime Alguersuari. Kamui’s race didn’t even last one lap. Following contact with another car his front wing broke, and he went off, unfortunately hitting other competitors.”

Willy Rampf, Technical Director:
“It was a race start under difficult conditions. Kamui most probably had contact with another car and damaged his front wing. As a result the front wing broke in the braking zone of corner 6, and Kamui went off. Pedro won positions after the start, and we made the change from intermediates to slicks at the right moment. Our strategy was to finish the race with this set of tyres, which - looking at the overall result - was the right decision. However, the tyres degraded too much, and the lap times were not consistent enough, therefore we lost our chance to finish the race in ninth.”

Preview – Malaysian Grand Prix
3rd of 19 Championship Rounds, 2nd – 4th April 2010

After a spectacular race in Australia the third round of the FIA Formula One World Championship is just a few days away. The teams continue their journey to Kuala Lumpur for the Malaysian Grand Prix on April 4.

Pedro de la Rosa: “The Sepang circuit is one of my favourite tracks. It has a lot of rhythm with many flowing corners which reminds me a little bit of the Circuit de Catalunya. The track in Malaysia is physically extremely demanding, especially because of the humidity and the heat. I like driving there a lot! It is important to be fit for there. For a driver it is by far the toughest race on the championship calendar and it is also very demanding on the car. I think if you are quick there you are quick everywhere, and, as I said before, it is a bit like Barcelona and both are very representative of what we find at other circuits. This means it is a good test bench for the drivers and the cars.”

Kamui Kobayashi: “I have good memories of Sepang as I won a GP2 Asia race there in 2008. It is a pretty nice track - I like it. The heat is tough, but that’s the same for everybody. I don’t mind the heat, but I hope we don’t get the same weather as during last year’s Grand Prix when the race had to be stopped because of the heavy rain. Malaysia is not too far from Japan and, hopefully, I will meet some Japanese fans there. The last corner before the main straight is my favourite. You have to brake very hard and get the corner right to accelerate down the straight. It has a lot of influence on the lap time, because if you don’t get this one right you really pay for it.”

Technical Director Willy Rampf: “Sepang is a very demanding circuit which asks a lot from the chassis and the set-up. It has corners with very quick changes of direction in which stability is crucial. At the same time you need good traction to accelerate out of the slow corners, which in some cases lead uphill. The right hander before the back straight is especially tricky with its tightening radius.
“We expect ambient temperatures of around 35 degrees Celsius and accordingly track temperatures over 40 degrees. Therefore you have to take care of the cooling, and this is something you also have to take into account for the set-up to avoid excessive tyre wear. The weather is rather unpredictable with the chance of rain in the late afternoon high, which certainly would make for an exciting race.”