2008 Formula One Thread

[mika]

Grand Prix of Turkey

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]

Go Hamilton!

Go Hamilton!

For me it's; Personalities first. Brand second.

Drives my fellow Ducati bretheren nuts. Go Rossi!

 

[mika]

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.

 

[mika]

HeidfeldÔÇÖs birthday today. He shared a chocolate cake but didnÔÇÖt get the result he wanted in qualifying for his birthday.


BMW Sauber F1 Team - Turkish Grand Prix ÔÇô 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 ÔÇô 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)

ÔÇ£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.ÔÇØ


Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 9th, 1:28.882 min (3rd practice: 19th, 1:28.655 min)

ÔÇ£Of course IÔÇÖm not happy with P9, but I can also see something positive in todayÔÇÖs qualifying ÔÇô 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.ÔÇØ


Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
ÔÇ£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.ÔÇØ

Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
ÔÇ£LetÔÇÖs 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.ÔÇØ

 

[mika]

BMW Sauber F1 Team - Turkish Grand Prix - Race

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)

“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 R?ñikkonen, 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)

“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 R?ñikk?Ânen 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.”

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.”

[igm]http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/293362052_3Qssh-L.jpg[/img]

 

[mika]

BMW Sauber F1 Team - Monaco GP - Preview

05-16-2008 Press Release
22nd ÔÇô 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 ÔÇô the Lorenzo Bandini trophy.

Winning such a tradition-rich trophy means a lot to the 23-year-old Pole. ÔÇ£This is a big honour for me, and it comes as a surprise given the rather disappointing season I had in 2007. ItÔÇÖs 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 ÔÇÿperformanceÔÇÖ off the race track ÔÇô and that attitudes and actions that I donÔÇÖt really stop to think about have earned me an award like this. IÔÇÖm really looking forward to the drive, too. That will be the icing on the cake!ÔÇØ

Kubica isnÔÇÖt the only team member to be honoured at the event in Brisighella. Peter Sauber will be picking up a trophy too ÔÇô for his lifetime achievements. Further information is available from the Associazione ÔÇ£Trofeo Lorenzo BandiniÔÇØ, Gianni.Cattaneo@acimi.it.


Thoughts on Monaco:


Nick Heidfeld:
ÔÇ£IÔÇÖm a real fan of narrow street circuits like this. Lots of people have tried to describe what itÔÇÖs like driving through these streets that are like canyons in a Formula One car. IÔÇÖve never been able to think of a comparison that really does it justice, so I wonÔÇÖt even try. You simply have to experience it for yourself. This is a circuit thatÔÇÖs totally unforgiving of even the smallest driving error. If you run out of road, thereÔÇÖs nowhere to go except into a crash barrier.

ÔÇ£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, thereÔÇÖs 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 itÔÇÖs all a bit too frenzied for me in the long run, which is why a few years ago I decided to move to Switzerland.ÔÇØ


Robert Kubica:
ÔÇ£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.ÔÇØ


Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director:
ÔÇ£Monaco is one of the great institutions in Formula One. Like Spa, Monza and Silverstone, itÔÇÖs 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 ÔÇô nowhere are they such an integral part of the Formula One experience as here.

ÔÇ£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, IÔÇÖm very satisfied with our record so far. With five races behind us, weÔÇÖve driven the maximum number of race laps possible at this stage in the season ÔÇô apart from the 11 laps Robert lost in the first Grand Prix in Australia, after his accident with Kazuki Nakajima. WeÔÇÖve finished well into the points in all our races so far, and weÔÇÖll be aiming to repeat that in Monaco.ÔÇØ


Willy Rampf, Technical Director:
ÔÇ£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.

ÔÇ£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 momentÔÇÖs 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.ÔÇØ


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: M?Ânchengladbach/Germany
Nationality: German
Residence: St?ñfa, 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 worldÔÇÖs 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.

 

[mika]

Monaco GP - Thursday Practice

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

Monte Carlo (MC). Both BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers, Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld, had a troublefree second practice session in preparation for the worldÔÇÖs most famous Grand Prix, and they stayed well away from Monte CarloÔÇÖs crash barriers. In the first session Heidfeld was forced to park his F1.08 next to the Caf?® 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
ÔÇ£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.ÔÇØ


http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/300040658_BqkBS-L.jpg[img]


Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
1st Practice: 14th, 1:18.263 min / 2nd Practice: 11th, 1:16.426 min
ÔÇ£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.ÔÇØ


[img]http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/300041773_jydfV-L.jpg


Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
ÔÇØWe 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 NickÔÇÖs 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.ÔÇØ

 

[BeemerMike]

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!

 

[mika]

UNOFFICAL GRID : Grand Prix of Monaco

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 carÔÇÖs 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.

 

[mika]

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.

BMW Sauber F1 Team - Monaco GP ÔÇô 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)
ÔÇ£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.ÔÇ£

Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 13th, 1:16.455 min (3rd Practice: 18th, 1:19.024 min)
ÔÇ£Unfortunately I donÔÇÖt have much to say: my qualifying result is disappointing. Here in Monaco I canÔÇÖt heat up the tyres quickly enough.ÔÇØ

Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
ÔÇ£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.ÔÇ£

Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
ÔÇ£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.ÔÇ£

 

[mika]

url=http://www.formula1.com/news/]Formula 1[/url] ÔÇô Grand Prix of Monaco

P1 Hamilton ÔÇô McLaren
P2 Kubica ÔÇô BMW Sauber
P3 Massa ÔÇô 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

 

[mika]

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.“

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.”

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

 

[mika]

 

[mika]

Montreal - One lap with Nick Heidfeld

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[mika]

Toyota F1 Team: Canadian Grand Prix Technical Insight ÔÇô Q & A with Pascal Vasselon

 

[mika]

Friday practice

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. KubicaÔÇÖs 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
Montreal ÔÇô the technical requirements


formula1.com
Practice one ÔÇô Ferrari first and second


formula1.com
Grand Prix of Canada 2008
Track and race information page

 

[cheesewhiz]

We should be preparing for or having just returned from the annual pilgrimage to Indy for the USGP...

*sigh*

 

[mika]

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]

formula1.com
Practice one ÔÇô 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?

 

[mika]

Good catch. I can not find the ÔÇ£officialÔÇØ practice times so lets go to a neutral source, the Toyota F1 Team site and the times they are reporting for everyone in Sessions 1 and 2


Practice 1

Practice 2