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2008 Formula One Thread

Rooster tails were the qualifying order of the day.

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BMW Sauber F1 Team - Italian Grand Prix - Qualifying
09-13-2008 Press Release
Weather: rain, 19-21??C Air, 18??C Track

Monza (IT). The whole of qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix on the high speed Monza circuit was in wet conditions, which produced a mixed grid. Robert Kubica missed making it into the top ten by just 21 thousandths of a second and was 11th. Nick Heidfeld made it into qualifying for the final action packed session, but was unhappy with the grip level and ended up tenth.


Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 10th, 1:39.906 min (3rd Practice: 6th, 1:36.972 min)
“The conditions were quite difficult during qualifying, but in the beginning it went pretty well for me. Once I made it into the top ten of qualifying I was expecting more. The last laps were disappointing. Instead of more grip I got less. We now have to figure out why this happened.”


Robert Kubica:
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 11th, 1:36.697 min (from Q2) (3rd Practice: 12th, 1:37.671 min)
“We were a bit unlucky today as the gap to position 10 and the third qualifying session was very narrow. We put a new set of tyres on the car for the second qualifying session, as we planned not to make a pit stop in the session. You need two or three laps to make the tyres work. The track dried up after the first laps, but then it started to rain heavily so unfortunately I was not able to improve the lap times. Congratulations to Torro Rosso and Sebastian Vettel for their first pole position.”


Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“That was the most action packed qualifying I can remember. Under these weather conditions it was a lottery. Congratulations to Sebastian Vettel and Toro Rosso, who did a brilliant job under these conditions. If you look at the result you find some of the top drivers down in the rankings, and of course we are not satisfied with our grid positions of ten and 11. Today it was vital to go out at the right moment and set a quick lap time with warm tyres. We were not able to do this.”


Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“Following our strong performance in dry conditions yesterday, we are obviously disappointed with positions ten and 11. Robert didn't make it to Q3 because the rain was heavier towards the end of second qualifying. The grid looks very different to what we are used to, which means we can expect a very interesting race tomorrow. We obviously have to see what strategies the different drivers have chosen.”
 
Monza - the race

The race starts in the damp with the safety car leading the field on the opening laps. Conditions are miserable.

Sebastian Bourdais stalls as the grid pulls away is taken back into the pits and when it rejoins 1 lap down.

When the safety car exited the purple color of fast lap fell down through the field as back markers came through the traps. Raikkonen held if for a bit then Vettel, in the lead, took it back. This has to be driving Fantasy F-1 fans nuts.

Lap 5 and Vettel has pulled out a 5.2 second lead on P2. Kubica P9, Heidfeld P9.

As a result of the rain soaked qualifying we are treated to a curious mid field competition in P11-13 amongst Fisichella, Raikkonen and Hamilton. Normally Fisichella in the Force India car would be blue flagged and move aside for Raikkonen and Hamilton who would be race leaders. In this case we find the three dueling for position and having to contend with Fisichella racing to keep his position in the race. It did not last long as both hot shoes were able to pass and then Hamilton passes Raikkonen. The point of this is that these back competitions put these championship contenders at risk in a way they are not accustomed to.

Lap 11 ÔÇô Kubica up to P8, Heidfeld down to P10


Lap 14 Hamilton overtakes Heidfeld moving him back to P11

As Lap 15 begins Vettel has a 10.5 second lead over Kaovalainen in P2. Massa is moving up turning in the lattest fast lap.

Lap 16 Hamilton is past Glock for for P9 and will be challenging Kubica for P8 and does take it under braking.

Vettel pits on Lap 18 with a good stop he rejoins the race in P4


LAP 20 has the BMWs in P10 and 11 and 34.2 seconds off the current race leader Kovalainen. They do not be able to make any headway to the front.

LAP 22 the pit stops for the rest of the teams begin ÔÇô Kaovalinen ÔÇô Weber ÔÇô Massa in will Vettel regain the lead and if so by how much?

Lap 23 has Vettel back in the lead by 5.9 seconds and more importantly is 12.0 seconds faster than Kovalainen in P6. Everyone in between has yet to pit.

Hamilton has sliced through the field and from P15 at the start is in P2. Yet to pit could Hamilton be on a one stop strategy? Yes he will make it to the end after his pit on lap 27. He rejoins in P10.

LAP 28 Kubica is in P5 as a result of the pit stops by everyone else. He has yet to pit.

Heidfeld pits first among the BMW team.

LAP 33 Kubica still has not pitted. He just turned his personal best lap.

LAP 34 Kubica an Kovalainen pit.

As lap 35 begins Kubica P5 and Heidfeld P8. Positions are changing in the field as drivers change tiers.

LAP 36 Vettel in and out of the pits and retains the lead.

LAP 37 Kubica is up to P3 currently and Heidfeld in P5 but Hamilton and Massa are turning in fast laps behind them. In P7 and 6 respectively. They must get by Heidfeld and Alonso to get at Kubica. This again is a fight for position as they try to move up so there is no help from the blue flag.

LAP 42 began with P1 to P8 set personal best times during the race and Hamilton set a new fast lap all as the track dries out.

LAP 44 begins with Vettel in P! 13.4 seconds ahead of Kovalainen in P2 and 24.4 seconds ahead of Kubica in P3.

LAP 46 Kubica briefly holds fast lap then is passed down through the field.

LAP 50 finds Kibica in P3 and Heidfeld in P5.

Coulthard and Nakajima have a shunt and leave debris on the track. Could a puncture cause by debris decide the race.

RESULTS
1 -Vettel
2 ÔÇôKovalainen
3 ÔÇô Kubica
4 ÔÇô Alonso
5 ÔÇô Heidfeld
6 ÔÇô Massa
7 ÔÇô Hamilton
8 ÔÇô Weber
9 ÔÇô Raikkonen
10 ÔÇô Piquet
11 ÔÇô Glock
12 ÔÇô Nakajima
13 ÔÇô Trulli
14 ÔÇô Rossberg
15 ÔÇô Button
16 ÔÇô Coulthard
17 ÔÇô Barrichello
18 ÔÇô Bourdais
19 ÔÇô Sutil
20 ÔÇô Fisichella


Raikkonen set race fast lap at 1:28.047 on the last lap.

I will post pictures and standings latter today.

This was a fun race to follow, much more than I expected going into this morning. It raises a question for me regarding future rules changes for F1. One change that has been suggested is setting the starting grid in reverse qualifying order. There will be ways to ÔÇÿcheatÔÇÖ around that system. That said it was great sport to see Ferrari and McLaren have to race without the help of the blue flag.
 
BMW Sauber F1 Team - Italian GP - Race
09-14-2008 Press Release
Weather: Rain at the beginning, slowly drying track. Air: 14??C, Track: 15??C

Monza (IT). Coming from 11th on the grid, Robert Kubica scored the tenth podium of the season for the BMW Sauber F1 Team. It was the sixth podium in 2008 for the Pole, who finished the exciting Italian Grand Prix third. Nick Heidfeld started from tenth and finished fifth in the wet race at the high speed Monza circuit.

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Robert Kubica: 3rd
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1:30.298 min on lap 52 (12th fastest overall)
ÔÇ£IÔÇÖm very happy to finish on the podium today! Yesterday qualifying was difficult when I was the first one not to make it into the top ten. The only advantage of this was I could choose my race strategy, and we decided to go for just one stop with a very long first stint. At the start the visibility was really bad. When the Safety Car went in after two laps, I overtook Nick before the first chicane without even seeing him. It was really dangerous. Then I was able to drive at my own pace, but towards the end of my first stint I was having problems with the tyres, obviously because the car had been very heavy. We were then lucky with our pit stop, because it was just the right time to change to intermediate tyres. From then on I was easily able to control my position on the track. Third place was a well deserved reward for the whole team. Congratulations to Sebastian and the Toro Rosso Team for winning here today!ÔÇØ

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Nick Heidfeld: 5th
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1:29.807 min on lap 53 (6th fastest overall)
ÔÇ£Coming from tenth on the grid it is okay to finish fifth, but still my race wasnÔÇÖt ideal. Unfortunately I lost a place to Robert right at the start. It was the right decision to let us start behind the Safety Car. When it pulled off the visibility was still so poor that I braked much too early and Robert passed me. This time it was the team who made the tyre choice. I left it to my race engineer as on the pit wall they had a lot more information about the weather. It was absolutely right to go for intermediates. Today it was important to avoid mistakes and keep the car on the track. IÔÇÖm happy I had the pace to keep Felipe Massa and Lewis Hamilton behind me at the end. Warmest congratulations to Sebastian and the Toro Rosso team, this was a fantastic victory.ÔÇØ

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Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
ÔÇ£As expected, it was an action packed race, but not for the man in front. Under these difficult circumstances Toro Rosso had the best car, and Sebastian Vettel managed to score his and the teamÔÇÖs maiden victory with this excellent performance. Hats off to them! For us as well it worked out perfectly today. The decisive part was the race strategy. We were able to pit late with both cars and changed to intermediates during our single pit stop. It was perfect timing, so both drivers were able to move up a lot of positions. Neither Robert nor Nick made a single mistake. Robert claimed the tenth podium finish for our team, Nick came in a strong sixth, and the team leaves Europe with another ten points in its pocket ÔÇô Monza again was a good place for the BMW Sauber F1 Team.ÔÇØ

Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
ÔÇ£It was a very exciting race with a lot of overtaking manoeuvres and a great result for us. At the end of the European season we added another ten points to our tally. The good result is clearly due to the drivers who did a great job. Nick was one of the first drivers to change to intermediates, and Robert managed to climb on the podium under these difficult conditions. If you start the race from tenth and 11th on the grid and come home with ten points it is a great achievement. There were no technical problems. Congratulations to Sebastian Vettel and Toro Rosso, who both did an excellent job today.ÔÇØ
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I never thought I would see the day when I would actually enjoy hearing "Deutschland ?£ber Alles" followed by "L'Inno di Mameli" ...
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Teams head to Spain for testing

BMW Sauber F1 Team - Test in Jerez - Day one
09-16-2008 Press Release

Test in Jerez.



September 16th ÔÇô 19th 2008
Day one ÔÇô Tuesday


Weather conditions: Some fog in the morning, sunny for the rest of the day.

Temperatures: Air: 15 ÔÇô 30 ??C, Track: 16 ÔÇô 41 ??C

Number of drivers participating: 3 of 3 teams

Fastest lap overall: Marko Asmer (BMW Sauber F1 Team ) 1:20.189 min

Circuit length: 4.428 km


Marko Asmer
Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.08-06 / BMW 86/9
Test kilometres today: 350 kms (79 laps)
Fastest lap: 1:20.189 min


Programme:
Three teams took part in the so called ÔÇ£Young Driver DayÔÇØ in Jerez. For the BMW Sauber F1 Team Marko Asmer was at the wheel. He worked on the basic set-up of the car to improve his skills as a test driver. Driving 79 laps today, Asmer stayed just inside the ÔÇ£Young Driver DayÔÇØ mileage limit of 350 kms. As parts of the Jerez circuit have been resurfaced recently, the team was also able to collect data on what are now different track conditions.


What comes next:
The BMW Sauber F1 Team will continue testing in Jerez for three more days. Tomorrow Christian Klien will be at the wheel of the BMW Sauber F1.08. On Thursday and Friday Robert Kubica will take over.
 
The World Finals for Formula BMW are coming up. Part of the victors prize is a test with BMW Sauber F1


Mexico City to host 2008 Formula BMW World Final.
09-17-2008 Press Release
Munich, 17 September 2008. This year will see the Formula BMW season end in the Americas, with the ÔÇ£Aut??dromo Hermanos Rodr?¡guezÔÇØ, situated in the heart of Mexico City (MX), hosting the 2008 Formula BMW World Final from 5th to 7th December. A unique prize awaits the winner of this prestigious event: the opportunity of a test drive in a BMW Sauber F1 Team Formula One racing car.

ÔÇ£We are looking forward to the opportunity of taking the Formula BMW World Final to the Americas,ÔÇØ says BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen. ÔÇ£After previous World Finals in Bahrain and Valencia, the young drivers will be able to prove their skills on this classic circuit located in the centre of MexicoÔÇÖs capital city. I am convinced that this populous metropolis will provide the perfect setting for the highlight of our Formula BMW season. After events in Asia and Europe, the time has come to stage the World Final in the Americas. This year numerous noteworthy talents representing many regions of the Americas are contesting the Formula BMW Americas series ÔÇô which is one of three successful championships in the Formula BMW program ÔÇô and therefore it is totally fitting that we meet, literally, in the centre. Once again we are offering the winner of the World Final the opportunity of driving our Formula One car. Consequently the contestants have every motivation to perform right through to the very end of their season.ÔÇØ

The Formula BMW World Final has established itself as the traditional finale of the BMW Motorsport year. The BMW Sauber F1 Team will contest Formula OneÔÇÖs final race on 2nd November in Brazil, with the World Touring Car Championship and Formula BMW Pacific staging their final events in Macau (MO) a fortnight later. With the running of the World Final in December ÔÇô after the majority of championship titles have been decided ÔÇô Formula BMW contestants have a further opportunity of ending their respective seasons on a high. The inaugural Formula BMW World Final, held in 2005, saw Marco Holzer win through ÔÇô with the German a year later experiencing Formula One power for the first time at Valencia (ES). Success for Christian Vietoris (DE) in 2006 saw him inscribed on the roll of honour as the second winner. Philipp EngÔÇÖs victory last year will shortly see the 18-year-old Austrian rewarded with his dream prize: on 4th December he will venture onto the circuit in Mexico City with the BMW Sauber F1 Team.

However, this much- coveted main prize is not the Formula BMW World FinalÔÇÖs only attraction. The thoughtfully constructed format offers the young drivers more track time than provided by customary Formula BMW race weekends. Beside free practice sessions, the heat format enables the drivers to amass valuable racing experience.

Approximately 60 young drivers aged 15 and upwards are currently contesting the Formula BMW Europe, Formula BMW Pacific and Formula BMW Americas championships, enabling them to successfully take their first steps towards single-seater racing careers.
 
BMW Sauber F1 Team - Test in Jerez - Day two

09-17-2008 Press Release

Test in Jerez.



September 16th ÔÇô 19th 2008
Day two ÔÇô Wednesday


Weather conditions: Sunny all day.

Temperatures: Air: 18 ÔÇô 26 ??C, Track: 20 ÔÇô 38 ??C

Number of drivers participating: 8 of 8 teams

Fastest lap overall: Christian Klien (BMW Sauber F1 Team) 1:19.357 min

Circuit length: 4.428 km


Christian Klien
Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.08-06 / BMW 86/9
Test kilometres today: 372 kms (84 laps)
Fastest lap: 1:19.357 min


Programme:
Christian Klien worked on the mechanical set-up of the BMW Sauber F1.08. He also tested various aerodynamic settings in readiness for the remaining races of the 2008 season. After completing 84 laps (372 kms) Klien said: ÔÇ£A whole dayÔÇÖs testing without any problems gave me the opportunity to provide the engineers with a lot of feedback on new components. The new surface on parts of the track provides better grip, and has smoothed out the bumps that were there before.ÔÇØ


What comes next:
Originally Robert Kubica was scheduled to take over test duties from tomorrow. However, due to an infected tooth he has had to cancel his trip to Jerez at short notice. Therefore Nick Heidfeld is scheduled to take over testing duties in the BMW Sauber F1.08 for the remaining two days of the test.
 
Understanding F1 Aeordynamics - BMW-web.tv

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BMW Sauber F1 Team - Test in Jerez - Day three

09-18-2008 Press Release

Test in Jerez.

September 16th ÔÇô 19th 2008
Day three ÔÇô Thursday


Weather conditions: Some sun early in the morning, overcast for the rest of the morning,
rain in the afternoon.

Temperatures: Air: 17 ÔÇô 25 ??C, Track: 20 ÔÇô 27 ??C

Number of drivers participating: 8 from 8 teams

Fastest lap overall: Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing) 1:18.001 min

Circuit length: 4.428 km


Nick Heidfeld
Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.08-06 / BMW 86/9
Test kilometres today: 310 kms (70 laps)
Fastest lap: 1:18.167 min


Programme:
In the morning Nick Heidfeld worked on the mechanical and aerodynamic set-up of the BMW Sauber F1.08, evaluating different configurations for the remaining races of the 2008 season. When it started to rain around lunch time the team changed its plans for the afternoon. Heidfeld said: ÔÇ£As we might have some rain during the forthcoming races we took this opportunity to work on the carÔÇÖs wet weather set-up.ÔÇØ


What comes next:
Tomorrow Nick Heidfeld will conclude the four day Jerez test, more set-up work with the BMW Sauber F1.08 is on his schedule.
 
BMW Sauber F1 Team - Singapore Grand Prix - Preview

09-19-2008 Press Release
Munich/Hinwil, 19th September 2008. Sunset in Singapore on the weekend of 26th ÔÇô 28th September will set the scene for a captivating event: the first ever night race in the history of Formula One. The five-kilometre-plus circuit through the streets of the Asian port city will be illuminated by floodlights for the 15th race of the 2008 World Championship season.

The use of artificial lighting has been one of the hot topics in the lead-up to the Singapore Grand Prix, which makes the illuminations created by German artists Friedrich F?Ârster and Sabine Wei?ƒinger ÔÇô better known as ÔÇ£Casa MagicaÔÇØ ÔÇô particularly appropriate. Credit Suisse will present impressions by the partnership and parallels between the work of the renowned Swiss financial institution and the BMW Sauber F1 Team on the fa?ºade of the Meritus Marina Hotel. The projection will run from 25th to 28th September, from sunset to midnight.

As far as the technical preparations for the new street circuit are concerned, however, holding the race at night is barely an issue. The BMW Sauber F1 Team has been using its simulations to prepare for its 50th grand prix, in the same way it did for the recent GP on the new street circuit in Valencia. Using the circuit data as a basis, the technology has enabled the engineers to calculate the anticipated ideal line. Lap time simulations were generated with various different car configurations, and when it came to mechanical set-up the data allowed the experts to determine weight distribution and spring and damper settings. The team then used the calculated speeds to determine the transmission ratio, and downforce levels and the track characteristics to establish the loads on the brakes ÔÇô in order to confirm material specifications and the amount of brake ventilation required. However, the grip levels offered by the asphalt and the degree of tyre wear will remain unknown until the cars drive out onto the track for the first time.

With the Formula One bandwagon travelling to Asia from Europe, the best plan for the teamsÔÇÖ body clocks will simply be to ignore whether it is light or dark. The team will not eat breakfast until after lunchtime in Singapore, the drivers will go out onto the track in the evening and work will continue into the early hours.


Nick Heidfeld:
ÔÇ£Everyone is really looking forward to the Singapore Grand Prix. Firstly because itÔÇÖs a new track, secondly because itÔÇÖs a street circuit and thirdly, of course, because weÔÇÖll be driving at night. The floodlights should ensure it is actually as bright as during the day, but nobody has yet experienced how these light conditions will feel at Formula One speeds. I would have welcomed the chance to test on the track, especially in the rain. Rain combined with the artificial light is the great unknown for me with this race. The climate should be similar to that in nearby Kuala Lumpur, and ÔÇô from experience ÔÇô it rains frequently there, especially in the early evening.

ÔÇ£In principle, I think itÔÇÖs a great idea to hold a race at night. IÔÇÖm more of a night person ÔÇô I like to go to bed late, but am not a great early-riser. For that reason, the rhythm of this weekend should suit me. ItÔÇÖs a question of adjustment. ItÔÇÖs important to eat and sleep at the right times in order to ensure youÔÇÖre really on the button when you need to be. I doubt weÔÇÖll have much free time, but as the race is taking place in the middle of the city I imagine weÔÇÖll be able to absorb a fair amount and sense the atmosphere. IÔÇÖve never been to Singapore, apart from sitting in the airport, and am expecting it to be a vibrant and interesting Asian metropolis.ÔÇØ

Robert Kubica:
ÔÇ£I am looking forward to Singapore, as the grand prix will be the second new race of the season. Racing on new tracks is always interesting ÔÇô I enjoy it very much and I am very excited. Beyond that, I am extremely happy to race on another street circuit as I am a big fan of street circuits. Lots of people consider it interesting that the race will start at night. But from a driverÔÇÖs perspective I think it does not make a big difference whether we race in the daylight or at night. There are still some question-marks regarding weather conditions and ÔÇô related to the chance of rain ÔÇô the light situation. I am sure the FIA have done everything to make it a safe race.ÔÇØ

Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director:
ÔÇ£Singapore is the second unknown quantity on the calendar this year after Valencia. Both are city races, but in Singapore the action will also be taking place at night ÔÇô and that in an Asian metropolis and against an amazing backdrop. This will give the event even more appeal and excitement. You only need to think of the special atmosphere you get at a football match under floodlights: the surroundings melt into the background, the action itself takes centre stage. IÔÇÖm expecting this premiere in Singapore to be the highlight of the season.

ÔÇ£We had a look around the circuit at a meeting of team managers in Singapore and were given a demonstration of the lighting system. We were left very much with the impression that, although the race would be at night, it would actually be as bright as day. The only question remaining is whether the light will reflect from the track surface if it rains. ThatÔÇÖs something weÔÇÖll only find out if we get a wet race.

ÔÇ£WeÔÇÖre very much looking forward to another race in a booming region. I think the wide variety of circuits in the top category of motor racing this year makes sense and is the right approach. And, above all, it makes F1 extremely attractive for the spectators. The overall package represents probably the most spectacular mix of circuits thereÔÇÖs ever been in Formula One.

ÔÇ£The recent back-to-back races at Spa and Monza saw Nick and Robert not only increase our number of podium finishes this year to ten, but also collect a total of 21 points ÔÇô more than any other team. Now weÔÇÖre looking to follow up this good showing in the last couple of European races this year with a strong climax to the season.ÔÇØ

Willy Rampf, Technical Director:
ÔÇ£From the spectatorsÔÇÖ point of view, the Singapore Grand Prix ÔÇô the first night race in the history of Formula One ÔÇô will be a highlight in the truest sense of the word. The circuit has a large number of 90-degree corners in the 100 km/h speed band, which means that traction will take top priority. The downforce level is high, comparable to Monaco. As things stand, the biggest unknown is the track surface. Its lack of exposure to the sun is a factor that should not be underestimated, as the asphalt temperatures will be lower than at other races in this part of the world. That is something weÔÇÖll need to take into account with the car set-up.

ÔÇ£Because this is a new circuit for all of us, weÔÇÖll be relying one-hundred per cent on our simulation, which has proved to be very good in the past. The unusual working times will certainly demand a fair amount of all involved, but will also be an interesting experience. In Jerez we tested several new aerodynamic components which weÔÇÖll be using in Singapore. IÔÇÖm confident that weÔÇÖll be able to continue our positive recent run of results and am looking forward to this new challenge.ÔÇØ

History and background:
The first historical records on Singapore are in the form of Chinese writings from the third century AD. The development of the modern city state began in 1819, when Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles founded the first settlement in the name of the English East India Company. In 1824 the company laid claim to the whole island, having bought it from the Sultan of Johor. In 1867 Singapore became a British crown colony. Singapore fell under Japanese control in 1942 after a successful assault, but was then handed back to the British in 1945. Singapore separated from British control on 1st September 1963 and became a member of a federation with Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak. Singapore was later ejected from the federation following massive unrest and has been an independent nation since 1965.

The history of the countryÔÇÖs name has an altogether calmer feel. It is derived from the Sanskrit language and is a combination of Singha (lion) and Pura (city). Legend has it that a Hindu prince was walking through the dense jungle when he came face to face with a lion. Looking into each otherÔÇÖs eyes, man and beast averted a violent confrontation ÔÇô the prince let his sword fall to the floor and the lion retreated.

Critics of Singapore object to the authoritarian control mechanisms of the state and the extremely tough penalties for crimes, while supporters praise its cleanliness and low levels of corruption and criminality. The countryÔÇÖs territory stretches over some 700 square kilometres at present, but will expand further through land reclamation. The population of the island state currently stands at more than 4.5 million people. There are four official languages: Malay, Chinese, Tamil and English.

The traditional centres of SingaporeÔÇÖs economic power are its port ÔÇô one of the worldÔÇÖs largest and most modern transshipment points ÔÇô and its financial sector.


Appearances in South Korea:
The BMW Sauber F1 Team and Nick Heidfeld have two extra commitments in Asia between the grands prix in Singapore and Japan. They will put on a demonstration run in Seoul on Saturday (4th October) and another in Gwang Ju, 250 kilometres south of the capital, on Sunday (5th October). South Korea is set to host a Formula One race for the first time in 2010.
 
BMW Sauber F1 Team - Test in Jerez - Day four

09-19-2008 Press Release

Test in Jerez.

September 16th ÔÇô 19th 2008
Day four ÔÇô Friday


Weather conditions: Sunny all day.

Temperatures: Air: 20 ÔÇô 33 ??C, Track: 21 ÔÇô 44 ??C

Number of drivers participating: 8 from 8 teams

Fastest lap overall: Pedro de la Rosa (McLaren Mercedes) 1:18.992 min

Circuit length: 4.428 km


Nick Heidfeld
Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.08-06 / BMW 86/9
Test kilometres today: 434 kms (98 laps)
Fastest lap: 1:19.250 min


The last day of the Jerez test concluded the BMW Sauber F1 TeamÔÇÖs preparation for the forthcoming races in Asia and South America. ÔÇ£Today I concentrated on the mechanical and aerodynamic development of the carÔÇ£, Heidfeld said after completing 434 kms (98 laps). ÔÇ£We found some promising solutions to improve the set-up of the car.ÔÇØ

Despite ThursdayÔÇÖs rain, the team was able to finish the Jerez test programme as planned without any technical problems. Including the so called ÔÇ£Young Driver DayÔÇØ on Tuesday, the BMW Sauber F1.08 completed 1,465 kms (331 laps) during the week, with Marko Asmer, Christian Klien and Nick Heidfeld sharing driving duties.


What comes next:
The BMW Sauber F1 Team is now looking forward to the Singapore Grand Prix at the end of next week, which will be the first ever night race in Grand Prix history.
 
BMW Formula 1 Car

Beautiful!!!

Now, if they can make is as fast as the Mercedes and Ferrari cars, Kubica could be the next Formula 1 Champion.
 
Singapore GP - Friday Practice

F1 driver rumors are back on BMW SauberÔÇÖs door step once again.
Heidfeld ÔÇô Rosberg are rumored to be swapping rides. According to the rumor it could be announced at Singapore. Of course like every good rumor it is being denied by everyone. Williams and Rosberg have not signed ac contract yet representatives say they will stay together. Swiss newspaper Blik continues to report the rumor.


Friday Practice: Singapore ÔÇô In the dark for more than one perspective

Singapore is a new stop for the F1 circus and a street track on top of that. This makes practice interesting but potentially uninformative.

Interesting; in this case because it is a new track leaving drivers and engineers to go out with best guesses rather than refinements of past experience.

Uninformative because there will be drastic changes between practice settings and qualifying for some drivers. The knights of the Roundel are cases in point. Robert Kubica went out with soft springs that left him very unhappy while providing some great images to watch. Heidfeld went out with what appeared to be a stiffer setup but could not manage the times of his teammate.

I am a bit cautious about this race. I was keyed up for Valencia, another new street circuit and was disappointed with the race. I normally am a big fan of street races but will adopt a wait and see attitude after Valencia.

This is the first race under the lights. It did not seem to affect the drivers and the cars colors were drawn out by the artificial lighting. The Ferraris went from a their normal crimson to almost a candy apple red because of the lighting.

A list of elements to watch for over the race weekend

ÔÇó Rain ÔÇô Practice took place on a dry track but Singapore is a wet location with rain being an almost daily occurrence in some amount. If it rains during the race how will the tire spray and artificial lighting combine? How will the driverÔÇÖs vision be impacted by this combination?
ÔÇó Track condition ÔÇô A ÔÇÿgreenÔÇÖ practice track had many driversÔÇÖ tails wagging. As rubber went down things improved but rain could make the track green again.
ÔÇó Curbs ÔÇô Drivers complained of high curbs in some areas. F1 did go out and change some. Yet in some chicanes drivers like Kubica found themselves looking more like Baja off road drivers than F1. This after the curbs had been lowered.
ÔÇó Ride height ÔÇô This is a down force track which normally would mean a low ride height. However; this is a street circuit with varying track heights requiring some more ride height. During qualifying cars were throwing up showers of sparks in some sections of the track. Cool in the dark but are the planks being worn down? Remember the wonderful high tech wooden plank under these cars must remain a certain thickness. Wearing it down can disqualify you. It is a non issue now for known tracks but could play a role in this new race setting.
ÔÇó Brakes ÔÇô Brakes were HOT and smoking. Fire marshals almost dowsed a car in the first qualifying session because of smoking brakes but were stopped. The ambient temperature for practice was 85 degrees. It should not affect qualifying. Combine a warm ambient temp with a high brake effort track and brake life could play a part in the race outcome.


Kubica and Heidfeld did not have stunning times in practice. Kubica was as high as fourth at one point. Heidfeld never made it higher than ninth. With few exceptions Friday practice is not a time for them to shine and today was no exception. What was learned? What actions will be taken and with what results?

Tune in Saturday 10AM Eastern to SpeedTV and find out.


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Formula 1 under the lights at Singapore GP

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BMW Sauber F1 Team - Singapore GP - Practice
09-26-2008 Press Release
Weather: dry track, humid air, 28??C Air, 27-29??C Track


Singapore (SG). The first ever night practice sessions in Formula One history, that had been anticipated with a lot of excitement, went smoothly for the BMW Sauber F1 Team. Neither the lights nor the vision gave cause for any complaints, and the unique atmosphere for a Friday attracted an unusually large crowd for the free practice of the Singapore Grand Prix, which will be the BMW Sauber F1 TeamÔÇÖs 50th GP.


Robert Kubica:
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
1st Practice: 5th, 1:46.618 min / 2nd Practice: 6th, 1:46.384 min
ÔÇ£As expected the track is quite demanding ÔÇô not only for the driver but also for the car. You are always going round corners and the surface is very bumpy, especially in two or three places. It is very important to have a stable car here as you can easily lose a lot of time in several corners. On the first lap I got used to the track and, as I was going at a good pace immediately, we were then able to start working on the set-up. In the second session we did the tyre comparison. Now we have to analyse the data and see what we have to change for tomorrow.ÔÇØ


Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
1st Practice: 8th, 1:46.964 min / 2nd Practice: 16th, 1:47.760 min
ÔÇ£Overall I had a good first practice day here, although my fastest lap from the second session doesnÔÇÖt give that impression. The track is a lot of fun. It is much more of a street circuit than the new track in Valencia and is more challenging. Here itÔÇÖs significantly narrower. When I walked the track on Wednesday night the straights appeared relatively long, but thatÔÇÖs not the case when you fly along at F1 speed. I found it easy to get used to the light. After one or two laps you forget it is artificial, although the brightness isnÔÇÖt exactly the same everywhere. Bumps are an issue, and there are plenty! I have no problem adapting to the rhythm and turning night into day. I just stay awake long enough and then sleep until lunchtime so I can be fit in the late evenings.ÔÇØ


Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
ÔÇ£This was a good start to what will become the most exceptional race weekend of the year. The atmosphere is fantastic, the style of the place is unique. Both drivers needed a few laps to familiarise themselves with the new circuit, and then, as usual, we were concentrating on race preparation. We have been doing some set up changes and will be analysing all the data tonight.ÔÇØ


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The story in this picture is not Robert Kubica but the skid marks. The picture looks down a short shoot after a hard left. I am not certain of the corner number. Consistently drivers drift over the curb and ever so near the wall. It did eat some during practice. A favorite haunt of photographers and the TV cameras look for debris in this corner during qualifying and the race.
 
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Overtaking will be an issue so grid position was increibly important. However, the take away for me was the apparent fragility of the electics of these cars and the roughness of the track. That combination could take a number of cars out of the running.

More this evening. Pit crew meetings for me today.:wave
 
2008 Formula One

Hi Mika,
Thank you very much for the F-1 post, again.
Where do you get the photos you post?
What websites do you look at regarding F-1?
Thanks again,
leeines
 
Thank you.

The pictures and the BMW press releases come from BMW at bmw-motorsport.com. It is a very open site coving the four wheeled BMW racing world. I zero in on F1.

I donÔÇÖt have a blog that I follow on a regular basis anymore. My first stop is formul1.com the official web site. This is the story source for most of the blogs. Many cut and past along with a bit of analysis. I spend some time at the various team sites in the beginning of the season, and then focus on news aggregators during the season.

The list changes every season and during the season.
bmw-motorsport.com ÔÇô
Formula1.com ÔÇô The official F1 site
Motorsport.com ÔÇô a great aggregator for a wide range of 2/4 wheel motor sports
Paddocktalk.com ÔÇô They have a fun rumors section that gets picked up by others

Those are the regulars this year the list varies in quality and interest from there. A number of the news sources I follow to do the morning reads also do F1 coverage. These would include AutoWeek from the US and Autocaronline and AutoExpress both from the UK.

A couple of Google search with various Formula 1 search terms will yield you a ton of results. Find a blog you like then if you want start to figure out what the blogger is using for their source and go there. They all seem to lead back to just a few original sources.

The 'analysis' in the threads is my own. Everyone is an expert on the internet, don't you know!

:type

:lol
 
Qualifying Up date - GRID CHANGES

Qualifying begins at dusk

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And continues into the night

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DonÔÇÖt worry. The BMW Umpa Lumpas are not up past their bed time. Most teams are remaining on European time tables.

[img]http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/381476068_HXqTz-L.jpg


BMW Sauber F1 Team - Singapore GP - Qualifying
09-27-2008 Press Release
Weather: dry track, humid air, 29-31??C Air, 31-32??C Track

Singapore (SG). The BMW Sauber F1 Team achieved good results in qualifying for the first ever night race in the history of Formula One. Ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix Robert Kubica qualified fourth in the heat of the night, while Nick Heidfeld was sixth.


Robert Kubica:
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 4th, 1:45.779 min (3rd Practice: 7th, 1:45.425 min)
ÔÇ£My qualifying was quite ok. IÔÇÖm happy with P4 but not with my final lap. I was struggling a little bit with the overall grip. In the last stint of Q3 I had hardly any grip in the first sector. I lost quite a lot of time there. Felipe Massa was in front of me on his out lap, perhaps the tyres didnÔÇÖt reach the right temperature. However, the race will be a completely different story. It will be a very tough one. The track is very bumpy and very demanding. The tyre degradation will be a crucial factor.ÔÇØ

Nick Heidfeld:
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
Qualifying 6th, 1:45.964 min (3rd Practice: 11th, 1:45.689 min)
ÔÇ£IÔÇÖm quite happy as I had a good lap. Right from the first practice sessions on Friday we have made several changes and most of them were right. The car has improved and I have familiarised myself with this circuit and also improved. Tomorrow a good start will be crucial. Overtaking is extremely difficult here because the track is so narrow and off line dirty and even bumpier. This could become the most demanding Grand Prix of the year.ÔÇØ

Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
ÔÇ£That was a very good performance by both of our drivers under difficult conditions. We had to be prepared all the time for yellow flags out on the track. Apart from that it wasnÔÇÖt obvious which tyre would be quicker. Because of that in Q1 and Q2 we went out twice and used both types of tyres. In the end Robert made it to P4 with the harder compound and Nick qualified sixth with the softer ones. We have very good grid positions to start the race from.ÔÇØ

Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
ÔÇ£It was a very exciting qualifying, and with fourth and sixth we are well prepared for the race. Under these tricky conditions both drivers did a very good job to get a perfect lap. Even if overtaking will be quite difficult, we are expecting an exciting race tomorrow.ÔÇØ

Heidfeld was subsequently penalized three grid spots for pit lane hindrance incident

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After qualifying Heidfeld was demoted 3 grid spots for and incident during qualifying involving the entrance to pit lane. Marshals say as the German BMW driver negotiated the controversial pit lane entrance he hindered Rubens Barrichello. Barrichello was handed a 10,000 euro fine for his actions in the incident.

autosport.com: Q&A with Heidfeld regarding the incident

One legal oddity for you about the Singapore race. Singapore is a very conservative city state with VERY strict laws about littering. A special caveat to the littering laws was added so that drivers would not be fined for each visor tare off they removed during the weekend.

In the last few seasons F1 cars have become incredibly reliable; that is if you donÔÇÖt crash them. Each team is given two wildcard penalty free engine changes other wise the engines are expected to last two races.

This weekend the bullet proof nature of these cars will be put to the test. Raikkonen had a failure of the electronics in his gear box. AlonsoÔÇÖs engine just went dark while he was on an incredible pace during qualifying that may well have seen him on the pole instead of Massa. HamiltonÔÇÖs brush with possibly not making it out of Q2 goes to a shaken sensor according to various sources. In all of these the electronics that are central to the operation of these F1 cars were so shaken by the Singapore street circuit they failed.

Electronics my be the power card in the game of Grand Prix racings at Singapore this weekend.



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Alonso Wins!!!

ALONSO WINS!

Hamilton extends his lead in the championship.

McLaren takes over the constructers championship lead as Ferrari fails to score any points.

Heidfeld finishes sixth adding a point BMW Saubers constructor bid. Poor showing for BMW Sauber

Crashes, safety car deployment, and penalties define the race.

Penalties

Pictures and more this evening


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