BMW Sauber F1 Team - Canadian GP - Race

Weather: dry, sunny and very windy. Air: 26, Track: 34-36 Montreal
(CA). It is done! Non-stop celebrations for the BMW Sauber F1 Team: The
maiden win for the young team turned out to be a double victory when
Robert Kubica crossed the line ahead of his team mate, Nick Heidfeld,
at the Canadian Grand Prix. Kubica now leads the drivers’ championship.
In the constructors’ standings the BMW Sauber F1 Team is second, three
points behind Ferrari. Robert Kubica: 1st BMW Sauber F1.08-03 /
BMW P86/8 Fastest Lap: 1:17.539 min on lap 47 (4th fastest overall)
“I’m very happy at having won the first race for the BMW Sauber F1 Team.
I’m also happy for Poland and all my fans. It was a very difficult race
for me. I started on the dirty side of the track and Kimi Raikkonen was
nearly able to pass me, but I just managed to keep him behind. The
timing of the Safety Car was unlucky for me, because I wanted to pit,
but then the yellow light went on just about three seconds too early,
so I had to continue. When the pitlane was open, almost everybody
pitted together. I stopped at the exit because the light was still red.
Kimi stopped beside me, and then I heard the noise when Hamilton
crashed into his car. I have to be grateful to Lewis as he chose Kimi
and not myself. After this pit stop I was stuck behind the one-stoppers
and lost a lot of time. Timo Glock was the last one of them to stop,
and only then could I push. I had just eight laps to increase the gap
to 21 seconds, which was a huge challenge. I finally managed to get a
24 second lead, which meant I was able to stay ahead of Nick. From this
moment on I took it a bit easier, but even then it’s very easy to make
a mistake, particularly because of the tarmac that was destroyed in
some places. But it all worked out and I’m just happy!” Nick Heidfeld:
2nd BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8 Fastest Lap: 1:17.430 min on lap
25 (2nd fastest overall) “Congratulations to Robert for winning this
race, which he really deserved! I made a poor start and lost a position
to Rubens Barrichello. Fortunately I was able to pass him, and from
this moment on I was one of the fastest cars on the track. I stayed out
when most of the other cars pitted because I was on a long stint. I was
pushing very hard at that stage. We then decided to switch to a one
stop strategy, with a very high fuel load and with the soft option tyres
which was a challenge. However, I was able to keep Fernando Alonso
behind me. After his second pit stop Robert stayed ahead so I secured
second place. Finishing second after starting from eighth is a great
result, especially considering the difficult time I have had recently.
Thanks a lot to the guys in Hinwil, who built me a new chassis after
the accident I had with Alonso in Monaco!” Mario Theissen (BMW
Motorsport Director): “It is fantastic, I am overwhelmed. It is
difficult to find the right words. Today just everything worked well.
We hoped for another podium here in Montreal, but would not have
dreamed to get a one-two victory. Congratulations to Robert and Nick
and to the entire team at home in Munich and Hinwil. Today we achieved
a milestone. Both drivers worked with no errors and the strategies paid
off. I think we will have to celebrate a lot today.” Willy Rampf
(Technical Director): “What a day! I just can’t put my feelings into
words after that race. Both drivers and the entire crew did a perfect
job today. Robert had lost time when he was stuck behind slower cars
after the Safety Car period, but in a fantastic sprint he made up for
it and secured himself the race win. For Nick today was ideal. We
shouldn’t forget he started eighth. At certain times in the race he was
the fastest man on track. When we switched him to a one-stop strategy we
took pretty much of a risk, especially with regards to the tyres because
Nick had to drive with the softer option for a very long time. Today
everything paid off – decisions on the day as well as all the work done
over the last two and half years.” Facts and figures. At the
Canadian Grand Prix on 8th June 2008, Robert Kubica claimed the BMW
Sauber F1 Team’s maiden victory ahead of his team mate Nick Heidfeld.
It was the 42nd Grand Prix for the team. Prior to this win, the BMW
Sauber F1 Team had been on the podium eight times: at the 2006
Hungarian GP (Nick Heidfeld/3rd place), 2006 Italian GP (Robert
Kubica/3rd place), 2007 Canadian GP (Heidfeld/2nd place), 2007 Hungarian
GP (Heidfeld/3rd place), 2008 Australian GP (Heidfeld/2nd place), 2008
Malaysian GP (Kubica/2nd place), 2008 Bahrain GP (Kubica/3rd place),
2008 Monaco GP (Kubica/2nd place).. In the years before BMW bought it
(1993-2005), the Sauber Team’s highest race finish was third (six
times). The first Formula One win by a BMW engine was on 13th June
1982 (Nelson Piquet, Brabham BMW, Canada). The last Formula One win to
date by a BMW engine was on 24th October 2004 (Juan Pablo Montoya, BMW
WilliamsF1 Team, Brazil). With Brabham, BMW claimed eight wins in the
years 1982 to 1985. The final victory with the legendary turbo unit was
in 1986 with Benetton. During the partnership with WilliamsF1 (2000 to
2005) the tally was ten wins. 1983 saw Nelson Piquet win the Formula
One Drivers’ Championship (Brabham BMW). In total BMW had recorded 19
Grand Prix wins and 33 pole positions before the BMW Sauber F1 Team was
founded. Landmarks. 16th/17th January 2006: The BMW Sauber F1 Team
appears in public for the first time in Valencia. The BMW Sauber F1.06
has its first outing. 12th March 2006: The BMW Sauber F1 Team competes
in its first GP in Bahrain. 19th March 2006: The team picks up its
first World Championship points in the second race when Jacques
Villeneuve finishes seventh in Malaysia. 2nd April 2006: In the third
GP both drivers make it into the points; Heidfeld finishes fourth and
Villeneuve sixth in Australia. 6th August 2006: Heidfeld secures the
first podium place in the team’s 13th World Championship race. Kubica
has his debut Formula One race in Budapest. 10th September 2006:
Kubica claims the team’s second trophy after finishing third in Monza.
October 2006: The Hinwil wind tunnel is operating in three shifts. A
year previously it had been on a single daily shift. 22nd October
2006: The BMW Sauber F1 Team finishes fifth in the Constructors’
Championship at the end of its maiden year. 16th January 2007:
Presentation of the BMW Sauber F1.07 and the BMW Sauber F1 Team in
Valencia. 10th June 2007: Nick Heidfeld takes the first runner-up place
for the team. Robert Kubica survives a serious accident practically
unscathed. The BMW Sauber F1 Team finishes its second season third
overall. In the statistics it even appears in second place (after
exclusion of McLaren Mercedes). The team has moved into its new
building in Hinwil. 150 new employers have been taken on board since
the end of 2005. 14th January 2008: The BMW Sauber F1.08 is being
launched in the ‘BMW Welt’ in Munich. 23rd March 2008: Heidfeld scores
the first fastest race lap for team. 5th April 2008: Kubica achieved
the first pole position for the BMW Sauber F1 Team. For further
information please visit the media website www.press.bmw-motorsport.com
(press releases, press kits, images, TV footage) and the official team
website www.bmw-sauber-f1.com (car, season, Race Club, team updates).