Hockenheim (DE). Nick Heidfeld just missed a podium position at the German Grand Prix. The German BMW Sauber F1 Team driver, who started from 12th, set the fastest race lap and finished fourth. Meanwhile Robert Kubica wasn’t able to gain any advantage from a safety car period halfway through the race. The Pole finished seventh, which was the same position he started from.

Nick Heidfeld: 4th
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1:15.987 min on lap 52 (Fastest overall)
“Coming fourth from 12th on the grid is a great result. Not making it into the top ten in qualifying meant we were free to choose our fuel load afterwards, and so we went for a rather long first stint. That’s why I was able to stay out during the safety car period when almost everybody else was refuelling. That was certainly crucial as I was able to pull away as soon as the traffic was behind me. Before that I couldn’t show my true speed as I never had a clear lap. The car was good and the fact that I set the fastest race lap proves it. In the end I was very close to Felipe, but still had no chance to overtake him. It was a good home race for me and I’m happy I could give something back to the fans who may have been disappointed by my qualifying performance yesterday.”

Robert Kubica: 7th
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1:16.610 min on lap 17 (6th fastest overall)
“It is difficult to be happy after a race like this. During the first half of the race I was able to match the pace of McLaren-Mercedes and Ferrari. Suddenly my car’s pace was miles too slow. My tyres lost lots of grip, and perhaps this was because my tyres cooled down too much. We now have to analyse the data.”

Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“If you start from seventh and 12th on the grid and end up collecting seven points you can be very satisfied. Of course the safety car period influenced the race quite a lot. Due to that Robert lost his strong fourth place, whereas Nick profited from this. Neither of our drivers made any mistakes. On top of that Nick set the fastest lap, which makes me very happy for him. However, there is some work for us to do to get back to the front of the grid.”

Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“This was an exciting and thrilling race for our team! Robert made a good start and was able to move up to fourth in the first corners. He was able to consolidate this position, but in the safety car period his strategy meant we had to bring him in for a pit stop. Nick was on a higher fuel load and, therefore, could stay out. When the Safety Car came in again, Nick drove several very fast laps and was able to make up time on his direct competitors. In addition, the pit crew did a perfect job which enabled him to also overtake Heikki Kovalainen in the pits. Robert was struggling with the heavy car and warming up the prime tyres properly, so as a result was not in a position to set the best possible lap times anymore. We can be pleased we scored seven championship points today under difficult circumstances.”

Test in Jerez: 22nd July Christian Klien, 23rd July Robert Kubica, 24th/25th July Nick Heidfeld

Silverstone (GB). After a flawless drive and numerous good overtaking maneuvers Nick Heidfeld took second place for the BMW Sauber F1 Team in what was a wet and fairly chaotic British Grand Prix. This was his third runner-up spot of the season, and the team’s seventh podium. While everything, including the right tire choice at each pit stop, paid off for Heidfeld, his team mate Robert Kubica slid off the slippery track after his second pit stop.

Nick Heidfeld: 2nd
BMW Sauber F1.08-07 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1:32.719 min on lap 21 (2nd fastest overall)
“It was a good race. I am happy with second place because today it was the best I could achieve. Qualifying went well and in the race we did everything right. Obviously it was crucial to make the right tire decisions. At the first stop we were wondering if we should stay with the used set of inters, but luckily we then decided on new tires. We were expecting a small shower, but when I drove down Hanger Straight and saw a black wall in front of me I thought I should expect more than that! The most difficult moments in the race were when cars were overtaking me who had been lapped, but were just on better tires for the conditions at that time. There was so much water and I couldn’t see where it was lying. Once before Abbey I almost spun, but just managed to keep the car on the track.”

Robert Kubica: DNF
BMW Sauber F1.08-03 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1:33.539 min on lap 22 (12th fastest overall)
“I was already aquaplaning for many laps and unfortunately in a straight line I just lost the car completely and went off. Here in Silverstone it was a crazy race in difficult conditions. Everything was running pretty well as I was having quite a good race and gaining positions. But when it rained and there was a lot of water on the track I was just struggling. I couldn’t keep the car in a straight line, was losing power, the rear wheels were losing contact with the tarmac and that was it.”

Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“It was a very dramatic race which was dictated by the weather conditions. In some periods of the race the lap times varied by as much as ten seconds depending on the tire choice. With Nick our strategy worked out perfectly. He performed very strongly and carried out some spectacular overtaking maneuvers. After things have not gone his way recently, I am very happy for him he climbed from fifth on the grid to second with a good mixture of intelligent racing and fighting spirit. For him it is the third second place so far this year, and for our team the seventh podium. Robert was doing well, having climbed up to third, but then went off during a rain shower. Compliments to him as well as it was a strong team performance under these difficult conditions.”

Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“That was a tire lottery, as there was a permanent question over which ones we should use. The critical period was when the drivers were fighting very hard to keep the cars on track after the heavy rain. Nick managed to do this very well. Unfortunately Robert was aquaplaning and went off. Nick deserved his place on the podium as he drove a very smart race. Congratulations on a great performance and compliments to the pit stop crew, because we made the tire choice decisions at very short notice.”

Test in Hockenheim: 8th and 9th July Heidfeld, 10th July Kubica

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).

Magny-Cours (FR). BMW Sauber F1 Team driver Robert Kubica scored four points by finishing fifth in the French Grand Prix and had to hand over the lead in the drivers’ championship to race winner Felipe Massa (Ferrari). Nick Heidfeld didn’t make it into the points this time as he came 13th in Magny-Cours. In the constructors’ championship the BMW Sauber F1 Team remains second.

Robert Kubica: 5th
BMW Sauber F1.08-03 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1:17.172 min on lap 16 (4th fastest overall)
“We didn’t score as many points as we wanted to here in Magny-Cours. Over the whole weekend we tried to minimize the problems we had, and we knew the race would be decided on the first lap. At the start I tried to overtake Jarno Trulli, but did not manage it. I tried again in turn 5 on the outside, but it did not work out. In the end I have to say I am pretty happy. I finished fifth, only 2 seconds away from the podium. We now have to analyse what happened here and see how we can improve for the next race.”

Nick Heidfeld: 13th
BMW Sauber F1.08-05 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1:17.716 min on lap 46 (9th fastest overall)
“Having finished 13th is certainly a disappointing result. I lost two positions right at the start and could not get them back. Now we will concentrate on next week’s test in Silverstone and the forthcoming race there.”

Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“The race reflected yesterday’s Qualifying. Over the entire weekend here our package did not work perfectly. Robert was stuck in traffic on his second stint and, therefore, lost his chance of a podium finish. Nick lost two positions at the start. Neither driver ever had a realistic chance to attack. We had no technical problems, and the result is four points for our team. From now on we will prepare for the Silverstone race.”

Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“When deciding on the race strategy, we focused on Jarno Trulli and Fernando Alonso. Our goal was to put Robert into a position to finish on the podium. However, in the second stint it was clear this would not work. He got stuck behind Trulli, who had a higher fuel load and was able to stay out longer than him. At the same time, Heikki Kovalainen was able to close the gap to Robert and pass him during his second pit stop. Overall, our pace was not good enough during this weekend. However, we were able to defend second in the Constructors’ Championship.”

Test in Silverstone: 24th and 25th July Kubica, 26th July Heidfeld

Munich/Hinwil, 12th June 2008. Robert Kubica made it onto the top step of the podium at the Canadian Grand Prix in what was only his 29th race in Formula One. In taking the chequered flag in Montreal, the Pole also handed the BMW Sauber F1 Team its maiden victory. After seven of the season’s 18 races, Kubica now leads the Drivers’ World Championship with 42 points.

Four days after the race, how does it feel to have recorded your first grand prix victory?

Robert Kubica: “It is a wonderful feeling, not only for me but for the whole team, for everybody who contributed to the win. Of course, we had a little luck on Sunday, but we earned that good fortune. In the end we were able to celebrate a one-two victory, in which Nick also played his part. It was a fantastic result, which gives the team a big motivation boost.”

At what point during the race did you first think that you could take the win?

Kubica: “When Lewis and Kimi were eliminated from the race at the first pit stop I was the leading two-stopper. However, the Safety Car phase appeared to play into the hands of the drivers on a one-stop strategy. I was stuck for far too long behind slower cars, until the last of them came into the pits. Then I was at last able to attack and extend my lead. The first relief came when my second pit stop went smoothly. The pit crew once again did a perfect job. It was once I found that I was still ahead of Nick that I had the first thoughts of winning. I cut down my speed and concentrated totally on not making any mistakes over the final 15 laps. They were the longest, but also the most relaxed laps of my Formula One career so far, as I had no more pressure and only needed to bring the car home.”

What have you been doing in the days following your victory?

Kubica: “There has not been much time. I’ve just tried to recharge my energy levels. I’ve done some training and spent the rest of the time relaxing. On Wednesday I travelled to Barcelona, where I’m testing on Thursday and Friday with a view to the next race at Magny-Cours.”

Next weekend you’ll be driving the Formula One car at the BMW Sauber F1 Team Pit Lane Park in Warsaw. Are you looking forward to meeting the Polish fans?

Kubica: “I hope the weather’s good, if so it will definitely be an exciting event. We were over there a year ago, and an unbelievable amount of people turned up even though it was during the holidays. This time it is likely even more people will be there. For me it will be quite a demanding weekend. I’ll have the two days of testing first before flying off to Warsaw on Friday evening, and then it all gets started on Saturday morning. But if the fans enjoy themselves, then all the effort will have been worthwhile.”

You are now leading the Drivers’ World Championship. Do you think you have a realistic chance of winning the title?

Kubica: “I did not expect to be leading the championship after seven races, as our car is not the absolute fastest on the grid. However, we have total reliability. We were still experiencing a few problems in this area last year, but since then we’ve made huge improvements. Added to which, the pit crew has done a great job, as has everybody in the team. I have collected points regularly so far this year, but of course I don’t know if that is going to continue. I will focus on the grands prix one at a time and try to take maximum points in every situation. Of course, consistency is an important factor, and I hope that we are also able to make further improvements to the car. Then we can achieve good things. Whatever happens, we have to do all we can to make the best of the situation. After all, who knows if I will ever get a chance like this again. One thing is for sure – I’ll be giving it everything.”

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).

Quick Nick: Nick is the first BMW Sauber F1 Team Pilot set the fastest lap at a Grand Prix. The German recorded a lap of 1:35.366 minutes in Malaysia. This is an average speed of 209.2 km/h.

Record for Robert: Robert has picked up 32 points from just six races. For comparison: last year he took 13 world championship races to reach this points total. In 2006 he only had six points to his name after his six races.

Four times to the fore: A BMW Sauber F1 Team driver has led in no fewer than four races. Robert held first place in Malaysia and Monaco, while Nick led the way in Spain. In Bahrain, both F1.08 drivers were at the head of the field.

Pole for the Pole: In Bahrain, Robert achieved the first ever pole position for the BMW Sauber F1 Team. A time of 1:33.096 minutes landed him the pole at the desert circuit.

Podium places: From the six races so far, the BMW Sauber F1 Team has taken four trophies back to the team headquarters in Munich. While Nick finished runner-up in Australia, Robert has been in the top three in Malaysia, Bahrain and Monaco.

On a run: The BMW Sauber F1 Team 2008 has picked up points in all six races so far. This run even goes back as far as the start of the last Formula One season, meaning the team has now scored points in the last 23 races in a row.

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.”

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 Räikkonen, 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 Räikkönen 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.”

Test in Paul Ricard: 14/15 May Robert Kubica, 16 May Nick Heidfeld

Barcelona (ES). The BMW Sauber F1 Team ended up with five Championship points for Robert Kubica after an action packed Spanish Grand Prix. This means second in the Constructor’s standings ahead of McLaren Mercedes, who lost a car in a heavy accident. Initial information is that Heikki Kovalainen is ok. Nick Heidfeld had bad luck as he was forced to refuel during the subsequent safety car period. A stop and go penalty dropped him down from fifth to the back of the pack.

Robert Kubica: 4th
BMW Sauber F1.08-03 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1.22.106 min on lap 20 (4th fastest overall)
“We had a very good pace during today’s race. Unfortunately I lost a position at the start. Anyway at the end our gap to the leader was only five seconds. If someone had told me that yesterday I would not have believed it. I hope Heikki is ok. When I passed the accident I saw the car in a very strange position. The FIA is making great efforts for car safety, so we have to be really thankful to them.”

Nick Heidfeld: 9th
BMW Sauber F1.08-04 / BMW P86/8
Fastest Lap: 1.22.519 min on lap 21 (7th fastest overall)
“At the start I managed to gain the two positions I had wanted to. That’s positive, especially because recently we have had less impressive starts. I was fifth in the race when I had bad luck with the timing of the safety car period and my first pit stop. I had just passed the pit entry when I got the signal to come in. I then tried to save fuel and delay my pit stop, but in the end it was the choice between running out of fuel on the track or getting a stop and go penalty.”

Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“First of all we are all relieved that after his accident Heikki Kovalainen signalled he was okay. Robert lost a position at the start and was close behind Lewis Hamilton turning into the first corner. He was almost as close to Hamilton when he finally crossed the finish line. Nick gained two positions at the start so was well on his way. The safety-car period destroyed our strategy. We literally missed getting Nick into the pit lane before the safety car by a few seconds. As a result he had to refuel during the safety-car period, and we got a 10 second penalty because of that. For our team it was the least points we have scored so far this season, but we had a good performance throughout the weekend without any technical problems.”

Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
“Overall we expected more from this race. Robert lost a position to Hamilton right after the start and, because they both had a similar speed and were on the same pit stop strategy, he couldn’t get third place back. Nick purely had bad luck. Just before he was supposed to come in, the Safety Car went out. His tank was empty and he was forced to enter the pit lane under the red light. The ten second penalty ruined his race.“

Robert’s path to Formula One was very conventional in many ways karts, single-seaters, F1 - but in others very unconventional. For the formative years of his life from 13 onwards, He was on his own in Italy away from family and friends who he had grown up with in Krakow. Italian kart manufacturer CRG had seen the talent and offered Robert the chance to immerse himself in his chosen sport. The personal cost of being on his own in a country where he had to learn the language, and come to terms with the culture at such an early age, would have daunted many a worldly-wise youngster, but not the lad from Poland. He adopted Italy and Italy adopted him.

Robert has a manager who comes to all the races with him. Apart from Daniele Morelli, who noticed the young-gun’s raw talent at an early age, Robert does not come with a posse of people. However, that doesn’t mean he likes to be alone. Step into the BMW Sauber F1 Team motorhome and the first person you will find is Robert. He will be there ready for a chat and a laugh. While he does not come from a motor racing family, his father Artur did enjoy the sport, so was happy to buy his four-year-old a car. “It was a joint Christmas and birthday present. It had a four-stroke engine, no horsepower, but still could do about 40 kilometres an hour. I spent half a day in it and didn’t want to get out of it to go home,” he explains. However, the young Robert had to be patient before his first race: “I drove this car round the parking lots and then two and a half years later I got a real go-kart. I spent hours practising as I had to wait until I was ten to get a licence and start racing. Once I had my tenth birthday on 7th December 1994 there was no stopping me.”

After three years of karting in Poland it was obvious he had outgrown his surroundings. If he was to progress, the only course of action was to leave his homeland. And so his father took him to Italy to race. As Robert explains, everything went well from the word go: “I was lucky because we were working with one of the best mechanics in Poland and so even in Italy in my first race I was on pole and finished second. “It says something for Robert’s strength of character that, when asked if he missed his family when he was in Italy, he said: “I would like to say no, but I know in the whole of life you cannot have everything. For my family it was not possible for them to come to Italy and live, so whatever happened was always a compromise. I was doing what I really enjoyed so I was not thinking very much about anything else.”

By the time he was ready for the move to single-seaters in 2001, he had the help and support of Daniele Morelli. With Daniele to guide him, his progress was rapid through Formula Renault 2000, Formula 3 Euro Series and then World Series by Renault, where he won not only the title in 2005 but the chance to test the Renault F1 car. In December 2005 Robert received his second joint birthday and Christmas present that was to prove life-changing ? a contract with the BMW Sauber F1 Team. Robert threw himself into the task ahead and the team was more than happy to let its rookie tester take on a very important role. By the end of the 2006 season he had done over 25,000 kilometres of testing and replaced Jacques Villeneuve for the last six races of the year, with the podium in Monza being the high point.

On lap 27 of the 2007 Canadian Grand Prix he was to be involved in one of the most spectacular crashes in recent years, with everyone in the F1 paddock as well as the worldwide television viewers holding their collective breath. His car had clipped the back of the Toyota of Jarno Trulli, reared into the air and somersaulted down the Montreal track, hitting barriers and shedding pieces of bodywork. It seemed impossible that anyone could emerge from the wreck without serious injuries. However, someone was watching over Robert on that day. The regulations the FIA had brought into force proved that an F1 car can stand massive g-forces and the HANS system made sure that the driver’s head was held firm. Apart from a sprained ankle, he had suffered no injures.

As he was leaving the Sao Paulo track after the last race of the season, in which he finished fifth, Robert was already looking to 2008. He couldn’t wait to get back into his car to begin his assault on the new season that, as far as he was concerned, started there and then.