Page 1 BMW Sauber F1 Team Contents. 1. The team. 1.1 Aiming high in 2008.... 2 1.2 Successful debut in 2006.... 5 1.3 Third-strongest team in 2007.... 7 1.4 Timeline key dates.... 9 1.5 Who is who.... 12 1.6 Pit stop in Munich.... 13 1.7 Pit stop in Hinwil.... 15 2. The season. 2.1 Grand prix information.... 18 2.2 Looking ahead.... 21 2.3 Rule changes.... 30 3. The technology. 3.1 The chassis.... 31 3.2 Technical background.... 36 3.3 The powertrain.... 40 3.4 Stats and facts.... 47 4. The drivers. 4.1 Nick Heidfeld.... 50 4.2 Robert Kubica.... 58 5. The management. 5.1 Mario Theissen BMW Motorsport Director.... 65 5.2 Willy Rampf Technical Director.... 68 6. The History. 6.1 BMW Motorsport.... 71 6.2 Sauber.... 93 7. Press service.... 98 Time of going to press: 4 th December 2007.
Page 2 1. The team. 1.1 Aiming high in 2008. BMW Sauber F1 Team sets its sights on maiden victory. The BMW Sauber F1 Team has completed its development phase, motivation is strong and its plans are ambitious: the team has targeted a first race win in what will be its third season on the Formula One grid. We re setting our sights high, admits BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen, and we ll have to make further improvements in all areas to achieve what we want to. However, the past two years have instilled confidence within the team. We met our goals in both 2006 and 2007, we are heading in the right direction, and everybody in Munich and Hinwil is focused on the job in hand. If we continue our progress along this path we will also fulfil our aims for 2008. The team will take on the challenge with the same brace of race drivers as in 2007 Germany s Nick Heidfeld (30) and his Polish team-mate Robert Kubica (23) will be at the wheel of the BMW Sauber F1.08 for the 18 grands prix which make up the 2008 FIA Formula One World Championship. It is generally very difficult to define expectations and make forecasts, but I hope that our plan works out and we are able to win our first race in 2008, says Heidfeld, who once again accounted for the largest share of the points earned by the team in 2007 and finished on the podium twice. I expect us to move forward in all areas particularly as far as reliability is concerned and to learn from our mistakes. This development process is essential in what we re trying to achieve. And Kubica adds: I will also be looking to achieve greater consistency in my results during my second full season in Formula One. Retirements and that crash in Canada which also prevented me from starting in the USA cost me points in 2007. We all need to take further steps forward in 2008 and make maximum use of every opportunity that presents itself. Theissen holds his two drivers in high regard: In Nick and Robert we have a strong and evenly matched duo. For our young team, which in 2006 and 2007 had to drive forward its structural and personnel development alongside its World Championship campaign, consistency is also a great asset. We know that these two drivers will get the maximum out of the machinery we give them. The F1.07 was a good car, but with the extra resources which have become available to us, the F1.08 should be even better.
Page 3 The new BMW Sauber F1.08. For Technical Director Willy Rampf, the philosophy behind the race car for the 2008 season boils down to what he calls radical evolution. In other words, last year s car already provided the engineers with a sound basis for the BMW Sauber F1.08, and they did not have to spend time ironing out faults. Instead they were able to use knowledge gained over the course of the 2007 season and channel their energies into the development of innovations which build on this basis. The engineers development work focused on achieving a high level of aerodynamic efficiency coupled with a stable aero balance: the lower the loss of downforce when the wheels turn in, the faster the car can travel and the greater the confidence it gives the driver. Other development aims included improving mechanical grip in order to make the best possible use of the standard tyres, and reducing the weight of various components to allow maximum use of ballast in optimising weight distribution. While the regulations governing aerodynamics remain unchanged in 2008, two other changes to the rulebook have had a major effect: the introduction of standardised electronics (SECU) and the new running time stipulation for gearboxes, which must now be used over four grands prix. Since the SECU does not allow for traction control, among other functions, mechanical grip and sensitive accelerator control will gain in importance. A particularly eye-catching feature of the F1.08 is the mighty front wing. Having said that, the car s nose has actually slimmed down in equal measure to the rear end. The narrower engine cover has been designed with all-new extra wing elements. Another new and immediately noticeable feature are the hub caps, or rim shields. The BMW Sauber F1.08 celebrated its global public presentation in Munich on 14 th January 2008. The data which the F1.08 has delivered ahead of its roll-out is extremely promising, says Rampf. And the development work will continue full speed ahead up to the start of the new season. We have already come up with another aero package for the season-opener in Melbourne on 16 th March, and this will also change the external appearance of the F1.08 once more.
Page 4 Development phase reaches its conclusion. The BMW Sauber F1 Team was consistently the third-strongest team in 2007 and finished the season in second place in the standings following the exclusion of McLaren Mercedes from the Constructors World Championship. The team had completed its debut season of 2006 in fifth place in the World Championship. Its drivers recorded two podium finishes in each of its first two years three third places and one second place. Alongside the unrelenting schedule of the race and testing calendar, the BMW Sauber F1 Team also had to focus on the development of the team in terms of personnel and logistics during its first two years on the grid. Rigorous expansion work has been carried out at its Hinwil base near Zurich since BMW took over the team on 1 st January 2006. With its workforce having grown by over 150 to 420, the team moved into the new extension to the Swiss plant in late 2007. The number of employees involved in the Formula One project at BMW s Munich HQ remains unchanged at some 300.
1.2 Successful debut in 2006. Page 5 Despite an extremely short start-up phase there were just six months between BMW s decision to take over the majority stake in Sauber and the team presentation the fledgling outfit managed to claim a string of surprising successes in its debut season. A BMW Sauber F1 Team driver made it into the top ten qualifying 19 times (Heidfeld 10x, Kubica 4x, Jacques Villeneuve 4x). The best place on the grid was third in Monza (Heidfeld). A driver finished in the points 15 times (Heidfeld 10x, Villeneuve 4x, Kubica 1x). The team even managed to take home two trophies after Heidfeld came third in Budapest and Kubica delivered a repeat performance in Monza. The BMW Sauber F1 Team concluded its first race season with a tally of 36 points, placing it fifth in the Constructors Championship. The team had embarked on the 2006 season with Heidfeld and Villeneuve as its drivers. Despite his lack of experience, Kubica made his mark from the outset with outstanding performances in test drives and in Friday practice on the GP weekends. At the 13 th GP of the year, Kubica was given his chance to race the second F1.06 alongside Heidfeld in Budapest. He completed his baptism of fire in extremely challenging conditions to cross the line in seventh place, covering 51 laps on intermediates. Unexpectedly high tyre wear coupled with an empty fire extinguisher, which had shed its two kilos of light water after hitting a barrier, meant the car was two kilograms below the stipulated weight at the post-race technical inspection and resulted in the Pole being disqualified. But Kubica had demonstrated his racing skills. A few days later the team parted company with Villeneuve and, as of the next GP in Turkey, Sebastian Vettel took on the role of Friday driver. He was confirmed as the 2007 test and reserve driver next to Heidfeld and Kubica. Timo Glock was appointed the second test driver.
Page 6 Results BMW Sauber F1 Team 2006. Nick Heidfeld Jacques Villeneuve Grand Prix Q Race Pts Q Race Pts Team placing Bahrain 10 12 11 DNF Malaysia 15 DNF 14 07 2 6 Australia 08 04 5 09 06 3 5 San Marino 15 13 12 12 5 Europe 15 10 09 08 1 5 Spain 10 08 1 14 12 5 Monaco 16 07 2 15 14 5 Great Britain 09 07 2 10 08 1 5 Canada 13 07 2 11 accident 5 USA 10 accident 06 DNF 5 France 12 08 1 18 11 6 Germany 16 DNF 14 accident 6 Nick Heidfeld Robert Kubica Hungary 11 03 6 10 DSQ (7) 6 Turkey 06 14 09 12 6 Italy 03 08 1 07 03 6 5 China 08 07 2 09 13 5 Japan 09 08 1 12 09 5 Brazil 08 accident 09 09 5 In its first season, the BMW Sauber F1 Team collected 36 championship points.
1.3 Third-strongest team in 2007. Page 7 In only its second season, the BMW Sauber F1 Team exceeded all expectations. Having earned 36 points in its debut season to finish fifth in the championship a hefty 50 points off fourth place it emerged as the thirdstrongest outfit in 2007 from the very first grand prix. By the end of the season it had 101 championship points under its belt. Both drivers made it into the top ten qualifying on each of the 17 GP weekends, and at least one driver finished in the points each Sunday. BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen drew a positive conclusion at the end of a tough season s racing: We have exceeded our own targets and are proud of it. The fact that on paper we ended up second in the championship, following the penalty imposed on McLaren Mercedes, does not disguise the fact that there were four cars on the grid in 2007 which were markedly faster than ours. Nick Heidfeld claimed two podium places by finishing second in Canada and third in Hungary. He took points away from 14 out of 17 races to claim fifth in the Drivers Championship with a total of 61 points the best final result in his Formula One career so far. Robert Kubica made it into the top eight finishers in eleven grands prix and earned 39 points to finish sixth behind his team-mate. After a serious accident in the Canadian Grand Prix, the Pole was forced to sit out the US race. There was generally little to choose between Heidfeld and Kubica, and both drivers showed their prowess in head-to-head battles on the race track. In August both drivers were confirmed for 2008. For the Hungarian GP, test and reserve driver Sebastian Vettel switched to a Scuderia Toro Rosso racing cockpit and Timo Glock stepped into the breach as reserve driver. With the BMW Sauber F1.07 the team had built the third-best Formula One car in only the second year of its development phase. By September, third place in the Constructors Championship was secure and it was time to turn its focus on development work for 2008. Conditions for this had steadily improved: by the end of the season, the Hinwil workforce target of 430 had almost been achieved and the new extension was ready for occupation.
Page 8 Results BMW Sauber F1 Team 2007. Nick Heidfeld Robert Kubica Grand Prix Q Race Pts Q Race Pts WM placing Australia 3 4 5 5 DNF 3 Malaysia 5 4 5 7 18 3 Bahrain 5 4 5 6 6 3 3 Spain 7 DNF 5 4 5 3 Monaco 7 6 3 8 5 4 3 Canada 3 2 8 8 accident 3 Nick Heidfeld Sebastian Vettel USA 5 DNF 7 8 1 3 Nick Heidfeld Robert Kubica France 7 5 4 4 4 5 3 Great Britain 9 6 3 5 4 5 3 Europe 4 6 3 5 7 2 3 Hungary 3 Grid 2 3 6 7 5 4 3 Turkey 6 4 5 5 8 1 3 Italy 4 4 5 6 5 4 3 Belgium 7 Grid 6 5 4 5 9 2 Grid 14 Japan 5 DNF 10 Grid 9 7 2 2 China 8 7 2 9 DNF 2 Brazil 6 6 3 7 5 4 2 In its second year, the BMW Sauber F1 Team claimed 101 points.
1.4 Timeline key dates. Page 9 22 nd June 2005 At a press conference in Munich, BMW announces its takeover of the majority stake in Sauber AG. 16 th September 2005 BMW announces it has signed up Nick Heidfeld. 14 th November 2005 The name BMW Sauber F1 Team is confirmed. 28 th November 2005 First test in Barcelona for the Sauber C24B interim chassis with the BMW P86 V8 engine. 1 st December 2005 Jacques Villeneuve is confirmed as team driver. 20 th December 2005 Robert Kubica is signed as the team s test and reserve driver. 1 st January 2006 BMW completes the shareholding takeover. 16 th /17 th January 2006 The BMW Sauber F1 Team presents itself to the public in Valencia. The BMW Sauber F1.06 has its first outing. February 2006 Planning application for the Hinwil extension. 12 th March 2006 The BMW Sauber F1 Team contests its first grand prix in Bahrain. 19 th March 2006 The team secures its first world championship points in the second race: Villeneuve comes seventh in Malaysia. 2 nd April 2006 The third GP sees both drivers finish in the points: Heidfeld comes fourth and Villeneuve sixth in Australia. April 2006 Work begins on the design of the BMW Sauber F1.07. 6 th August 2006 Kubica runs his first Formula One race in Budapest. In the team s 13 th world championship race, Heidfeld claims its first podium place.
Page 10 7 th August 2006 The BMW Sauber F1 Team and Villeneuve part company. 25 th August 2006 In Istanbul, Sebastian Vettel takes on the job of the team s Friday driver for the first time. September 2006 Start of the construction phase for the BMW Sauber F1.07. 10 th September 2006 Kubica comes third in Monza to pick up the second trophy. October 2006 The wind tunnel in Hinwil is now running three shifts. A year previously it had been on a single daily shift. 19 th October 2006 The 2007 drivers are announced: Heidfeld and Kubica as team racing drivers, Vettel as test and reserve driver. 22 nd October 2006 The BMW Sauber F1 Team concludes its debut year in fifth place in the Constructors Championship. Meanwhile, 100 new staff have been taken on at Hinwil, with a further 50 scheduled to follow. 28 th November 2006 Start of winter testing in Barcelona. 14 th December 2006 Presentation of the new Albert 2 supercomputer. 21 st December 2006 Timo Glock is signed as second test driver. 16 th January 2007 Presentation of the BMW Sauber F1.07 and the BMW Sauber F1 Team in Valencia. 18 th March 2007 In the first race of the season in Australia, the team emerges as the third-strongest. May 2007 Work starts on the BMW Sauber F1.08 concept. 10 th June 2007 At the Canadian GP Heidfeld finishes second on his own merit. Kubica suffers a serious crash but emerges virtually unscathed.
Page 11 17 th June 2007 The US GP medical team refuses to let Kubica race. Vettel stands in for him and finishes eighth to pick up a championship point in his F1 race debut. 31 st July 2007 Glock moves up into the reserve driver slot after Vettel is offered a racing cockpit by Team Scuderia Toro Rosso. 5 th August 2007 Heidfeld comes third in Hungary to claim the second trophy of the season for the BMW Sauber F1 Team. 21 st August 2007 Heidfeld and Kubica are confirmed as drivers for 2008. September 2007 Development work on the F1.07 ceases; the focus is now on 2008. From October 2007 The big move into the extension in Hinwil. The workforce there has now grown to 420; when BMW took over the team there were 275 employees. 21 st October 2007 With fifth and sixth places in the final in Brazil, Kubica and Heidfeld confirm the team s position as the third-strongest. They are also fifth and sixth in the Drivers Championship, with Heidfeld boasting a clear lead over Kubica. After the disqualification of McLaren Mercedes, the team is officially second in the Constructors Championship with 101 points.
1.5 Who is who. Page 12 BMW Motorsport Director Technical Director Head of Powertrain Project Manager Chief Designer Head of Aerodynamics Team Manager Chief Race Engineer Race Engineer Nick Heidfeld Race Engineer Robert Kubica Chief Mechanic Race Team Chief Engineer Test Team Head of Sponsoring and Business Relations Head of BMW Motorsport Communication Driver car number 3 Driver car number 4 Prof. Dr.-Ing. Mario Theissen Willy Rampf Markus Duesmann Walter Riedl Christoph Zimmermann Willem Toet Beat Zehnder Mike Krack Giampaolo Dall Ara Antonio Cuquerella Urs Kuratle Ossi Oikarinen Guido Stalmann Jörg Kottmeier Nick Heidfeld Robert Kubica
1.6 Pit stop in Munich. Page 13 Short cuts and high flexibility that is what BMW s Formula One base in Munich is geared to. Speed is of the essence, whether it s a matter of tuning, development work or production processes. The individual Formula One departments are tightly centralised, neighbours of the BMW Research and Innovation Centre (FIZ), and integrated in the production sites and offices of BMW AG. In total, some 300 employees in Munich work for BMW s Formula One involvement. The HQ of BMW Motorsport is at Anton-Ditt-Bogen in the north of Munich. At the end of 2005 the division moved into the new complex here, which boasts state-of-the-art test rigs and laboratories for powertrain development, as well as the electronics department. The Formula One component production facility with its in-house quality control department is right next-door. Markus Duesmann heads up the development, manufacturing, testing and race deployment of all powertrain components, which include the engine, transmission, differential and ECU. Development of the KERS energy regeneration system scheduled for 2009 has long been underway as well. The new facility allowed not just all F1 activities to be assembled at one site, but the other motor sport projects too. All the offices are located here, including that of BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen. The Sponsoring and Business Relations department is based here, as is the logistical command centre. The materials warehouse occupies a substantial area in the basement of the headquarters. It contains the clothes store for the team gear as well as numerous exhibits. All in all, the Formula One departments are spread across six buildings that house workshops, laboratories and offices. Access is protected and nobody can enter without an appointment or an electronic employee ID. The ambience is dominated by the colour white, with the other BMW Motorsport colours blue and red lending highlights. The modern interior reflects the nature of BMW Motorsport high functionality and simple elegance. Just a few hundred metres away, in Munich s Knorrstrasse, is BMW s Research and Innovation Centre (FIZ). This is the crucible of all BMW production cars, and its resources and engineering staff are also available to the Formula One
Page 14 engineers. Conversely, the FIZ experts benefit from their proximity to the fast-track Formula One research project. Nowhere else does theory have to be turned into practice at such a rapid pace. A 45-minute drive northeast of Munich, in the town of Landshut, is where the Formula One foundry is located. It was annexed to the existing production foundry to ensure the shortest possible routes for technology transfer. BMW has been building high-performance engines since the year 1917. Today the BMW Group embraces the BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brands. The group is pursuing a product and marketing offensive with more new models than ever before. By 2012, sales are set to rise to 1.8 million automobiles. With 1.37 million car deliveries in 2006, the BMW Group is the world s most successful manufacturer of premium automobiles. The workforce now numbers more than 100,000 in around 50 countries. Dr Klaus Draeger, as BMW s Development Director, has also been responsible for the group s motor sport projects since 1 st November 2006. BMW s Formula One story began in 1981 during the turbo era. In 1983 it won the World Championship with Nelson Piquet driving a Brabham BMW. Seasons 2000 through to 2005 spanned the BMW WilliamsF1 Team partnership, six years in which ten GP wins and 17 pole positions were achieved. The best championship placing was second in 2002 and 2003. Ahead of the 2008 season, BMW can lay claim to a total of 214 starts, 19 grand prix wins and 32 pole positions. Since the BMW Sauber F1 Team came into being, it has claimed four podium finishes two in its debut 2006 season and two in 2007. The best score at a grand prix was ten championship points in Hungary in 2007 and the best individual result Nick Heidfeld s second place in Canada in 2007.
1.7 Pit stop in Hinwil. Page 15 The BMW Sauber F1 Team management gave themselves two years in which to complete the team s development phase. That also covered the expansion of the Hinwil facility. The extension was annexed to the building that has stood here since 1992, and the total area grew from an original 6,900 to 15,600 square metres (not counting the wind tunnel). This created space for additional machinery and test rigs, as well as for new staff uptake. Numbers grew from 275 in June 2005 to around 420 by the end of 2007. Until a short time ago, quite a few employees were working in rented office and industrial space in the vicinity. Planning work for the extension began in October 2005. By early February the permit plans had been submitted, and at the end of June the authorities granted planning permission, enabling excavation work to begin in July 2006. From autumn 2007 the first workplaces were ready for occupation. The concept behind this visually attractive extension was subject to a strict practical brief. It is designed to ensure short cut and optimal work processes. Efficiency is paramount, and that is why, for example, the design office and the wind tunnel are linked by an enclosed bridge. The ground floor houses the truck parking bays. Next to it there is space for large production equipment such as the portal milling machines, though these will not be relocated until after the first races of the 2008 season because the team does not want to lose any time in component production for the F1.08. Also at ground level are the autoclaves, while smaller machinery is located on the first floor. The second floor features an intriguing visual design. This is where the carbon-fibre department is at home, while at its centre the Formula One race cars are serviced. This central area is designed as an atrium to allow the race cars to also be seen from the third floor, where the administration department, the design office and the vehicle electronics department are accommodated.
Page 16 The wind tunnel: it s a breeze. Immediately beside the new building is the state-of-the-art wind tunnel that went on stream in spring of 2004. Measuring 65 metres long, 50 metres wide and 17 metres tall, the building is distinctive for its glass-clad façade. It accommodates the offices of a wide array of experts: in addition to the aerodynamicists, they include the model designers and builders, CFD engineers and other staff from the aerodynamics department. From a staff total of 35 in the Sauber era, they have now risen to more than 80. Since October 2006 the BMW Sauber F1 Team has been working on a three-shift, round-the-clock operation, like the other top teams. The facility s technology is state-of-the-art. That applies to all the relevant factors such as wind speed, size of the test section and models, the dimensions of its rolling road, the model motion system, and data collection. The wind tunnel is designed as a closed circuit that extends to 141 metres in length and has a maximum tube diameter of 9.4 metres. The total weight of all its steel components, including the fan housing, is 480 tonnes. The single-stage axial fan with carbon rotor blades uses 3,000 kw of power when operating under full load, which permits wind speeds of up to 300 km/h. To ensure that no vibrations are transmitted to the building, the axial fan is mounted on vibration dampers fixed to a solid concrete base. The heart of any wind tunnel is the test section, where the objects are exposed to the air flow. In Hinwil its cross-section and the length of the rolling road are so ample as to allow optimum conditions for precision results. Tests are generally conducted with 60-percent scale models, but the aerodynamicists also have the possibility of carrying out measurements on 1:1 race cars. The entire measuring platform can be roated so that test models are exposed to the air stream not just frontally but also at an angle of up to ten degrees. The platform is equipped with a rotating steel belt that simulates the relative motion between the car and the road and runs in sync with the air flow. Underneath the moving belt are load cells that measure wheel loads. Beyond the technology, a great deal of attention was also devoted to visual appearance when it came to designing the wind tunnel. The building is impressive not just for its sheer size: the glazed façades underline its unique role as an industrial structure and event venue combined.
Page 17 What may appear from the outside to be a homogeneous hall in fact consists of two clearly detached structural elements: the wind tunnel as such and a wing housing work spaces and an event platform where partners and sponsors can hold marketing and customer events or seminars amid a unique ambience. The first-floor gallery has room for up to 150 people. For visual reasons the central axis of the wind tunnel tube is raised more than eight metres above ground. With the exception of the measuring section, which is embedded in a concrete structure, the circuit of steel elements appears to float in the hall. The two areas are separated by a glass wall to maintain the visual link while creating an effective barrier against the noise generated by the wind tunnel. Albert 2 lives on the ground floor. The team s supercomputer was unveiled in December 2006. This 21-tonne facility for CFD calculations is based on Intel technology and is one of the most powerful in Formula One. Albert 2 has 256 nodes with two Intel Xeon 5160 processors each, of which each in turn has two cores. That adds up to a total of 1,024 cores. The capacity of the main memory is 2,048 GB and the maximum computing power 12,288 gigaflops; that s 12,288,000,000,000 floating point operations per second. The vast technical potential of Albert 2 is harnessed for analysis in the field of aerodynamics. With its support, the specialists calculate components for the Formula One race car using grid models frequently comprising more than 100 million cells. CFD plays a particularly important role in the development of the front, rear and auxiliary wings, as well as the engine and brake cooling. Far from rivalling the work in the wind tunnel, the computer-aided air flow simulation complements it. A great advantage of CFD is that you can represent the air stream, and by means of it you then understand why one component is better than another, explains Willem Toet, Head of Aerodynamics. BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen adds: Unlike other teams, we are not planning to build a second wind tunnel but will in future continue to focus on the steadily expanding possibilities in the area of simulation. The combination of tests and simulation has already proved itself in 2007.
Page 18 2. The season. 2.1 Grand prix information. GP 2008 Date Circuit length 1 Australia Melbourne 2 Malaysia Sepang 3 Bahrain Sakhir 4 Spain Barcelona 5 Turkey Istanbul 6 Monaco Monte Carlo 7 Canada Montreal 8 France Magny-Cours 9 Great Britain Silverstone 16.03. 5.303 km 307.574 km 58 laps 23.03. 5.543 km 310.408 km 56 laps 06.04. 5.412 km 308.238 km 57 laps 27.04. 4.655 km 307.104 km 66 laps 11.05. 5.338 km 309.396 km 58 laps 25.05. 3.340 km 260.520 km 78 laps 08.06. 4.361 km 305.270 km 70 laps 22.06. 4.411 km 308.586 km 70 laps 08.07. 5.141 km 308.355 km 60 laps Race distance Winner 2007 Pole 2007 Fastest race lap 2007 K. Räikkönen Ferrari 1 hr 25:28.770 F. Alonso McLaren Mercedes 1 hr 32:14.930 F. Massa Ferrari 1 hr 33:27.515 F. Massa Ferrari 1 hr 31:36.230 F. Massa Ferrai 1 hr 26:42.161 F. Alonso McLaren Mercedes 1 hr 40:29.329 L. Hamilton McLaren Mercedes 1 hr 44:11.292 K. Räikkönen Ferrari 1 hr 30:54.200 K. Räikkönen Ferrari 1 hr 21:43.074 K. Räikkönen Ferrari 1:26.072 min F. Massa Ferrari 1:35.043 min F. Massa Ferrari 1:32.652 min F. Massa Ferrari 1:21.421 min F. Massa Ferrari 1:27.329 F. Alonso McLaren Mercedes 1:15.726 min L. Hamilton McLaren Mercedes 1:15.707 min F. Massa Ferrari 1:15.034 min L. Hamilton McLaren Mercedes 1:19.997 min K. Räikkönen Ferrari 1:25.235 min L. Hamilton McLaren Mercedes 1:36.701 min F. Massa Ferrari 1:34.067 min F. Massa Ferrari 1:22.680 min K. Räikkönen Ferrari 1:27.295 F. Alonso McLaren Mercedes 1:15.284 min F. Alonso McLaren-Mercedes 1:16.367 min F. Massa Ferrari 1:16.099 min K. Räikkönen Ferrari 1:20.638 min
Page 19 GP 2008 Date Circuit length Race distance Winner 2007 Pole 2007 Fastest race lap 2007 10 Germany Hockenheim 11 Hungary Budapest 12 Europe Valencia 13 Belgium Spa 14 Italy Monza 15 Singapore 20.07. 4.574 km 308.863 km 67 laps 03.08. 4.381 km 306.458 km 70 laps 24.08. 5.440 km 310.080 km 57 laps 07.09. 7.004 km 308.052 km 44 laps 14.09. 5.793 km 306.720 km 53 laps 28.09. 5.067 km 309.087 km 61 laps L. Hamilton McLaren Mercedes F. Alonso McLaren Mercedes 1:19.674 min 1 hr 35:52.991 K. Räikkönen Ferrari K. Räikkönen Ferrari K. Räikkönen Ferrari 1:20.047 min F. Massa Ferrari 1 hr 20:39.066 1:45.994 min 1:48.036 min F. Alonso F. Alonso F. Alonso McLaren Mercedes McLaren Mercedes McLaren Mercedes 1 hr 18:37.806 1:21.997 min 1:22.871 min 16 Japan Fuji 17 China Shanghai 18 Brazil São Paulo 12.10. 4.563 km 305.416 km 67 laps 19.10. 5.451 km 305.066 km 56 laps 02.11. 4.309 km 305.909 km 71 laps L. Hamilton McLaren Mercedes 2 hrs 00:34.579 K. Räikkönen Ferrari 1 hr 37:58.395 K. Räikkönen Ferrari 1 hr 28:15.270 L. Hamilton McLaren Mercedes 1:25.368 min L. Hamilton McLaren Mercedes 1:35.908 min F. Massa Ferrari 1:11.931 min L. Hamilton McLaren Mercedes 1:28.193 min F. Massa Ferrari 1:37.454 min K. Räikkönen Ferrari 1:12.445 min
Page 20 GP Full-throttle ratio Ø Top speed race Longest flat-out section Right-/lefthand turns Tyre wear Brake wear Downforce level AU 65% 303 km/h 10 sec/735 m 10/6 medium/low high high 60 Gearshifts per lap MY 65% 297 km/h 12 sec/830 m 10/5 medium/high medium high 60 BH 63% 309 km/h 14 sec/1050 m 9/6 Medium high medium 58 ES 57% 308 km/h 16 sec/1140 m 9/7 Medium high high 44 TR 63% 315 km/h 16 sec/1200m 6/8 medium/low medium medium/high 42 MC 42% 286 km/h 8 sec/510 m 12/7 Medium high very high 54 CA 63% 323 km/h 13 sec/1005 m 9/6 High very high medium 48 FR 64% 301 km/h 12 sec/930 m 9/8 medium/low medium high 46 GB 64% 294 km/h 12 sec/890 m 10/7 medium/high low high 40 DE HU 58% 291 km/h 11 sec/750 m 8/6 medium/high high very high 50 EU BE 70% 310 km/h 24 sec/1865 m 9/10 medium/low medium medium 52 IT 70% 351 km/h 16 sec/1320 m 7/4 Low very high very low 46 SG JP 60% 310 km/h 20 sec/1445 m 10/6 Medium low medium 44 CN 55% 310 km/h 19 sec/1370 m 9/7 Medium medium/low medium/high 52 BR 65% 314 km/h 17 sec/1220 m 5/10 Medium medium medium/high 40 All data are based on those gathered by the BMW Sauber F1 Team in 2007.
2.2 Looking ahead. Page 21 GP Mario Theissen Willy Rampf Drivers 1 AU We re delighted that the 2008 season s curtain-raiser is once again the Australian GP. There is always a very special atmosphere in Melbourne. The city is really buzzing and the spectators are totally caught up in F1 fever. Looking back, we recorded our best qualifying result of 2007 at Albert Park in what was the first race weekend of the year Nick started from third on the grid, Robert from fifth position. We are hoping that we will enjoy a similarly successful start to the season in 2008. 2 MY Since 2006 we have seen for ourselves the charismatic presence of our premium partner Petronas in Malaysia. It is always fantastic to experience the euphoria with which our team is received in this country. The events at the foot of the Petronas Twin Towers make a truly magnetic impression. The GP in Sepang is our first home race of the year. The BMW Group has stepped up its involvement in Malaysia in recent years as part of its Asia strategy. Kuala Lumpur is an important grand prix for BMW and Petronas, and the race is sure to provide a keenly fought contest. The burning question during winter testing is always: where do we stand compared to our rivals? This year once again it will be in Australia that we are given a conclusive answer. Melbourne is the sort of stop-start course that puts a heavy load on the brakes and demands good traction. Grip levels are extremely low, especially at the start of the weekend. The lack of traction control on the cars this year means this aspect of the track will play a particularly significant role. The wide variety of different corners at Sepang means the circuit places heavy demands on car set-up. The slower sections require good grip for accelerating out of the turn, whereas high stability is essential particularly in the combination just before the back straight. High aerodynamic efficiency is also a must. Added to which, the rear tyres are placed under extremely heavy loads at Sepang, a situation which will be exacerbated by the lack of traction control. Nick Heidfeld: The Australian GP is always the race I look forward to the most: firstly because I can t wait for the start of the season, secondly because Australia is my favourite destination, and thirdly because of the challenge of Albert Park. As at all the non-permanent circuits, grip levels change markedly over the weekend that s just something you have to deal with. I hope we are quick again, and above all reliable, from the first race. A good start to the season is important, especially as there is no time to make changes before the second race. Robert Kubica: I have only raced once at this track, but I find it very interesting. It has a lot of the unknown thrown in thanks to the unpredictable weather conditions and, while we were lucky last year, I know the chance of heavy rain is likely. Hot weather conditions also bring their own problems, so with the new car we will have to see how these affect us. Last year it was very useful that we had the chance to test there before the race, but that is not the case for 2008.
Page 22 GP Mario Theissen Willy Rampf Drivers 3 BH BMW can feel more or less on home soil in Bahrain and for good reason. The kingdom s state-of-the-art facility houses the BMW Performance Center with its BMW Driver Training programme and Formula BMW Racing School. As a manufacturer of premium cars BMW has much to gain from the region. Nick pulled off a spectacular overtaking manoeuvre on Fernando Alonso here last year, giving the team s motivation a massive boost. In Bahrain the aim will once again be to finish the first block of overseas races in positive fashion. 4 ES Coming on the back of a three-week break from the pevious race, the first GP in Europe is almost like a second curtain-raiser to the season. It s the occasion for Formula One to put all its wares on show for the first time. The trucks and hospitality facilities not only make for an impressive display, they also make life a lot easier for everyone. The Circuit de Catalunya is demanding in lots of ways and is frequently used by the teams for testing. It has often been considered a barometer showing each team s overall potential. Compromise is the key when it comes to the aerodynamic set-up for Bahrain. On the one hand, the large number of slow corners demands a high level of downforce, but then the extra width of the track also encourages the drivers to overtake, so it s important to take maximum speed into consideration. Good traction is also important, especially in the turn leading out of the start/finish straight. The sand in Bahrain means we can expect a high level of tyre wear, and that plays an important role in the race strategy. The teams know this circuit like the back of their hands thanks to the frequent testing that takes place here. However, it always throws up new challenges. Wind can often be a major factor. For this reason, you have to make constant adjustments to car set-up and it is, therefore, easy to lose your way. The numerous fast and medium-fast bends call for considerable downforce. The loads on the tyres are, therefore, pretty high, and so the teams use the hardest compounds here. Nick Heidfeld: I really like the track layout in Bahrain and the facility as a whole. Everything is modern and spaciously designed. The nicest part of the track is the section from Turn 5 to the penultimate corner. The climate here is mostly quite pleasant, although the location in the middle of the desert means both the circuit and our material keep getting covered in sand. Last year we were very well prepared thanks to the double testing session we were able to complete, and I had a great race in Bahrain. Robert Kubica: I was a bit disappointed with the changes that had been made to the track for last year s race, as the new corners were not as enjoyable as those they replaced. It is great to have fast corners with high downforce, but sadly the two corners with these characteristics have been replaced by a tight chicane where you can only get to about 70 km/h. However, we have to consider safety and, though this part is less fun, it is much safer. We all know this track very well from testing so there is always a lot of data available to work from.
Page 23 GP Mario Theissen Willy Rampf Drivers 5 TR The Turkish GP has been moved forward from mid-summer to this rather earlier slot in the calendar, changing the nature of the challenge for both man and material. We are looking forward to returning to the Bosphorus. They have built an outstanding facility on the Asian side of Istanbul, with a highly successful track design. The city offers excellent opportunities for partners of the teams in particular. And the race itself is unique in logistical terms: it is the GP set furthest away from Central Europe to which teams still travel in trucks and motorhomes. 6 MC Monaco is one of the pillars of Formula One and stands alongside Spa, Monza and Silverstone among the circuits which have made F1 great. Monaco is Formula One in close-up. Nowhere can spectators get as near to the action as on the streets of the principality. No grand prix is more famous, none more glamorous. The yachts, parties and show business, which form the backdrop to the race, are all part of the F1 experience in Monaco. In sporting terms what counts here is extremely precise vehicle response, an aerodynamic package that delivers high downforce and good engine drivability even at low revs. The cars lap anti-clockwise at Istanbul Park, and the circuit also offers a lot of variety and unbridled entertainment in other ways as well. There are slow sections where good traction is required. And then there is the spectacular Turn 8, made up of four distinct sections and yet taken in one line at about 250 km/h. Drag must not be too high on account of the long often uphill straights. Good aerodynamic efficiency is the key to setting a good lap time. With traction control banned from the cars in 2008, Monaco will present the drivers and engineers with a particularly delicate under-taking this year. The rear tyres are subjected to heavy loads under acceleration out of the many slow corners, and achieving good traction takes top priority. Monaco has the lowest average speed of any grand prix, so you have to drive with maximum downforce. Indeed, downforce is more important than aerodynamic efficiency. The teams choose the softest tyre compounds for this race. Nick Heidfeld: Turn 8 is one of my favourite corners anywhere fast and tricky. I had a good race in Istanbul in 2007 and ended up finishing fourth. I ve now managed to see a bit of the city as well. It has a lot to offer, and its location on the Bosphorus is just fantastic. The city traffic, however, is pretty chaotic. I ve taken to travelling between our hotel on the European side of the city and the circuit on the Asian side by motorbike. Working your way through the hustle and bustle serves as the first training exercise of the day. Robert Kubica: Special is the best way I can describe the Monaco track. It is a challenge in a Formula One car as there is no room to make the smallest error, and you are driving on the limit for most of the time. It is a highdownforce track and this is something I really enjoy. Last year was my first race there in Formula One and the car was very competitive. Okay, we made the mistake of expecting the usual Safety Car periods so our strategy was not the right one, but we have learnt our lesson and this is one of the tracks I am most looking forward to.
Page 24 GP Mario Theissen Willy Rampf Drivers 7 CA We have special memories of the 2007 Canadian GP. Robert emerged pretty much unscathed from a terrible accident there last year, while Nick finished second to hand the team its best result so far. It felt as if we d come away with a double victory. The circuit presents a demanding test for both drivers and machinery. The long straights push the engines to the limit. The special atmosphere also makes this GP a highlight of the F1 calendar. Its unique island location in the St Lawrence River gives the event a distinctive allure. The people there are true F1 enthusiasts and there is traditionally a good crowd of BMW fans. Canada is an important market for the BMW Group. With the USA GP off the calendar in 2008 this is sadly the only race in North America this year. 8 FR The rural idyll of Magny-Cours provides a welcome contrast after Istanbul, Monaco and Montreal. I like coming here and enjoy the travellers community mentality that takes over the paddock at Magny-Cours. The way the motorhomes are lined up sees the teams huddled close together in the paddock. The focus returns to the racing and to the demands of the circuit. It was here in 2001 that we secured our first pole position on our return to F1. The combination of long straights and chicanes makes Montreal what we call a medium-downforce circuit. There are good overtaking opportunities, particularly on the long flat-out section leading into the last chicane, if your top speed allows. No other circuit on the calendar is harder on the brakes, and so the teams use maximum brake cooling and particular high-performance brake discs. The circuit demands total concentration from the drivers at all times and punishes even the smallest driver error. The drivers have walls to contend with, and the track is always extremely dirty off the racing line. The Circuit de Nevers has a particularly flat track surface, which allows you to run very low ground clearance. At the same time, the drivers also have to be able to drive aggressively over the high kerbs in the chicane leading into the start/finish straight. The circuit offers an interesting mixture of slow and fast corners. The rear tyres are placed under heavy loads here, and that s something you have to bear in mind when deciding your race strategy. Nick Heidfeld: Finishing second last year was a great experience, and once I knew that Robert was going to be okay I really enjoyed myself out there. The fact that we were so far up the field on merit got rather lost amid all the chaos. We put in a really strong performance. This circuit has a lot of character. It has a picturesque location on the island, and the track layout with its long straights, but also some tight chicanes is something special. I m also a big fan of Montreal as a city. I always stop by at a particular art gallery whenever I m there and also enjoy eating out during visits. Robert Kubica: I wasn t that disappointed when I thought last year was going to be my only opportunity to race a Formula One car on this track, as it is not on my list of favourite tracks. I have raced there in several categories, and Formula One is certainly the most fun there, especially through the chicane where you can really see the car s potential. I suppose if I had to come up with one word to describe what I think about it then it would be neutral.
Page 25 GP Mario Theissen Willy Rampf Drivers 9 GB Silverstone is a real classic of the racing calendar. The fans there are cut from a different cloth true motor racing enthusiasts on the whole, who are less obsessed with the celebrities and show business side of things and more interested in the sport itself. Britain is the only market for the BMW Group which has production facilities for all three of the Group s brands. The MINI is built in Oxford, Rolls-Royce cars in Goodwood and BMW car engines in Hams Hall. Great Britain is the third-largest market for the BMW Group after the USA and Germany. 10 DE Under the terms of the rotation agreement with the Nürburgring, Hockenheim is back on the calendar in 2008 as the venue for the German Grand Prix. This is, therefore, the only F1 race taking place on home soil this year, and we can t wait for it to come around. However, we can t afford to let this distract us there are no more points on offer at our home race than anywhere else. The Hockenheimring has lost something of its allure since the forest straights were removed, but there should be a fantastic atmosphere at the track again after a year without Formula One. To score a fast lap time at Silverstone you need a car with excellent aerodynamic balance. The track is renowned for its many medium and fast corners, out of which it is important for the drivers to carry as much speed as possible. Maggots-Becketts-Chapel is one of the finest combinations in the entire F1 calendar. The track surface is pretty rough, which means that tyres come in for a good deal of punishment. The teams, therefore, tend to opt for the hardest tyre compounds here. The Hockenheimring is a circuit with numerous slow and medium-fast corners, which require a lot of downforce. At the same time, though, the Parabolika is a long flat-out section where straightline speed is of the essence, as there is an overtaking opportunity under braking into the subsequent hairpin. However, as well as a high top speed you ll also need good braking stability and optimum traction when accelerating out of the corner in order to nail a passing move here. Hockenheim alternates on the F1 calendar with the Nürburgring, which seems to be a good solution. Nick Heidfeld: The special thing about the GP at Silverstone is the fans they are real racers. The circuit is varied and challenging. The Maggots- Becketts-Chapel section out of the start/finish straight is one of the greatest corner combinations anywhere. At times you have to battle against the wind, and the weather is fairly often a factor at Silverstone. Although we know the circuit pretty well, the test ahead of the 2008 grand prix will still be important. Qualifying didn t go well for me last year and I only started from ninth. But I still managed to take sixth position in the race itself. Nick Heidfeld: I always get a great feeling of anticipation ahead of my home race above all because I see so many of my fans there. There have been more and more of them in recent years, and they give me fantastic support. And so it was great for me when there were still two GPs in Germany. The modern Hockenheimring lacks the character of the old track with its long forest straights, but the new circuit also has a lot of plus points. The fans can see more, the track is safer and there s a great overtaking opportunity on the exit from the Parabolika.
Page 26 GP Mario Theissen Willy Rampf Drivers 11 HU We have a lot of good memories of Budapest. In 2006 Nick finished third to bring home the first podium finish for our new team after a turbulent race in the wet. At the same time, Robert also made an impressive GP debut. Then last year Nick once again stood on the third step of the podium. Robert also collected four points, giving us a total of ten points from the race our biggest total from a single GP so far. With its twists and turns, the Hungaroring comes way down the list in terms of full-throttle percentage. Instead, it is frequently the heat which pushes the engines to their limits. The natural bowl of the circuit traps the heat and the absence of long straights can cause a problem with cooling air. 12 EU The European GP around the harbour area of Valencia is a new race on the calendar. We are looking forward to the race and to the city. Indeed, this is another occasion where BMW has links to the GP venue. The Formula BMW Racing Center here serves as a training facility for our young drivers in the Formula BMW series around the world. The roll-out for our new F1 car also traditionally takes place in Valencia. Races on street circuits always provide a special atmosphere and we are really looking forward to the new course. After Monaco, the Hungaroring has the lowest average speed of any circuit. The corners come quickly one after the other and even the start/finish straight is relatively short. As a result you need maximum downforce. Overtaking is extremely tough, and that s something you have to take into account with your race strategy. And no sooner is the sand cleared from the track one day than it is back again the next. Grip is consequently in short supply, with understeer never far away. As far as the car set-up is concerned, particular attention must be paid to the middle section with its variety of turn combinations. Valencia is one of the new venues on the calendar and, therefore, represents a special challenge, not least because it is a street circuit. However, that doesn t mean it s slow the plans indicate that the drivers will be topping 300 km/h at the fastest points of the course. In any case, we will be taking a careful look at the circuit beforehand and using our computer programmes to put together the type of simulation which has proved extremely accurate in the recent past. Robert Kubica: The track where you have your first Formula One race is always going to be special. However, it is not for this reason alone that I like this track. For most of the track you have some steering angle, which means you rarely get a break, and this is made worse by the fact that the straights are very short. It is a difficult track, but then Formula One is about challenges. On top of that, this is the closest track to my home country Poland and it is great to have so many of my fans from home in the grandstands there to cheer me on. Robert Kubica: I am really looking forward to Valencia. I love street tracks. If it was up to me we would most likely only race on street tracks. I am sure the fans will come out in their thousands. The launch of our 2007 car there coincided with the McLaren street demonstration, so I have seen the sort of crowds we can expect. We need to look at the circuit plan, but our team is great at simulations so I am not expecting any nasty surprises when we finally get out there.