Kubica drove a great race - Theissen

The BMW Sauber F1 Team picked up six World Championship points at the premiere of the European Grand Prix in Valencia. BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen reviews the twelfth race weekend of the season.

Mario Theissen said: "Having produced a forgettable result in Budapest, normal service was resumed after the summer break in Valencia. It goes without saying that it is nice to be back on the podium. This is the fifth time this season for Robert, and the eighth time in total for the BMW Sauber F1 Team in 2008.

"Robert drove a great race. He had some problems in the opening phase when a plastic bag got caught up in his car and affected the handling. Apart from that, both cars ran flawlessly. Starting from eighth place on the grid did not put Nick in a good position to finish high up the field. We had hoped that he would make up one or two places at the start. Unfortunately he dropped a place in the ensuing melee, meaning his race was as good as over.

"A huge compliment must be paid to the organisers, who staged a successful premiere: the atmosphere here in the city and at the circuit around the harbour is fantastic. I walked round the circuit on Thursday, and was already fascinated by the entire site. The flair can best be compared to that in Monaco, while the circuit itself is more reminiscent of Montreal, although Valencia has many run-off zones. The result is really impressive. Valencia has immediately become one of the highlights of this season for me. A healthy mix of city circuits and traditional tracks like Spa and Monza is what makes Formula One so appealing. We are already very excited about Singapore."