Never been in a car as good as this - Heidfeld

The BMW Sauber F1 Team finished the first race weekend of the season in Australia as the third strongest Formula One Team. Nick Heidfeld speaks about how it feels to be among the fastest drivers on the grid and explains the reasons for the team's progress.

Nick was able to demonstrate that the intense development and testing work during the winter months has paid off in the qualifying session as well as during the race at the 'Albert Park Circuit'. By finishing fourth, the German driver managed to collect the first important World Championship points for the BMW Sauber F1 Team. Heidfeld is impressed by the competitiveness of the BMW Sauber F1.07: "It feels fantastic. I have never been in a car as good as this," he commented. "I know that I will enjoy the 16 races ahead because I am now in a position to finish in the points in every race on my own account."

In the recent past, the team has experienced a steep development. Having started from eighth position of the Constructors' Championship last year, Nick and his team-mate Robert Kubica were able to improve to fifth place during the past season. In 2007, the BMW Sauber F1 Team is aiming to further close the gap to the top teams in Formula One racing.

The reasons for this positive development are obvious to Nick: "The team has grown enormously. We have more money at our disposal, we have a new supercomputer, and the wind tunnel operates in three shifts now," the 29-year-old explains. "All of these factors are slowly beginning to bear fruit. Nevertheless, I am surprised myself about how substantial our improvement has been."