Home races don't earn you any more points than elsewhere - Theissen

BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen is looking forward to the team's home Grand Prix at the Nürbürgring this weekend. The BMW Sauber F1 Team hopes to collect more Championship points in front of the German crowd.

Mario Theissen "The Grand Prix at the Nürburgring is the only Formula One home race for us in 2007. Naturally we are very excited at the prospect of this weekend. But you can't afford to lose your concentration. Home races don't earn you any more points than elsewhere.

Our relationship with the Ring is a very close one. Every upcoming BMW production model is tested on the Nordschleife: that's part of our development programme. BMW has celebrated spectacular touring car successes in the Eifel, it has a Driver Training branch based there, as well as the Ring Taxi for the Nordschleife, and the Adventure World has the only permanent BMW race car exhibition. At the end of April we already had a clear example of the terrific enthusiasm of the racing fans in the Eifel when Nick drove a few demo laps around the Nordschleife in a modern F1 car before tens of thousands of spectators. It was the first time in 31 years that anything like this had happened - a unique experience we will all enjoy looking back on.

The home race on the Nürburgring also gives us time for an interim appraisal. We have every reason to be satisfied with what we have achieved so far. Our goal for 2007 was to make it onto the podium on our own merit. Nick already managed that in Montreal with his second place, at the same time claiming our best individual result so far. I am confident this will not be our last podium finish this year. We have clearly established ourselves as the third strongest team and we have no intention of relinquishing that position during the remainder of the season. For 2007 we have already notched up 56 points. Last year we finished the season with 36. We have come away from every Grand Prix with points.

I'm particularly pleased with all of this since we haven't yet completed our two-year development phase. The Hinwil factory extension won't be ready until the end of the year: that's when we will be operating at full power. I am convinced that the route we have chosen is the right one."