BMW satisfied with great qualifying result

For the Italian Grand Prix at the Monza track the BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers will be starting at the front of the grid with the McLarens and Ferraris. However, here on the Italian team’s home track, Nick Heidfeld managed to qualify fourth, ahead of a Ferrari. Robert Kubica will start the race from sixth spot on the grid.

Nick Heidfeld: BMW Sauber F1.07-08/BMW P86/7 Qualifying: 4th, 1.23.174 min (3rd Practice: 4th, 1.22.855min) “I am happy to be on the second row of the grid and I have a good feeling for the race. On my final lap I made a small mistake in the last corner, perhaps it cost two tenths of a second, but the gap to third is six tenths so in the end my mistake didn’t really make a difference. Normally I make good starts and hope it will be the case here as well, although I have to start on the dirty side of the track and, of course, the first corner has to be all right. It is a pretty long way to the first bend here, and you have cold brakes and very little wing, which we are not really used to. We all have to watch out.”

Robert Kubica: BMW Sauber F1.07-03/BMW P86/7 (T-car F1.07.04) Qualifying: 6th, 1.23.446 min (3rd Practice: 5th, 1.23.287min) “It was sort of business as usual, and we get used to this good position. We had the possibility, because of Kimi Raikkonen’s problems this morning, to stay in front of a Ferrari, and Nick managed to do it so it is good for the team. Happily I am in good shape for the race.”

Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director: “This was a great qualifying result for the team. Nick was able to finish fourth on his last lap – just in front of Kimi Raikkonen. Robert was also quick and, as expected, is in the top six. The pit stop strategy, with two cars immediately after each other, worked perfectly.”

Willy Rampf, Technical Director: "For the 13th time in a row we made it into the top ten in qualifying, and today it was quite easily. Our performance is good. I think we are in a strong position for the race."