We exceeded our own targets - Theissen

Now that the 2007 Formula One season has also been wrapped up at a bureaucratic level for the BMW Sauber F1 Team, it is time to take stock. The Team exceeded all expectations in what was only its second season on the grid. Having garnered 36 points during its debut year in Formula One to finish fifth in the standings –a distant 50 points off fourth place –the team went on to become the third-strongest outfit in this season’s World Championship from the first grand prix on.

Nick Heidfeld notched up two podiums in 2007, finishing second in Canada and third in Hungary. The German took points from 14 of the season’s 17 races to secure fifth position in the drivers’ standings with 61 points, the best season result of his Formula One career so far. Robert Kubica completed 11 grands prix in the top eight, finishing sixth in the World Championship on 39 points. The Pole was forced to sit out the USA Grand Prix after suffering a serious crash in the preceding race in Canada. Both drivers made it into the top ten qualifying shootout on every race weekend of 2007, Heidfeld qualifying third-fastest on two occasions.

There was mostly very little to choose between Heidfeld and Kubica, and both drivers performed impressively in head-to-head battles under race conditions. In August the two drivers were confirmed for the 2008 season.

In the second year of its development phase, the team built the third-best car in Formula One with the BMW Sauber F1.07. Third place in the constructors’ standings was secured as early as September, and from this point on the team worked flat out on development for the 2008 season. To this end, a steady stream of improvements have been made to the team’s resources. By the end of the season the target personnel level for Hinwil of 430 employees had almost been achieved, while the extension to the factory is now ready for the team to move in.

BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen summed up a tough season in positive terms: “We exceeded our own targets, which makes us very proud. The penalty imposed on McLaren Mercedes may have promoted us to second place in the World Championship on paper, but that doesn’t disguise the fact that four cars were clearly faster than us in 2007. Closing the gap on these two teams will be a big challenge.”