BMW Sauber F1 Team - Australian Grand Prix - Preview.
1st of 17 World Championship rounds
Following intensive track testing at Valencia, Barcelona,
Jerez and Bahrain, the BMW Sauber F1.07 is now set for its
first race of the year. The BMW Sauber F1 Team exceeded expectations
in its debut season to finish fifth in the constructors' world
championship in 2006. The team's aim for 2007 is to record
more podium finishes on merit and further reduce the distance
to the top of the constructors' standings. Last year, the
gap between fifth place and fourth alone was 50 points.
Race drivers Nick Heidfeld (29) and Robert Kubica (22) will
be joined at the circuit on Friday mornings by test and reserve
driver Sebastian Vettel (19). On the Friday, the teams can
now each make use of two 90-minute testing sessions, with
a maximum of two cars per team allowed on track per session.
In all, each team has eight sets of tyres at their disposal
on the Friday (four of each specification), which must then
be handed back. On the Saturday each driver has ten new sets
(five of each specification) for the remainder of the weekend.
The teams can change engines once again ahead of Saturday
practice, with maximum engine speed limited to 19,000 rpm
in 2007. The engines have to last for two race weekends, as
before.
In the race itself, the teams have to use both specifications
of the new standard Bridgestone Potenza tyres. The different
specifications will be given markings to allow the spectators
to see which tyres each team is running at any time. This
strategic challenge adds a further unknown to the mix in the
run-up to a season which seems set to provide unprecedented
levels of excitement on the back of numerous changes to personnel
and equipment.
Nick Heidfeld:
"Australia is my favourite country on the Formula One
calendar to travel to. I flew straight out there with my family
from the test in Bahrain to have a look at a few things and
get used to the time zone and climate. The Albert Park circuit
is nice to drive, but also a demanding one for the drivers.
Because it isn't a permanent race track, there isn't much
grip at the start of the weekend. So it will help that the
cars will spend more time on the track on the Friday, as extra
rubber will quickly be laid down on the asphalt. We were pretty
quick in testing, but unfortunately not that reliable, so
for us the most important thing in the first race of the season
will be to get to the finish."
Robert Kubica:
"Albert Park is one of my favourite tracks, as it is
partly a street circuit. There are also a few run-off areas,
and that makes it slightly easier. There isn't much grip,
but it is quite bumpy. Conditions improve enormously over
the course of the weekend. You have to make changes to the
car and understand how it is going to react. I like the circuit
a lot, it's a challenge. Tight corners and full-throttle sections
follow one after another."
Sebastian Vettel:
"I've never been to Australia and I'm very much looking
forward to being in Melbourne with the team and getting out
on the track. The circuit certainly looks interesting. The
beginning of the season is extremely important - a lot of
things are easier if you get off to a good start. We've shown
in testing that we definitely have potential, but we've also
had one or two difficulties. Like the team as a whole, I'm
just pleased that it's finally time to go racing."
Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director:
"Last year we put in a very good performance in Albert
Park, and it would be nice if we had something to celebrate
once again on Sunday evening. As ever, it is difficult to
make predictions. Our rivals have been generous with praise
at times, but we also had a few problems in testing. As always,
it is a race against time to get the car ready for the first
race of the season.
We are pleased to see that Melbourne is once again the first
race on the calendar in 2007. The race this year will take
place two weeks earlier than in 2006, i.e. in late summer
rather than autumn. The city will be hungrier for the grand
prix again, as this time round it has not just played host
to a Common¬wealth Games."
Willy Rampf, Technical Director:
"The tension ahead of the first race of the season is
always particularly high, of course, because you're waiting
to find out how you shape up against your rivals. The last
test in Bahrain showed that the performance of the F1.07 meets
our expectations, but we'll still only be able to make a reliable
assessment of our progress once we get to Melbourne. Added
to which, we will have one or two new parts on the F1.07 in
Australia, which we hadn't introduced in the last test. I
have to admit that my sense of anticipation is even greater
than usual.
Melbourne is a stop-start kind of circuit with high levels
of downforce - and that places the brakes under serious loads.
We will therefore focus heavily on braking stability when
it comes to car set-up. Another typical feature of Albert
Park is that the track is still fairly dirty on the Friday
and grip only really improves after a significant number of
laps."
Dates and events:
On Tuesday 13th March a group of Formula One drivers, including
Nick Heidfeld, Alexander Wurz, Scott Speed and the organiser
of the event Mark Webber, will be lining up with Australian
tennis greats Paul McNamee, Jason Stoltenberg and Richard
Fromberg in a tournament being held for a good cause. The
doors will open at the Albert Reserve Tennis Australia Facility
(on the corner of St Kilda Road and Hanna Street) at 16.30
hrs, with the action getting underway at 17.15 hrs. Tickets
cost ten Australian dollars and all proceeds will be donated
to Webber's foundation for children in need. Further details
are available from Richard Chapman at sparkimpact, mobile
phone no.: +61 417 393237.
On Wednesday 14th March, test and reserve driver Sebastian
Vettel will be getting involved in some fun and games with
Official Corporate Partner Intel. From 13.00 to 14.30 hrs
he will be found on the business end of a games console in
Myers Department Store in the city centre. From 14.00 to 14.30
hrs he will also be available for interviews. From 16.00 hrs
Vettel will then be battling for supremacy in the Intel game
"Live for Speed" against Australia's computer game
world champion on the simulator in Luna Park. Media representatives
are also welcome to attend. Further details are available
from Anna Torres, Public Relations Manager Intel Australia
Pty Ltd, phone no.: +61 413 115 664.
History and background:
2007 will see Melbourne host its 12th Australian Grand Prix.
Up until 1995 the race had been held in Adelaide.
Melbourne is Australia's second-largest city after Sydney,
with a population of almost 3.4 million. It lies at the eastern
end of the continent's south coast and is the capital of the
State of Victoria. The city lies at the point where the Yarra
River empties into Port Phillip Bay. Melbourne has many faces
and is extremely multicultural, its 21st-century profile shaped
by immigrants and students from all over the world, as well
as a fascinating architectural mix of historical and modern
buildings. The St Kilda district offers a thriving beach-
and nightlife, and Melbourne also boasts lush green sports
grounds and public parks. The Formula One circuit is right
in the middle of the city, running through the idyllic Albert
Park and around its lake. The teams find the pit area rather
too small, while to the observer it is relatively tranquil.
For BMW, the first race of its return to Formula One will
remain seared in the memory. It was the curtain-raiser of
2000 and saw Ralf Schumacher finish third in Melbourne. A
podium place from the word go marked the most successful entry
into F1 for an engine manufacturer since 1967. In 2006, its
debut year, the BMW Sauber F1 Team collected more world championship
points in the Australian GP than at any other race.
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