Interview with BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen
“Taking a bold concept leap has paid off” How
do you review the situation after the first two races of the
season?
BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen: “Naturally
we’re extremely pleased with the way the season has
started off for us. Two second places by Nick and Robert in
Melbourne and Sepang, Robert on the front row of the grid
in Australia, Nick claiming the fastest race lap in Malaysia,
plus 11 points in one race and 19 in the championship –
that’s an outstanding achievement and a strong basis
for the coming races. It demonstrates we have been making
steady progress since the roll-out in mid-January. I wasn’t
just gratified by our good results, but above all by the performance
and pace we managed in both races.”
The BMW Sauber F1.08 didn’t come up to expectations
in the first tests. How did the engineers deal with that?
Theissen: “It was the first real acid test for our
young team. Since the first outing in Valencia the day after
the launch, we refused to be diverted at any stage and systematically
continued along our planned path. Measured data and driver
feedback were compared, causes analysed and a whole package
of measures adopted – with success. In the weeks following
the launch of the F1.08, we not only brought the car up to
speed but also learnt a great deal in the process. In retrospect
these were extremely productive and motivating weeks. Willy
Rampf and the entire team deserve a huge compliment for never
once losing sight of the goal even under extreme pressure.”
You mentioned a package of measures. What precise modifications
have been made to the car?
Theissen: “During the first tests we very quickly established
that the F1.08 is a far more complex car than its predecessor.
It wasn’t a case of an individual component in the car
not working. The key factor was that, in the first tests,
individual elements weren’t interacting with each other
perfectly. We rectified that step by step. It was a matter
of fine-tuning the overall package, which we managed to improve
through dozens of minor alterations. On the aero front we
optimised the interplay of the front wing, deflectors and
underbody, and in terms of mechanics, for example, we modified
the front suspension slightly. These are all changes you can’t
see but which all add up to a significant improvement in performance.
And, of course, with each test we were able to gather new
data that now enables us to find the right set-up for varying
conditions.” BMW Sauber F1Team
So will you be pitching your season target higher now?
Theissen: “There’s no call for that really. Our
goal is to close the gap to the leaders and win our first
race. That’s a fairly ambitious goal and we’re
sticking to it. In the first two races we managed to open
up the two-way battle. We were faster than one of the two
top teams on each occasion. But one shouldn’t draw any
premature conclusions. We’re still not on a par with
Ferrari and McLaren-Mercedes. However, the latest results
are certainly a great incentive for everyone. The clear message
to the workforce is: we can make it.”
How much potential remains inside the BMW Sauber F1.08?
Theissen: “We’ve still got several arrows in
our quiver and certainly haven’t exhausted our entire
potential yet. The next major step is planned for the European
curtain-raiser in Barcelona. For us one thing is clear: risking
a major concept leap in the winter has paid off. Now it’s
up to us to systematically continue along the path we’ve
embarked on.” How do you rate the performance of your
two drivers? Theissen: “Both of them have delivered
what we expect of them. Not just in the two races, but prior
to that during the important testing work over the winter.
Both of them have prepared single-mindedly for the new season.
And both of them have got what it takes to claim the first
win for our team. They also know that it takes more than just
a few fast laps. The drivers are leaders within the team and
have a huge impact on the team spirit and the ongoing development
of the car. Both of them are bringing this awareness into
play, and I am very happy with the results so far.”
How did you fare with the standard electronics in the first
two races of the season?
Theissen: “There was the occasional hiccup, but that
was down to the fact that the application had not yet been
perfected and was unrelated to the basic software. There were
no malfunctions that might have threatened to end the race
or compromise driver safety.”
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