BMW Sauber F1Team Malaysian Grand Prix. 21st – 23rd
March 2008
2nd of 18 World Championship races.
The BMW Sauber F1 Team heads for a home event this coming
weekend, exactly 9,778 kilometres distant from Munich and
10,012 kilometres from the Swiss headquarters at Hinwil: the
Malaysian Grand Prix is held under the sponsorship of the
team’s premium partner, Petronas.
Nick Heidfeld: “For years now the
Malaysian Grand Prix has been rather a special race for me.
Petronas, of course, was already a partner of Sauber when
I was driving for them from 2001 to 2003, and we used to do
promotional tours around the country. As a Formula One driver
you usually don’t get to see much beyond airports, hotels
and race tracks as there simply isn’t the time to get
to know a country and its people. But in Malaysia I’ve
already managed to get around quite a bit and I feel very
much at home there. It always takes a while to get acclimatised
to the combination of heat and high humidity, but that’s
never been a problem for me. The circuit is an attractive
and challenging one. Last year I had a great race in Sepang
and finished fourth. I managed to get past Felipe Massa and
kept the Ferrari in check behind me.”
Robert Kubica: “I’m looking
forward to the race in Malaysia because Sepang is a very challenging
track which I’m fond of. Of course the climatic conditions
are at the extreme end, which makes it even more of a challenge.
But fortunately we already had very high temperatures in Melbourne,
so we’ve had a bit of a chance to adjust. Last year
our car was very competitive, but for me pretty much everything
went wrong. So I still have a score to settle in Sepang. The
Malaysian Grand Prix is a very special race for us on account
of our partner Petronas. We have a lot of fans rooting for
us there.”
Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director:
“No sooner have we ticked off the season opener in Australia
than Malaysia is already beckoning. This Grand Prix is a kind
of home race for us. Since 2006 we have experienced the sheer
charisma that our premium partner Petronas has in Malaysia.
The euphoric welcome extended to our team in this country
is a fantastic experience every time, and the various events
held at the foot of the Petronas Twin Towers have always exerted
a magnetic pull. As part of its Asia strategy, the BMW Group
has ramped up its involvement in Malaysia over recent years.
The race in the Greater Kuala Lumpur area is an important
grand prix for both BMW and Petronas. “Following the
unexpectedly hot battle in Melbourne, we now head for the
steam bath of Sepang. Not only are temperatures above 30°
Celsius, but humidity levels are also extremely high due to
the proximity to the equator. Consequently, we are looking
ahead to this test of endurance with bated breath.”
Willy Rampf, Technical Director: “The
race in Australia has given us a first pointer as to where
the individual teams stand, but no more than that. That’s
because the Albert Park circuit with its distinctive characteristics
is not very representative. And so I believe we won’t
get a reliable picture of the true balance of power until
after the Malaysian Grand Prix. Due to its many differing
corners, Sepang makes huge demands on the set-up of the cars.
The slow sections require plenty of traction, while BMW Sauber
F1Team high stability levels are crucial particularly for
the many fast corners. Good aerodynamic efficiency is another
essential. In Sepang, moreover, the rear tyres come in for
a great deal of punishment, which will be exacerbated further
by the absence of traction control.”
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