21/10/2007
NEWS STORY
The BMW Sauber F1 Team has ended the 2007 season on a high at the final race of the season in Brazil. Not only did both cars cross the finish line at Interlagos in the points, with Robert Kubica fifth and Nick Heidfeld sixth, but kept up its one hundred per cent record of scoring in each race of the season. As if that was not enough for the young team to celebrate in only its second season, its tally of points has reached the impressive total of 101.
Robert Kubica: The race started pretty well, especially after my problem in qualifying. I had to push right from the start because of my three stop strategy. Everything was going all right until I got the call to reduce the rpm of the engine because the temperatures were too high. Then when I was behind Nico Rosberg I was losing a lot of time each lap. In the last ten laps I was having lots of problems with the tyres and I was just trying to keep the car on the track. In the end if was a good season for the team.
Nick Heidfeld: We have cracked the hundred points' milestone, and it was a fantastic season. At the start Robert passed me, as he had the advantage of a lighter car and the clean line on the grid. During the race graining was an issue with the front tyres as well as the rear tyres, and this resulted in a couple of mistakes, but this must have been the case for everybody. But still in the final stint I was fourth until Nico Rosberg outbraked me. The manoeuvre was hard and on the limit, but if I had not opened the door we would have crashed. We both went on the dirt a little bit and Robert squeezed through. At the very end I was faster than him again but couldn't go by. I find it unbelievable that Kimi Räikkönen has won the World Championship.
Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director): First of all congratulations to Kimi Räikkönen who won the world championship title in a real thriller today. For our team it was a great finish to a very good season. With positions five and six we reached the 100 point mark in the final race and scored almost three times as many points as in the previous season. I would like to thank the drivers and the whole team – not only here at the track, but especially in Munich and Hinwil. With this we have created a good basis for the coming season.
Willy Rampf (Technical Director): For us it was a very good ending to the season which gave us 101 points in only our second season with the BMW Sauber F1 Team. We went into the race with two different strategies – Robert with an aggressive three stopper, Nick with two stops. Both paid off well. Compliments to the whole team for the great job everybody has done during the season. Congratulations to Kimi Räikkönen who was crowned champion in a very dramatic race.
To check out our Brazil GP gallery, click here