British GP: BMW believes in its chances after Istanbul

BMW is one of the few teams without a factory in Great Britain, but that doesn’t prevent them from eagerly anticipating this race across the Channel. Indeed, two weeks ago in Turkey, and for the first time since the start of the season, the team scored points thanks to the performance of its own cars. It’s likely the new aerodynamic package, including the double diffuser, is responsible for this improvement.

It’s the same package, along with some new elements, that BMW will bring to the Silverstone circuit. Confidence is therefore high for this British Grand Prix. The drivers are also looking forward to the event since Nick Heidfeld has a second place to defend (2nd position in 2008). As for Robert Kubica, he scored his first points of 2009 in Istanbul and doesn’t intend to stop there.

Robert Kubica – Racing Driver

I am looking forward to the Silverstone race. The British fans are incredible. It is a historic place in motorsport and you can feel a special atmosphere. Usually, the weather is quite unpredictable at Silverstone. The wind plays an important role, especially in the fast corners, where it can affect the car’s behavior. Driving on this circuit is a real challenge. The first sector is very fast with some quick corners. I think Silverstone could be a track that suits our car.

Nick Heidfeld – Racing Driver

« I have always loved driving at Silverstone. I first raced here in Formula 3000, then I covered a lot of kilometers at the start of my career when I was a Formula 1 test driver. Despite the number of laps completed, for some reason, it is not one of my favorite tracks, unlike Budapest or Suzuka. Last year, the Silverstone race was great. With typically English weather, we made the right tire choice, which allowed me to overtake several cars to finish second. »

The first sector at Silverstone is fantastic, very fast and very special. I would be really disappointed if Silverstone were removed from the calendar. I’ve never found the circuit aging. Traditional, yes, but not outdated. Besides its wonderful corners, the atmosphere there is very special and it would be a huge loss for the sport.

Mario Theissen – BMW Motorsport Director:

« By going to this British Grand Prix, we are well aware that we still have a lot of work to do. However, we can benefit from our performance in Istanbul. We installed a double diffuser for the first time in Istanbul. Our car was fast enough to score points thanks to our own performance. Of course, no one on the team is satisfied with this result, but we will use it as a foundation for the upcoming races. »

We have increased our development speed and will arrive at Silverstone with new components. From now on, we will introduce significant improvements on the car every two to three races. These will include new development stages of the double diffuser. We are still far from the end of the 2009 season.