Assessment: BMW gets bogged down in the Bahrain desert

It had been a long time since BMW-Sauber had suffered so much in a race. The two drivers, Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica, finished last in the Bahrain Grand Prix, apart from Nakajima’s retirement. While their qualification place was already nothing exceptional, the BMW drivers collided in the first corner just after the lights went out. Their race effectively ended at that moment as a pit stop was mandatory.

In short, the German team experienced a more than disastrous weekend and is now turning to Europe where a new aero package should make its appearance at the Spanish Grand Prix in two weeks.

Robert Kubica – 18th:

« My race was screwed from the first corner. I was between Nick [Heidfeld] and another car, we touched each other and I destroyed my front wing. Then, after the accident, there was a bad communication with the team. After that, the race was very difficult and very long. We were really bad on all fronts. I hope we will make a step forward in Barcelona. »

Nick Heidfeld – 19th:

« The result is a disaster, even though we were unlucky with that collision in the first corner. At first, I thought my suspension was broken, but I changed my nose and continued the race. The first half was the hardest with the hardest tires, while the softer ones were easier to handle. It’s another race to forget, and we all hope improvements will come in Barcelona. »

Mario Theissen – Director of BMW Motorsport:

« We knew it would be another difficult weekend for us and it’s clear that an early race collision didn’t help. Both of our drivers made contact, and as a result, the race was practically over. During their pit stop, we gave them a lot of fuel with the hard tires. It was the only chance to get back in the race if the safety car came out. But, even scoring a point would have been impossible. We are now focusing on the next race in Barcelona where we will have new aerodynamic elements. »