Friday: Ongoing difficulties for BMW
Several issues are to be noted for BMW-Sauber on this first day of testing at the Silverstone circuit in England. Consequently, these reflect the drivers’ standings this evening. It was Robert Kubica who suffered today with an electronic problem in the morning and then an engine problem in the afternoon, which was quickly fixed. As […]
Several issues are to be noted for BMW-Sauber on this first day of testing at the Silverstone circuit in England. Consequently, these reflect the drivers’ standings this evening. It was Robert Kubica who suffered today with an electronic problem in the morning and then an engine problem in the afternoon, which was quickly fixed. As a result, he changed the engine to complete several laps. The Pole ultimately ranks beyond the top 10.
His teammate, Nick Heidfeld, did not have too many problems, but his positions this evening do not reflect great competitiveness. He achieved the 13th and 15th fastest times today. The German team plans to bounce back tomorrow.
Robert Kubica – 20th and 11th:
« It was a difficult day for me. In the morning, I had electronic problems with the car that prevented me from doing good laps. Then, at the start of the second session, the engine lost power. A big thank you to the mechanics who did a fantastic job in a very short time! So, I was able to do two runs without problem in the afternoon while testing different setups. »
Nick Heidfeld – 13th and 15th:
« For me, it was quite a normal Friday. I compared the tires and tested setups as planned. The track was very dusty and dirtier than usual, but it improved quickly during the session. That’s why it’s difficult to make a judgment on the changes to the car and the new front wing. I think it’s better and gives us more downforce. »
Willy Rampf – Director of Engineering:
« We started this race weekend with a new front wing delivered during the first session. The first impression is positive. Today, we focused on setup. Nick [Heidfeld] completed his program as planned but also did a long run in preparation for the race in the afternoon. Meanwhile, Robert [Kubica] lost some time for various reasons. During the first session, he had issues due to electronics. We changed the parts. In the afternoon, he reported a sudden loss of power. We immediately called him in, because we didn’t want to risk him stopping on track. The engine was changed in a record time of 35 minutes, and he was able to finish part of his program. »
