BMW Sauber F1 Team - Australian GP

• 29.03.2009
• Press Release

 

Nick Heidfeld: 11th
BMW Sauber F1.09-04 / BMW P86/9 (KERS)
Fastest lap: 1:28.283 min on lap 48 (5th fastest overall)
“Today’s outcome to the race is extremely disappointing for me. I had such a good start and was able to make up positions straight away. My strategy was promising too. Then in the braking zone for the first corner I felt safe because when I looked there was no car next to me. I was in the middle of the track but suddenly I got a big bang. I had to pit for new tyres and a front wing, but the damage to the car was a lot more than that and driving with it was hopeless. I think at least the KERS helped me to defend my position with such a slow car. But in the end it didn’t matter much because who cares if you finish 11th or 13th.”

Robert Kubica: accident
BMW Sauber F1.09-03 / BMW P86/9
Fastest lap: 1:27.988 min on lap 36 (2nd fastest overall)
“What a disappointment! I had a chance to win this race because Jenson Button and Sebastian Vettel were on soft tyres and struggling, while I was on the harder compound and was able to drive much quicker. Sebastian went wide in corner one and then he braked early. I was already in front, but he didn’t want to let me by. Then he had a lot of understeer and touched me. My front wing was under the car, therefore I crashed in corner 5. I think Sebastian was a bit too optimistic. Had this been the last corner okay, but there were still three laps to go and he really had no realistic chance to defend his position because I was so much quicker. We both had a great weekend up to this point and we leave Melbourne with nothing. That’s a real shame! My car was very good, particularly in the second stint when I set the best lap times. That’s racing!”

Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
“As quite often happened in the past we had another race in Melbourne with a lot of drama. Nick’s hopes had already gone in the first corner. After a collision, which wasn't his fault, he was not only a long way behind, but also his aerodynamics were ruined, which made it impossible for him to catch up. Robert drove an excellent race and got himself up with the leaders in the final laps of the race. He was on the harder tyre compound, and had every chance to catch the two cars in front of him to win the race. The collision three laps before the flag ended the race for him and also for Sebastian Vettel, so both drivers lost a podium and points. On the positive side, I can say that today we were very fast on the harder tyres.”

Willy Rampf (Head of Engineering):
“This was a turbulent start to the season, particularly for our team. Nick lost his chances in the race immediately after the start following a crash, which was not his fault. Robert was even unluckier. First he was catching the leading cars. And then, just a few laps from the end, he was able to attack the frontrunners. Because of our tyre choice, Robert was on the harder compound on the last stint, unlike his competitors on the soft. At this stage our car was much quicker than the two leading ones. When Robert overtook Sebastian Vettel he was already in front when Sebastian touched him. This cost us second place or even the victory.”

 

BBC lucked in with all the rule changes, it looks as this could be a great F1 season.

 

Pressed red button after live transmission of the race, The F1 forum programme was worth watching, hope they do it every race.

 

So from me its a thumbs up

 

As it was not the BBC as host broadcasting, we can't blame them for the editor picking the wrong shot!

 

Well done done to Jenson, a great drive from him.

 

And no need to say but "Great Job Ross"

 

Worth getting up early for, so roll on next weekend

 

 

 

 

Statement from the FIA....

 

 

McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton has been disqualified from last weekend’s Australian Grand Prix after a second stewards’ investigation on Thursday decided both he and his team had provided ‘misleading' evidence during a hearing held after the Melbourne race.

Hamilton crossed the finish line in Australia in fourth, but was subsequently promoted to third after Toyota’s Jarno Trulli was handed a 25-second time penalty for passing his McLaren under the safety car during the race’s closing laps.

Stewards, however, decided to reinvestigate the incident after fresh evidence came to light and convened a second meeting in Sepang. After the hearing, the stewards issued the following statement:

“The Stewards having considered the new elements presented to them from the 2009 Australian Formula One Grand Prix, consider that driver No 1 Lewis Hamilton and the competitor Vodafone McLaren Mercedes acted in a manner prejudicial to the conduct of the event by providing evidence deliberately misleading to the Stewards at the hearing on Sunday 29th March 2009, a breach of Article 151c of the International Sporting Code.

"Under Article 158 of the International Sporting Code, the driver No 1 Lewis Hamilton and the competitor Vodafone McLaren Mercedes are excluded from the race classification for the 2009 Australian Grand Prix and the classification is amended accordingly."

In addition to Hamilton’s disqualification, Trulli’s penalty has been withdrawn and the Italian therefore regains his third place - and six world championship points.

In accepting the stewards' decision, McLaren issued the following press release, stating they have no plans to appeal:

"The FIA Stewards have reviewed their decision of Sunday 29th March 2009, and have excluded Vodafone McLaren Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton from the results of the 2009 Australian Grand Prix.

"Vodafone McLaren Mercedes understands that the Stewards made their decision on the basis of reviewing radio transmissions between the driver and the Team.

"The Team mistakenly believed that the radio transmissions had been reviewed by the FIA on Sunday 29th March 2009, and consequently did not believe it was necessary to discuss them with the Stewards on that date.

"Nonetheless, the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Team now regrets that it did not do so, accepts the Stewards' decision and will not appeal."