The countdown for the F1.09 continues

By BMW Sauber F1 Team
January 15 2009

Here we will overview some of the most improtant moments of 2008, before the F1.09 is unveiled. Mission accomplished: last year the BMW Sauber F1 Team reached another important milestone: Robert Kubica celebrated the first victory for the team from Munich and Hinwil at the Canadian Grand Prix. Find out more in the third instalment of our preview series in the run-up to the 2009 roll-out.

In a Formula One season full of surprises, the BMW Sauber F1 Team was a model of consistency. As if setting out to reinforce the popular stereotypes of German thoroughness and Swiss precision, the young team swept through 2008 without a single technical retirement and notched up by far the most race laps and fastest pit stops of any team.

The BMW Sauber F1.08 racers were not only reliable, they also proved their mettle in performance terms. The highlights of the season were the one-two finish in Canada when Robert Kubica took the chequered flag ahead of team-mate Nick Heidfeld a year after crashing heavily at the Montreal track, Kubica's pole position in Bahrain and two fastest race laps courtesy of Heidfeld (Malaysia and Germany). Together, the BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers collected eleven podium trophies in what was the team's third season on the grid - up from two in 2007.

BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen gave a positive verdict on the season: "We are proud of our successful season and we have once again achieved our exacting goals. We set out to turn the two-horse race at the top of the standings into a three-way battle and to record our first victory. We reached this target much earlier than expected and even managed to do so with a one-two finish."

Heidfeld's season:

The BMW Sauber F1 Team will once again put its trust in Nick Heidfeld for the 2009 season. We've put together a review of his best results and most spectacular overtaking manoeuvres over the past three years.

6th August 2006: Nick claims the first podium finish for the BMW Sauber F1 Team, coming third at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

15th April 2007: Nick pulls off one of the most spectacular overtaking manoeuvres of the year at the Bahrain Grand Prix. On lap 32 of the third race of the season, the German outsmarts double World Champion Fernando Alonso and goes on to finish fourth.

10th June 2007: Nick crosses the line in Canada in second place. At the time, this is the best result in the history of the BMW Sauber F1 Team. The excellent performance is somewhat overshadowed by his team-mate Robert Kubica's spectacular crash.

23rd March 2008: Nick whips his fans at the Malaysian Grand Prix into a frenzy: he demonstrates his enormous driving talent in a double overtaking manoeuvre, passing both David Coulthard and Alonso on lap five. With a time of 1:35.366 minutes, he also set the fastest lap time for the first time in his career.

8th June 2008: Nick drives one of the best races of his career, and puts himself in with a great chance of victory. Only one driver is quicker: his team-mate Robert Kubica. Robert takes the chequered flag in Montreal as winner, wile Nick finishes second to complete a magnificent one-two for the team.

6th July 2008: Nick once again shows his ability in rainy conditions at the British Grand Prix, again overtaking two at a time: Timo Glock and Alonso can do nothing to stop him on lap 23, while Kimi Raikkonen and Heikki Kovalainen can only watch as Nick passes them four laps later. Nick finishes second at Silverstone.

20th July 2008: At the Hockenheimring, Nick claims the second fastest lap for the BMW Sauber F1 Team at the German Grand Prix.

7th September 2008: Three laps before the end of the Belgian Grand Prix, with rain setting in again, Nick goes for broke and switches to intermediate tyres, while the opposition remains on dry tyres. Nick ploughs through the field, moving up from eighth to second.

Kubica's season:

Robert Kubica created a little bit of history with his victory in Canada. We look back at the Pole's best races and most memorable moments for the BMW Sauber F1 Team.

6th August 2006: Robert makes his debut in motorsport's elite class at the Hungarian Grand Prix. Despite being disqualified after the race at the Hungaroring, because his car was under the minimum weight, he immediately impresses fans and experts.

10th September 2006: In only his third race, Robert finishes third at the Italian Grand Prix, claiming his first podium place in his Formula One career.

10th June 2007: Robert suffers a horrific crash on lap 27 of the Canadian Grand Prix, but walks away practically unscathed. The 24-year-old drives into the rear end of Jarno Trulli, takes off from the track and crashes at full speed into a concrete wall. The car flips over and is thrown back onto the track. After a break of just one race, the Pole is back in the cockpit for the French Grand Prix in Magny-Cours.

23rd March 2008: Robert is runner-up at the Malaysian Grand Prix in Kuala Lumpur - his best Formula One result at that time.

6th April 2008: Robert is the fastest man in the field during qualifying for the third race of the year in Bahrain, giving him pole position on the grid. He ends the race in third place. This was the first ever pole position for the BMW Sauber F1 Team.

8th June 2008: It is a case of "mission accomplished" for the BMW Sauber F1 Team in Montreal. At the Canadian Grand Prix, Robert secures the first race victory for the team from Munich and Hinwil. Team-mate Nick finishes second to complete the one-two.

12th October 2008: At the start of the Japanese Grand Prix, Robert pulls off one of the best manoeuvres of the season when he avoids the turmoil at the start to coolly move from sixth place into the lead. He ends the race at the foot of Mount Fuji as runner-up. In total Robert claimed seven podium finishes in 2008, ending the season in fourth place in the Drivers' World Championship on 75 points.