The situation prior to the Brazilian Race

By BMW Sauber F1 Team
October 22 2006

Just a few more hours to go until the battles for the 2006 Drivers' and Constructors' Championships will be over. When the Brazilian GP will be contested we will also know if the BMW Sauber F1 Team succeeded in securing fifth position in the constructors' classification in its debut season.

- Currently, the BMW Sauber F1 Team has got 36 points on its tally and holds fifth position in the Constructors' Championship, with Toyota following just one point behind. Despite their promising eighth and ninth grid positions, Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica probably will have to face a thrilling battle with their direct opponents, Ralf Schumacher and Jarno Trulli, at Sao Paulo.

- Nick shares fourth row on the grid with his compatriot Ralf Schumacher. Therefore, you may expect a first showdown between the BMW Sauber F1 Team and Toyota when the lights go off. Trulli will start the race from third grid position, while Robert stands on row five, next to Michael Schumacher (Ferrari).

- Robert is going to contest his maiden Brazilian Grand Prix this Sunday, while Nick celebrated his first major F1 success at the"Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace" by finishing third back in 2001. In the four other Brazilian Grands Prix contested by the German he never made it to the finish line - and last year, he missed the race due to an injury.

- Eighth grid position is the best Nick has achieved in Brazil so far. Twice, in 2001 and 2002, he qualified ninth.

- Both Nick and Robert already secured a podium finish this season. Nick finished third in the Hungarian Grand Prix, with Robert clinching the same result in Italy.

- The 2006 Brazilian Grand Prix will start at 14:00hrs local time (18:00hrs BST). The 71 race laps of the 4.309-kilometre track represent a total mileage of 305.909 kilometres