BMW Sauber - Chinese GP Preview - Expectation to back in front runners

The caravan moves swiftly on: this weekend will see the fourth round in the 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship, held in the desert kingdom of Bahrain. The Sakhir venue holds good memories for BMW Sauber, as it was there that Robert Kubica gained the first ever pole position for the team a year ago.

Last Sunday's race at the rain-soaked Shanghai track was one to forget, with neither Robert Kubica nor Nick Heidfeld gathering any points for their team. In Kubica's case, he was lucky to even reach the finish line following his hard impact in the heavy spray against Jarno Trulli's Toyota.

BMW Sauber expects to turn things around in their favour when the action resumes at the Bahrain International Circuit this week-end, despite the ambient heat and windy conditions which blow sand back onto the track. The team should benefit from its relatively recent knowledge of the venue after testing there in February.

Robert Kubica:
"I am looking forward to going to Bahrain. Overall I really like the track, although it is not really challenging. The Bahrain International Circuit has a couple of long straights and three characteristically low-speed corners that require heavy braking. Wind can play an important role in Sakhir as it influences the balance of the car. Also, the wind blows sand onto parts of the track, which leads to changing grip conditions. Luckily we had the chance to test the F1.09 car in Bahrain in February, although weather conditions were unstable and windy then. Last year we performed quite well in Bahrain – after securing pole position in qualifying I managed to finish the race on the podium."

Nick Heidfeld:
"I enjoy driving in Bahrain. I like the modern complex and the circuit. The section from the fifth to the penultimate corner is particularly well designed. This time I'll be again arriving quite early to allow time for my fitness training.

It will be interesting to see what the weather brings. Usually the climate in Bahrain has been very pleasant, but we've also had incredible heat, and during winter testing there was a huge sandstorm."

Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director:
"In Bahrain we aim to bring the first major overseas stint to a positive end. It also marks the end of the second set of back-to-back races within five weeks. We look back on the previous Bahrain Grand Prix with satisfaction: in 2008 Robert gained his first ever pole position with the BMW Sauber F1 Team, achieving another milestone. After our appearance in Shanghai we are now heading for another region that is important to BMW."

Willy Rampf, Head of Engineering:
"The Bahrain circuit demands a compromise when it comes to aerodynamic set-up. On the one hand the many slow corners require a high level of downforce, while on the other the exceptional breadth of the track encourages the drivers to overtake, which means we can't leave maximum speed out of the equation. With the low-speed corners, traction and brake balance play a major role. Brake wear on this circuit is particularly high, especially in the turn after the start-finish straight and in Turn 4."

"At night the wind regularly sweeps sand onto the track. Generally conditions improve as the day goes on, but tyre wear can nevertheless be fairly high on account of the sand. That is an important factor for the race strategy."