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Kubica secures podium in Valencia
By BMW Sauber F1 Team
August 25 2008
In the first European Grand Prix in Valencia, Robert Kubica secured third place for the BMW Sauber F1 Team. Nick Heidfeld, however, who encountered a difficult Grand prix, finished ninth and therefore had to leave Spain empty-handed. The inaugural race on the new "Valencia Street Circuit" proved to be an uneventful one - apart from a blown engine encountered by Ferrari's Kimi Räikkönen.

In theory, the circuit offers numerous overtaking opportunities, but as the entire track, off the racing line, was covered by sand and dust, overtaking turned out to be virtually impossible.

At the start, Robert, who started on the clean side of the track, defended his third position while Nick wasn't that lucky. The German had to start from the dirty side and consequently was unable to fend off Williams' Nico Rosberg who passed him for eighth.

Afterwards, both BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers quickly found their rhythm and experienced no problems whatsoever. Robert wasn't quite able to match the pace of the two drivers ahead of him - Ferrari's Felipe Massa and McLaren's Lewis Hamilton - but on the other hand, he had no difficulties when it came to keeping the cars behind him at bay.

The Pole made his two pit stops on laps 18 and 41 and both times he was back in third position once everybody had made their stops. Following his second stop, Robert wasn't  involved in any battles and therefore focused on making no mistakes in order to secure another podium for the BMW Sauber F1 Team. In the end, he added another six World Championship points to his own and the team's tallies.

Meanwhile, Nick's race proved to be slightly more difficult. The German started on a heavier  fuel load than his team-mate and therefore lost ground before he came in for his first stop on lap 23. As a result, he dropped back to tenth, behind Toyota's one-stopper Timo Glock, and with overtaking being virtually impossible he had a tough time making up the lost ground.

The situation didn't change following Nick's second stop on lap 42, and the German seemed to be on the way to finishing tenth. On lap 46, however, Kimi Räikkönen suffered an engine failure and the German moved up one position to secure ninth place. 

Nonetheless, the BMW Sauber F1 Team leaves Valencia with its confidence boosted following Robert's third place and can hope for another great race in two weeks time at Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium.

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