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The Story so far in the Brazil GP for BMW Sauber
By BMW Sauber F1 Team
October 30 2008
The 2008 season finale is close. Do you remember how did the BMW Sauber F1 Team perform in previous Brazilian Grand Prixs? Find it here, where you will find a details review of what happened in 2006 and 2007 .
2007 Brazilian Grand Prix.

The image of Brazil as a hot, sunny place could not have been further from the truth when the weekend started wet and cold. But the forecast was for a change and on Saturday and Sunday the sun shone and the temperature shot into the higher thirties. In qualifying it was business as usual with the team making it into the top ten for the 17th time in 17 races. Nick Heidfeld struggled in Q1 and Q2, but it all came right in Q3 and he was sixth fastest. It was the opposite for Robert Kubica as he was very quick in the first two sessions, but in Q3 on his last lap he had to overtake Fernando Alonso and going off line picked up dirt on his tyres. This caused him to lose valuable tenths so seventh was disappointing and not what the team wanted with a planned three stop strategy.

For the final race of the season Formula One put on a spectacular show for the fans with the BMW Sauber F1 Team playing an important part in it. Both Nick and Robert gave the team everything it had hoped for from this season finale. A good start for Robert meant he could fight with the leaders, passing Fernando Alonso on lap 33, and was lying fourth. Nick was also up there and in the closing laps both were fighting with Nico Rosberg. Unfortunately their tyres were going off badly and in the end he was able to finish ahead of them. However, fifth for Robert and sixth for Nick was cause for the team to celebrate as it had reached the tally of 101 constructors' points and kept up the hundred per cent record of scoring points in every race of the season. Contrary to what had been expected, Kimi Räikkönen not only won the race but also the Drivers' World Championship.

2006 Brazilian Grand Prix.

With both drivers making it through to the top ten qualifying session, achieving this for the seventh time in its debut season, the BMW Sauber F1 Team was in confident mood for the race. While it was disappointing that Nick ended up eighth and Robert ninth, the team knew the reason for this - Robert locked his tyres and could not use a second set while Nick had only just managed to sort out the balance of his car. Fifth place in the constructors' championship was the prize for beating Toyota in São Paulo so when both the Japanese team's cars retired after just ten laps the team was able to celebrate early. However, the rest of the race didn't go according to plan. While at one point Robert's car was in the points, the end result was ninth for the Pole. Nick retired six laps from the chequered flag after his car crashed into the barriers. Nevertheless, the BMW Sauber F1 Team was very satisfied with ist debut year.

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