By BMW Sauber F1 Team
October 22 2006

In an eventful 2006 Brazilian GP, the final round of the season, Fernando Alonso secured his second consecutive World Championship title by finishing second behind local hero Felipe Massa. The BMW Sauber F1 Team succeeded in defending fifth place in the Constructors' Championship. For Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica, the season finale turned out to be a race of mixed emotions. On the one hand, the team can be delighted with having defended its fifth position in the constructors' classification as both cars of its rival for fifth position, Toyota, had to retire early due to technical problems. On the other hand, neither Robert nor Nick succeeded in adding points to the team's tally.

Robert made a good start and defended his ninth position despite being passed by Michael Schumacher (Ferrari) on the first lap, while Nick was passed by Robert, Schumacher, Honda's Jenson Button and Pedro de la Rosa (McLaren), thus dropping back to 12th position.

Once again, the BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers made late pit stops, but this time, the strategy didn't help them to make up ground. Following his first stop on lap 27 from second position, Robert rejoined the race in ninth place and Nick, who pitted one lap later from fourth, rejoined eleventh, behind Vitantonio Liuzzi.

One lap later, the German passed Liuzzi but the move turned out to be crucial. The Italian closed the door and hit Nick's car, thus causing major damage to the BMW Sauber F1.06. On lap 38, Nick pitted for a new front wing but even this didn't improve the car's balance.

On lap 64, Nick was forced into retirement: He lost control when exiting the pit straight, spun of the track and hit the crash barriers.

Robert delivered a flawless race but had no chance of pressurising the cars in front of him, thus having to settle for ninth position and to leave the "Autodromo Carlos Jose Pace" empty-handed. At the end of the day, however, the BMW Sauber F1 Team could celebrate its fifth place in the Constructors' Championship. A better result than the team had hoped to be able to achieve when its maiden Formula One season kicked off in March.