By BMW Sauber F1 Team
September 14 2008

Robert Kubica secured another podium in the 2008 Italian Grand Prix for the BMW Sauber F1 Team by finishing third in Monza, while and Nick Heidfeld added to the success with his fine fifth place. Thanks to a good strategy and great performances from its drivers, the BMW Sauber F1 Team secured third and fifth in the 2008 Italian Grand Prix.

Apart from the Renault pairing, Fernando Alonso and Nelson Piquet, they were the only top-ten placed drivers who contested the race on a one-stop strategy. In the opening stages of the race, in heavy rain, their heavy fuel load cost them dearly, but in the end the risk paid off.  

Prior to the start: In the morning, the support races were held in relatively dry conditions but just in time for the Italian Grand Prix the rain returned. Consequently, the race is started behind the safety car. Toro Rosso's Sébastian Bourdais stalls his engine and is pushed to the pits. Consequently, Nick and Robert move up to ninth and tenth positions respectively.

With two laps completed, the safety-car returns to the pits and the race has started.

Lap 3: Pole sitter Vettel defends his lead. Robert passes Nick for ninth.

Lap 4: Kimi Räikkönen (Ferrari) and Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) pass Red Bull's David Coulthard for 12th and 13th respectively. Robert and Nick still ninth and tenth.

Lap 7: Toyota's Timo Glock spins while trying to pass Renault's Fernando Alonso - and is passed by Robert for eighth.

Lap 8: The rain has stopped falling.

Lap 9: Ferrari's Kimi Räikkönen passes Giancarlo Fisichella (Force India) for 11th. He now lies some three seconds behind Nick. . 

Lap 10: Hamilton passes Fisichella at the end of the pit straight.

Lap 11: Hamilton passes Räikkönen for 11th and starts closing in on Nick.

Lap 14: Hamilton currently is the quickest man of the race. He passes Nick for 10th while Robert is pressurised by Glock. 

Two laps later, on lap 16, Hamilton passes Glock for ninth at the end of the pit straight and now starts pressurising Robert.

On the following lap, Hamilton passes Robert for eighth.

Lap 19: Race leader Vettel is the first of the top twelve to pit. The former BMW Sauber F1 team test and reserve driver rejoins in fourth. At the same time, Glock re-passes Robert for ninth. 

Lap 22: The current top three - McLaren's Heikki Kovalainen, Red Bull's Mark Webber and Ferrari's Felipe Massa - pit simultaneously to rejoin in sixth, ninth and twelfth. Nick is up to 10th, Robert up to 8th.

On lap 24, Nick is passed by Räikkönen for 10th.

Lap 26: Glock pits and rejoins 15th. Nick moves up to 10th, Robert up to 7th.

Lap 27: Toyota's Jarno Trulli and Räikkönen pit to rejoin the race 13th and 15th respectively. Nick moves up to eighth, Robert to sixth.

Lap 28: Hamilton pits from 2nd position. The World Championship leader rejoins in 10th. Both Robert and Nick gain another position to continue in fifth and seventh respectively.

Lap 29: Rosberg pits from third and rejoins in 14th. Robert now holds fourth position, with Nick having moved up to sixth.

Lap 30: Nick comes in for his only stop. The BMW Sauber F1 Team driver opts for intermediates and rejoins in 14th.

In the following laps, everybody follows the German's example and changes to intermediates

On lap 35, Robert comes in for his only stop and also changes to intermediates.

When all the top ten have come in for their stops, on lap 38 Robert and Nick hold third and fifth positions respectively, with Nick pressurising fourth-placed Alonso massively while under pressure from Massa.  

On the following laps, Nick succeeds in keeping Massa at bay but while doing so he loses ground to Alonso. At the end of the day, Robert and Nick both opt not to take any unnecessary risks and defend their positions instead.

Finish: Robert crosses the finish line in third position, thus giving the BMW Sauber F1 Team another podium finish and adding six World Championship points to his and the team's tally. Seven seconds behind the Pole, Nick takes the chequered flag in fifth, thus adding to the BMW Sauber F1 Team's successful Italian GP weekend.