Formula One news

Heidfeld: BMW not there yet

Nick Heidfeld has cooled hype that himself and BMW are ready to challenge for championship titles by saying that there is still a long way to go.

The BMW Sauber team topped a lot of the winter tests and backed this up with a strong showing in Melbourne - third and fifth fastest in qualifying and fourth place in the race for Heidfeld. However, the German, whose best result is second, believes that it will be tough catching Ferrari and McLaren.

"Ferrari are way ahead, then comes McLaren, and then us and Renault," the 29-year-old told f1.com.

"We are not ready yet. Let's not forget where we are coming from - a little over a year ago we were holding eighth position in the constructors' championship!

"This year Ferrari will hold the key to any race win. Only if they are afflicted by malfunction or unexpected problems will we be able to beat them. McLaren to date is the second power, and we also face a shortfall compared to them," he said.

The BMW Sauber team is only in its second year and the way in which BMW has taken the Hinwil-based operation to the sharp end of the grid has impressed many critics. Its faith in young talent such as Robert Kubica and Sebastian Vettel has also seemed to pay off and made its progress all the more praiseworthy.

"Should we really be able to establish ourselves as the third power in the course of the season, then this would be a sensational result for our young team," he added.

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