Formula One news

Very mixed emotions for BMW

Very mixed emotions for the BMW Sauber F1 Team after the final qualifying of the 2008 season: While Nick Heidfeld made it easily into the top ten and qualified eighth for the Brazilian Grand Prix, Robert Kubica struggled with a lack of grip and dropped out in the second part of qualifying. The Pole only qualified 13th in Interlagos. 

"Qualifying was okay for me," said Heidfeld. "In Q3 I thought in the end I could have improved more than the three tenths of a second I managed from the harder to the softer compound, but I have to say it was a good lap and I just couldn't do any better. I really hope for a good race tomorrow." 

Robert Kubica commented, "This is obviously not the best position for tomorrow's race. This is the second weekend in a row that I have been struggling with the overall grip of the car. Starting from so far behind will make the race very difficult for me." 

BMW motorsport director Mario Theissen added, "Traditionally on this track the time differences in qualifying are very close. Sometimes five or six cars are within one tenth of a second. A driver who is not able to fully exploit the potential there and then will find himself on the back of the grid. We are not happy with our result and, especially for Robert, the situation is not easy for the race. He has been suffering from lack of grip throughout the whole weekend, and we did not completely solve the problem in qualifying. Nick did better and set the eighth quickest time. Only tomorrow when we get to the first set of pit stops shall we see what we can do from here."

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