Formula One news

BMW survives to the finish

The BMW team endured a tough and pointless race in Shanghai on Sunday. As Red Bull Racing scored a one-two result, BMW - which did so in Canada last year - were the last two cars not to be lapped, as the battle scared pairing of Heidfeld and Kubica finished an incident-packed race in twelfth and thirteenth positions.

Starting 11th, a chance for points remained for KERS-shod Nick Heidfeld, who is now seventh in the drivers' championship. "Of course I'm disappointed with the outcome of today's race, but at the same time I feel I should be grateful that I was able to finish it at all," he said afterwards. "The conditions, in terms of visibility and aquaplaning, were disastrous. In the beginning, after the safety car pulled off, my tyre pressures were too low so I struggled a lot. On lap 13 Timo Glock hit me, which caused damage to the car and certainly didn't help. However, close to the end of the race I had the chance to score one or two points, but then there was a lot of debris on the track, including a wheel, from Adrian Sutil's accident. I tried to find a way around it, but it was unpredictable which way it would go and it hit me - afterwards, the car felt very strange and I lost four places."

Kubica started his dramatic race from the pit lane

As his team-mate lost out as a result of somebody else's accident, Kubica provided the most spectacular moment of the race as he was launched up the back of Jarno Trulli's Toyota on the seventeenth lap. "Driving was very dangerous today," the Pole said. "We had aquaplaning nearly everywhere, and the lack of visibility was a disaster - there were quite a lot of situations when I couldn't see anything. All this also caused my heavy accident with Jarno Trulli; when Jarno braked into the corner, I hit some standing water. Although I hit the brakes very hard, the car still accelerated. I went quite high into the air after hitting his rear tyre, but fortunately nobody was hurt. After coming into the pits we had to change the front wing a second time, as I felt some vibration and massively lost grip. That ruined my race."

more news

• 25 Nov.
  • 'Fantastic opportunity' - Di Resta on Force India test
  • Recap: N.Technology court bid fails
  • BMW testers excited about Jerez
  • Brawn disappointed with Button drives, ponders Lauda
  • Piquet to drive in Massa kart race
  • Brawn aero chief wins award
  • Gillett disappointed with government position
  • Mercedes hopes to confirm line-up by Christmas
• 24 Nov.
  • Briatore verdict expected in January
  • Donington still hopeful over F1 race
  • Montreal race confirmation imminent
  • Massa names drivers for karting event
  • Campos car passes FIA safety tests
  • Strong test could seal drive, says Mallya
  • Force India to test di Resta and Hildebrand
  • Courts to hear Briatore case
  • Silverstone GP deal forthcoming
• 23 Nov.
  • GPUpdate TV: Sam Michael - building on 2009
  • Theissen waiting on entry decision
  • Mercedes delighted with Rosberg confirmation
  • Confirmed: Rosberg to Mercedes for 2010
  • Manor hoping to run in late January
  • Mercedes poised to announce first driver
  • Kobayashi: I expected to be re-signed
  • Nakajima future in Toyota's hands
  • Klien still hoping for 2010 seat
  • McLaren line-up will work, says Ecclestone
  • López: USF1 deal coming next week
• 22 Nov.
  • Photos: 2009 Toyota Motor Sports Festival
  • Vettel surprised by Button team switch
• 21 Nov.
  • Mercedes: No Schumacher drive with us
  • López close to USF1 deal
  • Options open for Bourdais
• 20 Nov.
  • FIA was using new teams, says Lola
  • Rossi and Newey to contest endurance race
  • Wolff: Worth of privateers on the up
  • Equity sale for 'private motives' - Williams
  • USF1 considering 12 drivers
  • Photos: SKUSA karting event, Las Vegas
  • Buemi and Schumacher to kart in Las Vegas

Homepage