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Image credits: BMW
In 2006, the newly formed team of BMW and Sauber was able to achieve an impressive fifth place in the constructor's championship title. Then, in 2007, the team looked good early on with either Nick Heidfeld or Robert Kubica coming in fourth place each of the first four races. These performances caused McLaren-Mercedes boss Ron Dennis to publicly announce he thought the team's performance was more the result of racing on lighter fuel loads than merely the team's improvements. Yet, out of those fourth place finishes there was one that made the Formula One world sit-up and take notice, and that took place at the Bahrain grand prix. In the late stages of the race Heidfeld pulled off an impressive pass on two-time world champion Fernando Alonso in his McLaren-Mercedes. And with that, BMW Sauber officially entered the title picture. The question stands, however, how high can BMW Sauber get and how fast?
Coming into 2008 there are many changes with which teams have to contend. Could these changes help BMW or could they prove to be a hindrance to the team's plan of being F1's best? The challenges that faced the team appeared daunting. Traction control is banned for 2008, as well as, many other electronic aids that have helped the cars stay glued to the track. With wheel slippage back in play for this season it was paramount BMW gave their drivers a well balanced and fast car to give the team any chance of fighting for any title. However, given last year's on-track performance it was obvious BMW would have a good platform to improve upon. Therefore, it is not inconceivable that this year's car would have minor only changes over last year's chassis.
Right away, the design team's tweaking can be seen. The design team has retooled a chassis with a narrower nose than the F1.07. The front wing is an area that constantly undergoes changes throughout the season, and so, it is not surprising that the F1.08 has a differently shaped front wing than that appeared on the F1.07 at its launch or at any time throughout last season. Last season's wing was more contoured with a more shapely spoon under the nose. This year's car has more of a box design incorporated into the front wing under the nose. The F1.07 was introduced last year with half-length upper-profile wings but was later dropped during the season. On top of this, at the time of the F1.07's launch, the front wing was only made up of a double-deck design. This too was abandoned during the season for the more popular tri-deck front wing design. Given the box-shaped spoon under the nose the leading edge on the F1.08 has a more pronounced gull-wing look. The tri-deck design has remained on the car's front wing. However, the most radical design feature found on the F1.08, and any other F1 car this season for that matter, is the addition of the 'wings' to the top of the nose. The team reshaped the camera housings on both sides to help direct the airflow toward these 'wings', which in turn, help direct airflow toward the radiators and the rear of the car. These 'wings' help with the stability of the car while not adding anymore downforce, and thus, drag.
Like its 2007 predecessor, the 2008 chassis utilizes the zero-keel design. This removes any obstructions underneath the nose bulkhead. This allows undisturbed air to strike the splitter directly under the driver that then directs airflow around the car. The suspension and wishbone design on the new car remains relatively unchanged from the F1.07. At the time of the unveiling, the F1.08's sidepod 'ears' were slightly enlarged over last year's design to help control the airflow around the sidepods. However, early on in the season BMW Sauber incorporated an integrated sidepod 'ear' and bargeboard design. This further aids in providing airflow control as the airflow is able to be routed from just behind the front wing all the way to and around the sidepods. This system helps the radiators to be most efficient while also limiting the drag, or buildup of airflow as it passes around the sidepods. The radiator inlets have further been refined, as they are pulled in tighter in at the bottom than that was incorporated on the F1.07. All of these improvements go to help improve stability of the car, which is of great paramount.
The sidepods have been pulled in tighter toward the rear as well, further aiding the airflow to the rear wing and out the back of the car. As a result of this, the chimneys have been altered, standing taller than they had last year. The chimneys have remained to help the hot air that builds up under the tight bodywork to escape. These chimneys are very important the first few races of the season since the first races normally take place at historically hot tracks. An obvious change to the car this season is the height of the head protection insert in the cockpit. While some teams have made more abrupt designs with the head protection insert, BMW Sauber has decided to still design a rather flowing insert to help reduce any drag the excess height creates.
At the time of the F1.07's launch last year the engine cowling was a rather tight and clean package, sporting only a very small dorsal style fin down the spine of the cowling. Early during last season the team installed the McLaren-Mercedes like 'bull-horns' to either side of the cowling. This design has remained on the F1.08, however, the engine cowling has been further tightened and designed with a more pronounced dorsal fin down the spine. The inclusion of this fin down the spine of the engine cover helps control the airflow at the rear, which helps with the stability at the rear of the car, especially under breaking. A feature added to the 2008 car is a mid-span wing that attaches to the T-wing from the engine cover. These winglets are normally attached at the trailing edge of the dorsal fin as can be seen on other cars like the Red Bull RBR4, Ferrari F2008 and the McLaren-Mercedes MP4-23. By placing this small wing about the middle of the car helps with load transfers, especially during breaking. By helping to control the airflow at this point in the car stability during braking and accelerating is improved.
The T-wing and rear-wheel flicks on the F1.08 have remained practically untouched from the F1.07. The rear-wheel flicks utilize a double-deck wing design to help provide stability, but also, to help with the flow of air over the rear wheels. Combined with the rear-wheel flick are shields that help with the flow of air by the rear wheels. The spinning wheels generate a lot of turbulence. To help prevent some of the airflow from impacting this turbulent air at the rear of the car, and thereby upset the balance of the car, shields are used. These help direct airflow inside and past the rear wheels directing the airflow out the back of the car between the rear-wing endplates.
The rear-wing itself does not use a pillar design like that on the Ferrari and McLaren-Mercedes chassis designs. Going the same route as its predecessor, the F1.08 uses the endplates to support the rear-wing. This system allows undisturbed airflow under the rear-wing and out the back of the car. This is another feature that helps maintain stability at the rear of the car. The rear-wing, too, remains rather simple. Where many teams are using dramatically contoured leading edges and wing designs the BMW Sauber wing is rather straight-forward. To help with airflow over the rear-wing two fences are employed. And like most teams' rear-wing endplates, the F1.08 has shark gill-like cuts to allow turbulent airflow built up between the endplate and of the airflow going over the rear-wings to spill out the sides, thus reducing drag-induced turbulence.
One of the other improvements upon the F1.08 includes the addition of 'shields' over the wheels. Introduced by Ferrari, the controversial 'shields' aid in extracting the incredibly hot air that builds up due to braking. But what makes these 'shields' so controversial is that they also appear to help aerodynamically. Wheel covers are banned under FIA regulations but these 'shields' technically aid braking, not aerodynamics. However, most teams have found these 'shields' do both, and so, BMW Sauber is just one of many other teams who have adopted them into their chassis package.
In only its second full season BMW Sauber, with its F1.07, solidified its place among the elite teams of Formula One. However, despite the team's great success throughout the 2007 season, the team went winless. Despite this fact, BMW Sauber looks poised to give the big two teams, Ferrari and McLaren-Mercedes, a run for the title. Building upon its successful predecessor, the F1.08 is BMW-Sauber's hopes to take the team that next and final step, a step that not only includes great finishes but also race wins and championship titles. And in fact, it would appear BMW-Sauber have stepped up to that next level as Robert Kubica and the team achieved its first ever race win at the Canadian grand prix. Ironically, the win for Robert Kubica came where he survived a horrific accident during the 2007 race in his F1.07. That's what is known as sweet redemption.
Going into 2007, the team management made it clear at its F1.07 car launch the team would not merely be happy with the fifth place the team achieved in its first full season as BMW-Sauber back in 2006. The team principals made it clear the team would push forward to become one of the major contenders for the driver and the constructor championships. Given the team's impressive performance last year, and the team's ability to build upon those results to even include a race win, it would appear there is another force amongst that of Ferrari and McLaren-Mercedes. The fact Robert Kubica had the lead in the driver's championship race appears to validate the team's work, the management's claims and, counter to Ron Dennis' beliefs, the car's performance.Jeremy McMullen
Coming into 2008 there are many changes with which teams have to contend. Could these changes help BMW or could they prove to be a hindrance to the team's plan of being F1's best? The challenges that faced the team appeared daunting. Traction control is banned for 2008, as well as, many other electronic aids that have helped the cars stay glued to the track. With wheel slippage back in play for this season it was paramount BMW gave their drivers a well balanced and fast car to give the team any chance of fighting for any title. However, given last year's on-track performance it was obvious BMW would have a good platform to improve upon. Therefore, it is not inconceivable that this year's car would have minor only changes over last year's chassis.
Right away, the design team's tweaking can be seen. The design team has retooled a chassis with a narrower nose than the F1.07. The front wing is an area that constantly undergoes changes throughout the season, and so, it is not surprising that the F1.08 has a differently shaped front wing than that appeared on the F1.07 at its launch or at any time throughout last season. Last season's wing was more contoured with a more shapely spoon under the nose. This year's car has more of a box design incorporated into the front wing under the nose. The F1.07 was introduced last year with half-length upper-profile wings but was later dropped during the season. On top of this, at the time of the F1.07's launch, the front wing was only made up of a double-deck design. This too was abandoned during the season for the more popular tri-deck front wing design. Given the box-shaped spoon under the nose the leading edge on the F1.08 has a more pronounced gull-wing look. The tri-deck design has remained on the car's front wing. However, the most radical design feature found on the F1.08, and any other F1 car this season for that matter, is the addition of the 'wings' to the top of the nose. The team reshaped the camera housings on both sides to help direct the airflow toward these 'wings', which in turn, help direct airflow toward the radiators and the rear of the car. These 'wings' help with the stability of the car while not adding anymore downforce, and thus, drag.
Like its 2007 predecessor, the 2008 chassis utilizes the zero-keel design. This removes any obstructions underneath the nose bulkhead. This allows undisturbed air to strike the splitter directly under the driver that then directs airflow around the car. The suspension and wishbone design on the new car remains relatively unchanged from the F1.07. At the time of the unveiling, the F1.08's sidepod 'ears' were slightly enlarged over last year's design to help control the airflow around the sidepods. However, early on in the season BMW Sauber incorporated an integrated sidepod 'ear' and bargeboard design. This further aids in providing airflow control as the airflow is able to be routed from just behind the front wing all the way to and around the sidepods. This system helps the radiators to be most efficient while also limiting the drag, or buildup of airflow as it passes around the sidepods. The radiator inlets have further been refined, as they are pulled in tighter in at the bottom than that was incorporated on the F1.07. All of these improvements go to help improve stability of the car, which is of great paramount.
The sidepods have been pulled in tighter toward the rear as well, further aiding the airflow to the rear wing and out the back of the car. As a result of this, the chimneys have been altered, standing taller than they had last year. The chimneys have remained to help the hot air that builds up under the tight bodywork to escape. These chimneys are very important the first few races of the season since the first races normally take place at historically hot tracks. An obvious change to the car this season is the height of the head protection insert in the cockpit. While some teams have made more abrupt designs with the head protection insert, BMW Sauber has decided to still design a rather flowing insert to help reduce any drag the excess height creates.
At the time of the F1.07's launch last year the engine cowling was a rather tight and clean package, sporting only a very small dorsal style fin down the spine of the cowling. Early during last season the team installed the McLaren-Mercedes like 'bull-horns' to either side of the cowling. This design has remained on the F1.08, however, the engine cowling has been further tightened and designed with a more pronounced dorsal fin down the spine. The inclusion of this fin down the spine of the engine cover helps control the airflow at the rear, which helps with the stability at the rear of the car, especially under breaking. A feature added to the 2008 car is a mid-span wing that attaches to the T-wing from the engine cover. These winglets are normally attached at the trailing edge of the dorsal fin as can be seen on other cars like the Red Bull RBR4, Ferrari F2008 and the McLaren-Mercedes MP4-23. By placing this small wing about the middle of the car helps with load transfers, especially during breaking. By helping to control the airflow at this point in the car stability during braking and accelerating is improved.
The T-wing and rear-wheel flicks on the F1.08 have remained practically untouched from the F1.07. The rear-wheel flicks utilize a double-deck wing design to help provide stability, but also, to help with the flow of air over the rear wheels. Combined with the rear-wheel flick are shields that help with the flow of air by the rear wheels. The spinning wheels generate a lot of turbulence. To help prevent some of the airflow from impacting this turbulent air at the rear of the car, and thereby upset the balance of the car, shields are used. These help direct airflow inside and past the rear wheels directing the airflow out the back of the car between the rear-wing endplates.
The rear-wing itself does not use a pillar design like that on the Ferrari and McLaren-Mercedes chassis designs. Going the same route as its predecessor, the F1.08 uses the endplates to support the rear-wing. This system allows undisturbed airflow under the rear-wing and out the back of the car. This is another feature that helps maintain stability at the rear of the car. The rear-wing, too, remains rather simple. Where many teams are using dramatically contoured leading edges and wing designs the BMW Sauber wing is rather straight-forward. To help with airflow over the rear-wing two fences are employed. And like most teams' rear-wing endplates, the F1.08 has shark gill-like cuts to allow turbulent airflow built up between the endplate and of the airflow going over the rear-wings to spill out the sides, thus reducing drag-induced turbulence.
One of the other improvements upon the F1.08 includes the addition of 'shields' over the wheels. Introduced by Ferrari, the controversial 'shields' aid in extracting the incredibly hot air that builds up due to braking. But what makes these 'shields' so controversial is that they also appear to help aerodynamically. Wheel covers are banned under FIA regulations but these 'shields' technically aid braking, not aerodynamics. However, most teams have found these 'shields' do both, and so, BMW Sauber is just one of many other teams who have adopted them into their chassis package.
In only its second full season BMW Sauber, with its F1.07, solidified its place among the elite teams of Formula One. However, despite the team's great success throughout the 2007 season, the team went winless. Despite this fact, BMW Sauber looks poised to give the big two teams, Ferrari and McLaren-Mercedes, a run for the title. Building upon its successful predecessor, the F1.08 is BMW-Sauber's hopes to take the team that next and final step, a step that not only includes great finishes but also race wins and championship titles. And in fact, it would appear BMW-Sauber have stepped up to that next level as Robert Kubica and the team achieved its first ever race win at the Canadian grand prix. Ironically, the win for Robert Kubica came where he survived a horrific accident during the 2007 race in his F1.07. That's what is known as sweet redemption.
Going into 2007, the team management made it clear at its F1.07 car launch the team would not merely be happy with the fifth place the team achieved in its first full season as BMW-Sauber back in 2006. The team principals made it clear the team would push forward to become one of the major contenders for the driver and the constructor championships. Given the team's impressive performance last year, and the team's ability to build upon those results to even include a race win, it would appear there is another force amongst that of Ferrari and McLaren-Mercedes. The fact Robert Kubica had the lead in the driver's championship race appears to validate the team's work, the management's claims and, counter to Ron Dennis' beliefs, the car's performance.Jeremy McMullen
The BMW Sauber F1 Team took delivery of the fastest car in the BMW range at BMW Welt in Munich. The team was presented with the BMW Sauber F1.08 against the futuristic backdrop of the brand's new vehicle delivery center. The presentation, which took place before an audience of several hundred media representatives from around the world, included a spectacular cameo from Nick Heidfeld. As the longest-serving F1 driver in the BMW ranks, the German took the new car for a spin inside the vast building. The serious testing, however, will begin with the roll-out of the car at the Valencia race circuit in Spain. The BMW Sauber F1.08 is eye-catching with its imposing front wing and extremely slim rear, and boasts a wealth of innovative technology.
The BMW Sauber F1 Team has completed its development phase, motivation is strong and its plans are ambitious: in what will be its third season on the Formula One grid the team is aiming to close the gap to the leading teams and has targeted a first race win. 'We're setting our sights high,' admits BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen, 'and we'll have to make further improvements in all areas to achieve what we want to. However, the past two years have instilled confidence within the team. We met our goals in both 2006 and 2007, we are heading in the right direction, and everybody in Munich and Hinwil is focused on the job in hand. If we continue our progress along this path we will also fulfil our aims for 2008.'
'It is generally very difficult to define expectations and make prognoses. But I hope that our plan works out and we are able to win our first race in 2008,' said Heidfeld, who once again accounted for the largest share of the points earned by the team in 2007 and finished on the podium twice. 'I expect us to move forward in all areas – particularly as far as reliability is concerned – and to learn from our mistakes. This development process is essential in what we're trying to achieve.'
The New BMW Sauber F1.08
For Technical Director Willy Rampf the philosophy behind the race car for the 2008 season boils down to what he calls 'evolutionary new development'. In other words, last year's car already provided the engineers with a sound basis for the BMW Sauber F1.08, and they did not have to spend time correcting faults. Instead they were able to use knowledge gained over the course of the 2007 season and channel their energies into the development of innovations which build on this basis.
The engineers' development work focused on achieving a high level of aerodynamic efficiency coupled with a stable aero balance: the lower the loss of downforce through corners, the faster the car can travel and the greater the confidence it gives the driver. Other development aims included improving mechanical grip in order to make the best possible use of the standard tires and reducing the weight of various components to allow maximum use of ballast in optimizing weight distribution.
A particularly eye-catching feature of the F1.08 is the mighty front wing. Having said that, the car's nose has actually slimmed down – in equal measure to the rear end. The narrower engine cover has been designed with all-new extra wing elements. Another new and immediately noticeable feature are the hub caps, or 'rim shields'.
Two changes to the regulations have had a major effect on the construction of the cars for the 2008 season: the introduction of standardized electronics (SECU) and the new running time stipulation for the gearboxes (developed in Munich), which must now endure over four grands prix. Since the SECU does not allow for traction control, among other functions, mechanical grip and sensitive accelerator control will gain in importance.
'The data which the F1.08 has delivered ahead of its roll-out is extremely promising,' says Rampf. 'The development work will continue at full speed up to the start of the new season. Indeed, another aero package will be added to the F1.08 at the forthcoming test, and this will also alter the external appearance of the car once again.'
Development Phase Reaches its Conclusion
The BMW Sauber F1 Team was consistently the third-strongest team in 2007 and finished the season in second place in the standings following the exclusion of McLaren Mercedes from the Constructors' World Championship. The team completed its debut season of 2006 in fifth place in the World Championship. Its drivers recorded two podium finishes in each of its first two years – three third places and one second place.
Alongside the unrelenting schedule of the race and testing calendar, the BMW Sauber F1 Team also had to focus on the development of the team in terms of personnel and logistics during its first two years on the grid. Rigorous expansion work has been carried out at its Hinwil base near Zurich since BMW took over the team on 1st January 2006. With its workforce having grown by some 150 people, the team moved into the new extension to the Swiss plant in late 2007. The development and construction of the entire powertrain still takes place in Munich – under the watchful eye of Markus Duesmann – next door to the BMW Research and Innovation Centre (FIZ).Source - BMW / Sauber
The BMW Sauber F1 Team has completed its development phase, motivation is strong and its plans are ambitious: in what will be its third season on the Formula One grid the team is aiming to close the gap to the leading teams and has targeted a first race win. 'We're setting our sights high,' admits BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen, 'and we'll have to make further improvements in all areas to achieve what we want to. However, the past two years have instilled confidence within the team. We met our goals in both 2006 and 2007, we are heading in the right direction, and everybody in Munich and Hinwil is focused on the job in hand. If we continue our progress along this path we will also fulfil our aims for 2008.'
'It is generally very difficult to define expectations and make prognoses. But I hope that our plan works out and we are able to win our first race in 2008,' said Heidfeld, who once again accounted for the largest share of the points earned by the team in 2007 and finished on the podium twice. 'I expect us to move forward in all areas – particularly as far as reliability is concerned – and to learn from our mistakes. This development process is essential in what we're trying to achieve.'
The New BMW Sauber F1.08
For Technical Director Willy Rampf the philosophy behind the race car for the 2008 season boils down to what he calls 'evolutionary new development'. In other words, last year's car already provided the engineers with a sound basis for the BMW Sauber F1.08, and they did not have to spend time correcting faults. Instead they were able to use knowledge gained over the course of the 2007 season and channel their energies into the development of innovations which build on this basis.
The engineers' development work focused on achieving a high level of aerodynamic efficiency coupled with a stable aero balance: the lower the loss of downforce through corners, the faster the car can travel and the greater the confidence it gives the driver. Other development aims included improving mechanical grip in order to make the best possible use of the standard tires and reducing the weight of various components to allow maximum use of ballast in optimizing weight distribution.
A particularly eye-catching feature of the F1.08 is the mighty front wing. Having said that, the car's nose has actually slimmed down – in equal measure to the rear end. The narrower engine cover has been designed with all-new extra wing elements. Another new and immediately noticeable feature are the hub caps, or 'rim shields'.
Two changes to the regulations have had a major effect on the construction of the cars for the 2008 season: the introduction of standardized electronics (SECU) and the new running time stipulation for the gearboxes (developed in Munich), which must now endure over four grands prix. Since the SECU does not allow for traction control, among other functions, mechanical grip and sensitive accelerator control will gain in importance.
'The data which the F1.08 has delivered ahead of its roll-out is extremely promising,' says Rampf. 'The development work will continue at full speed up to the start of the new season. Indeed, another aero package will be added to the F1.08 at the forthcoming test, and this will also alter the external appearance of the car once again.'
Development Phase Reaches its Conclusion
The BMW Sauber F1 Team was consistently the third-strongest team in 2007 and finished the season in second place in the standings following the exclusion of McLaren Mercedes from the Constructors' World Championship. The team completed its debut season of 2006 in fifth place in the World Championship. Its drivers recorded two podium finishes in each of its first two years – three third places and one second place.
Alongside the unrelenting schedule of the race and testing calendar, the BMW Sauber F1 Team also had to focus on the development of the team in terms of personnel and logistics during its first two years on the grid. Rigorous expansion work has been carried out at its Hinwil base near Zurich since BMW took over the team on 1st January 2006. With its workforce having grown by some 150 people, the team moved into the new extension to the Swiss plant in late 2007. The development and construction of the entire powertrain still takes place in Munich – under the watchful eye of Markus Duesmann – next door to the BMW Research and Innovation Centre (FIZ).Source - BMW / Sauber
BMW SAUBER F1 TEAM - ITALIAN GP - PREVIEWThe FIA Formula One World Championship's European season is heading flat out onto the home straight. On the agenda for the next weekend of 12th to 14th September is the high-speed track in Monza's Royal Park. Nowhere else do the F1 cars reach speeds in excess of 350 km/h. That is thanks to a special aerodynamic package with minimal drag and correspondingly low downforce. Engine power is also high on the wish list for the Italian Grand Prix, and both man and material are subjected to extreme loads during braking. To prepare for the event, the teams put in three days of testing in Monza at the end of August. For the BMW Sauber F1 Team, Nick Heidfeld took on testing duties for two days and Robert Kubica for one.
At last year's Italian GP the BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers finished fourth (Heidfeld) and fifth (Kubica). Kubica clocked the highest speed of all at 351.7 km/h. In 2006, the maiden year for both team and driver, the Pole was third in only his third grand prix to claim his first podium.
Nick Heidfeld:
'High speed will be the number-one issue in Monza. Currently there's no other Formula One track where we break the 350 km/h mark. Another extreme factor is how hard we ride the kerbs in the chicanes. Speed and tradition are the hallmarks of this circuit. In other respects it is unfortunately a bit dated. The Italian fans always ensure there's a special atmosphere at this Grand Prix.
'What is crucial in terms of performance is a good aerodynamic package that doesn't generate much drag. Nowhere else does the car carry as little wing, and our team normally does a pretty good job of providing us with this special aero package. Testing in Monza was encouraging, and I'm looking forward to the Italian Grand Prix.'
Robert Kubica:
'Monza is one of the most challenging tracks for the cars, as on the calendar it is where we drive with the lowest downforce level and the highest top speeds. The key factors in Monza are low drag, in order to reach the highest speeds possible without losing too much downforce, and good braking stability. The track is unique because of some very long straights where we easily reach more than 300 kilometres per hour. There are some really famous corners such as Parabolica, Ascari or Lesmo, and they are faster than the first chicanes. But you have to approach them braking heavily.
'For me personally, Monza is very special as I achieved my first podium there in 2006 in only my third Formula One race. To mark this special point in my career I will again have a slightly different helmet design in Monza. As I grew up as a driver in Italy, I know a lot of people there and quite a lot of Italian fans will be cheering for me. I also expect plenty of Polish fans to be there. I am really looking forward to the weekend.'
Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director:
'Monza is the classic engine circuit. Since the switchover to V8 engines, the full-throttle percentage per lap has risen to 70 percent. In 2007, Robert recorded the highest top speed of all the drivers in the Royal Park when he hit 351.7 km/h. While Nick will be racing in Italy with the same engine as in Spa, Robert's car is scheduled to be fitted with a new unit.
'So far Monza has been a rewarding venue for our team. In 2006, Robert had his first podium in what was only his third grand prix, and last year Nick and Robert took a nine-point haul to secure our second-best result of the season. For this year's Italian Grand Prix too, we have set our sights just as high.
'The 2008 race in Italy again marks the close of the European season, which has been very successful for the BMW Sauber F1 Team. So far in 2008 we have earned a total of nine podium places and celebrated a one-two in Montreal. It means we've achieved our season's target and established ourselves as one of the top three teams.'
Willy Rampf, Technical Director:
'I'm very much looking forward to the race in Monza as it is a special event every time. Monza is pure tradition and the only high-speed track left on the calendar. Because of the four long straights, you have to develop a special low-downforce aero package which enables high speeds on account of its low drag, and is only used in this one race.
'The challenge for the drivers and engineers is to find a mechanical set-up that guarantees good braking stability and allows for aggressive driving over the kerbs. That is absolutely essential to achieve good lap times. We were totally satisfied with our test in Monza, and we'll be heading for Italy in optimistic mood.'
History and background:
The history of the race track goes back to 1922, since when it has undergone repeated modifications with the aim of reducing its speed. 1935 saw the first chicanes set up, and in 1950 two banked curves were built, which have since crumbled. At one stage the circuit was ten kilometres long, and in this configuration hosted its last F1 event in 1961. That was the race in which Count Berghe von Trips had a fatal accident, which also killed 15 spectators. The Monza track has claimed lives on several occasions, but not for the last 30 years. That is due not only to the track modifications, but to a large degree to the high safety levels of the F1 vehicles.
Since the official launch of Formula One in 1950, this circuit inside a high-walled park has hosted more GPs than any other venue. 2008 will see the 58th F1 race to be staged here. Just one other Italian Grand Prix was held at another track, namely at Imola in 1980.Source - BMW
At last year's Italian GP the BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers finished fourth (Heidfeld) and fifth (Kubica). Kubica clocked the highest speed of all at 351.7 km/h. In 2006, the maiden year for both team and driver, the Pole was third in only his third grand prix to claim his first podium.
Nick Heidfeld:
'High speed will be the number-one issue in Monza. Currently there's no other Formula One track where we break the 350 km/h mark. Another extreme factor is how hard we ride the kerbs in the chicanes. Speed and tradition are the hallmarks of this circuit. In other respects it is unfortunately a bit dated. The Italian fans always ensure there's a special atmosphere at this Grand Prix.
'What is crucial in terms of performance is a good aerodynamic package that doesn't generate much drag. Nowhere else does the car carry as little wing, and our team normally does a pretty good job of providing us with this special aero package. Testing in Monza was encouraging, and I'm looking forward to the Italian Grand Prix.'
Robert Kubica:
'Monza is one of the most challenging tracks for the cars, as on the calendar it is where we drive with the lowest downforce level and the highest top speeds. The key factors in Monza are low drag, in order to reach the highest speeds possible without losing too much downforce, and good braking stability. The track is unique because of some very long straights where we easily reach more than 300 kilometres per hour. There are some really famous corners such as Parabolica, Ascari or Lesmo, and they are faster than the first chicanes. But you have to approach them braking heavily.
'For me personally, Monza is very special as I achieved my first podium there in 2006 in only my third Formula One race. To mark this special point in my career I will again have a slightly different helmet design in Monza. As I grew up as a driver in Italy, I know a lot of people there and quite a lot of Italian fans will be cheering for me. I also expect plenty of Polish fans to be there. I am really looking forward to the weekend.'
Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director:
'Monza is the classic engine circuit. Since the switchover to V8 engines, the full-throttle percentage per lap has risen to 70 percent. In 2007, Robert recorded the highest top speed of all the drivers in the Royal Park when he hit 351.7 km/h. While Nick will be racing in Italy with the same engine as in Spa, Robert's car is scheduled to be fitted with a new unit.
'So far Monza has been a rewarding venue for our team. In 2006, Robert had his first podium in what was only his third grand prix, and last year Nick and Robert took a nine-point haul to secure our second-best result of the season. For this year's Italian Grand Prix too, we have set our sights just as high.
'The 2008 race in Italy again marks the close of the European season, which has been very successful for the BMW Sauber F1 Team. So far in 2008 we have earned a total of nine podium places and celebrated a one-two in Montreal. It means we've achieved our season's target and established ourselves as one of the top three teams.'
Willy Rampf, Technical Director:
'I'm very much looking forward to the race in Monza as it is a special event every time. Monza is pure tradition and the only high-speed track left on the calendar. Because of the four long straights, you have to develop a special low-downforce aero package which enables high speeds on account of its low drag, and is only used in this one race.
'The challenge for the drivers and engineers is to find a mechanical set-up that guarantees good braking stability and allows for aggressive driving over the kerbs. That is absolutely essential to achieve good lap times. We were totally satisfied with our test in Monza, and we'll be heading for Italy in optimistic mood.'
History and background:
The history of the race track goes back to 1922, since when it has undergone repeated modifications with the aim of reducing its speed. 1935 saw the first chicanes set up, and in 1950 two banked curves were built, which have since crumbled. At one stage the circuit was ten kilometres long, and in this configuration hosted its last F1 event in 1961. That was the race in which Count Berghe von Trips had a fatal accident, which also killed 15 spectators. The Monza track has claimed lives on several occasions, but not for the last 30 years. That is due not only to the track modifications, but to a large degree to the high safety levels of the F1 vehicles.
Since the official launch of Formula One in 1950, this circuit inside a high-walled park has hosted more GPs than any other venue. 2008 will see the 58th F1 race to be staged here. Just one other Italian Grand Prix was held at another track, namely at Imola in 1980.Source - BMW
| Formula OneThe history of Formula One is quite an in depth story full of both prestigious triumphs and disastrous failures. Though the modern era of Formula One Grand Prix racing began in 1950, its history goes back even further, tracing back as far as the pioneering road races in France during the 1890's, the German domination of the early 1930's, and the post-war years of Italian supremacy. The foundation of Formula One began in 1946 with the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile's (FIA's) standardisation of rules. Non-championship Formula One races were held for many years, although the world championship has always been the main focus of the category. The last of these occurred in 1983 due to the rising cost of competition. In the 1960s and 1970s National championships existed in South Africa and the UK. At the beginning stages of racing, vehicles were heavy and upright, while the roads they competed on were tarred sand or wood. Drivers were accompanied by mechanics, races were generally performed on public roads in between towns, in a distance that was considered quite long by modern standards. In 1895 the first proper motor race was won by Emile Levassor with his Panhard et Levassor in a 1,200 km road race from Paris to Bordeaux in a total of 48 hours. In 1899 Fernand Charron, one of the most successful drivers of the early racing era, won the Paris-Bordeaux race, also in a Panhard at the impressive average speed of 29.9 mph. At the 1901's French Grand Prix at Le Mans, Ferencz Szisz, driving a Renault, won the first race that used the designation 'Grand Prix' while covering 700 miles at 63 miles per hour. The introduction of 'pits' came about in 1908 at the Targa Florio in Sicily. The 'pits' were shallow emplacements dug by the side of the track so mechanics could work on the detachable rims on early GP car tires. Racing cars of the early years were too heavy and fast for their tires. One such instance of a calamity was at the 1908 French Grand Prix at Dieppe, Christian Lauteschalnger, driving a Mercedes, shredded ten tires during the race. The large 4 1/2 liter Mercedes of Daimler-Benz commanded the French Grand Prix at Lyons in 1914 achieving 20 laps of 23.3 mile circuit, taking the first three places, and by signal from the pits, introducing control of drivers. While racing was halted during World War I in Europe, many drivers flocked to the U.S. Indianapolis 500. The first international road race in France in six year was the 1920 Voiturette race at Le Mans. In 1921, the first Grand Prix victory by an American-built vehicle was captured by Jimmy Murphy at Le Mans whilst driving a Duesenberg. Some of the best of the 1920s manufacturers were Bugati, the Monaco, Fiat (which introduced the supercharger for the first time in 1923) and French and Belgian GPs in 1930. Zapping much of the enthusiasm, money and interest in Grand Prix racing, the Great Depression of the early 1930's hit the world quite hard in its regard for vehicular racing for a time. The Great Depression did see the appearance of the legendary Tazio Nuvolari, whose wins in the Alfa Romeo P3 'Monzo' in the Mille Miglia and other races were in a word, impressive. Following his win in the 1933 Monaco GP was the decision in which staring grid positions were determined by qualifying times. The following year the balance of racing power began to shift from Italy to Germany as the factory teams from Mercedez Benz and Auto Union (today Audi) were financed completely through the Third Reich government on orders from Adolph Hitler. Eye-catching and impressively powerful, these German automobiles introduced aerodynamics into Grand Prix car design. Nuvolari achieved even higher greatness while driving the sleek silver 3-liter V12 Auto Union well-engineered automobile. In 1935 he went on to defeat nine modern German cars in a four-year old Alfa Romeo at the Nürburgring. Following World War II, motor racing initiated a new formula. At the start called Formula A, it soon became known as Formula 1, for cars of 1,500 cc superchanged and 4,500 cc un-supercharged. The minimum amount of race distance was reduced from 311 miles to only 186 miles and allowing the Monaco Grand Prix to be re-introduced following a two-year gap in 1950. In that same year during a meeting, the FIA, Federation Internationale de l'Automobile announced plans for a World Championship. First defined in 1946 by the Commission Sportive Internationale of the FIA, forerunner of FISA, as the premier single seater racing category in worldwide motorsport, the name Formula One was widely used early on and became official in 1950. The first contest to be labeled an 'International Formula One' race, on April 10, 1950, Juan Manuel Fangio won the Paul Grand Prix in a Maserati. The following month the British Grand Prix was hosted by Silverstone and was the first sanctioned championship race for Formula One Grand Prix cars. This was the beginning of the F1 World Championship. The first F1 champion, and the winner at Silverstone in 1950, Giuseppe Farina behind the wheel of an Alfa Romeo 158 also claimed the Belgium, Swiss and Italian racing in addition to non-championship wins at Bari and Donnington. He is best known for his driving style, which was directly opposite many of his crouched contemporaries and instead was relaxed, in an inclined position with outstretched arms. This style of driving was to influence a whole generation of drivers. Farina left for Ferrari in 1951 and began a personal battle with Alberto Ascari, a battle he would eventually lose to the more competent driver. More precise, and faster, Ascari won the F1 championship in 1952 and 1953 in the Ferrari 500. Ruling the first decade of Formula one would have to be Fangio, from Argentina who claimed five World Championships for five different manufacturers and four consecutively from 1954 through 1957. Following a disastrous multi-car accident which left 85 people dead and came close to claiming Fangio's life at the 1955 Le Mans 24 Hours, Mercedes withrew from motor racing and Fangio went on to Ferrari. In 1956, Fangio won with five poles, three wins and one 2nd in seven races. In 1957, Fangio raced in the German GP at the Nürburgring, perhaps his greatest race. Behind the wheel of a Maserati 250F, even though he lost 56 seconds in the lead in a pit stop, he returned to win by regaining sped and bettering the track record for the 14.2 mile Nordeschlifer by an impressive 12 seconds on three consecutive laps. Stirling Moss was Fangio's rival and is perhaps the greatest F1 driver never to win a championship, finished second to Fangio at Mercedes in 1955 in the 'Silver Arrows', in 1956 with Maserati and yet again with Vanwall in 1957. In 1955 Moss became the first Briton to win the British Grand Prix, at Aintree in a British car, the 1957 Vanwall VW5. Following an accident during the 1960 Belgium Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, Moss's career ebbed and he went on to retire. The British Era really began to hit off in 1958 when Mike Hawthorn captured the F1 championship behind the wheel of the Ferrari 246. Hawthorn, the first British World Champion, disgusted by Ferrari politics retired at the end of season, only to be killed months later in a road accident in his Jaguar. Vanwall withdrew from F1, but soon to follow were a series of dominant British Grand Prix teams, that made British racing green the ‘official' color of F1 for more than a decade. This began an ushering in an era of British F1 engineering excellence that still extends today. British F1 teams won 12 World Championships with drivers between 1962 and 1973. This began in 1959 with the Cooper team, using a 2,500 cc Coventry Climax engine and a revolutionary rear-engine design that achieved back-to-back F1 titles for Australian Jack Brabham with a combination of superb weight distribution and handling. Dominating the second decade of Formula One was Colin Chapman's Team Lotus that was pushed by his technical brilliance. Lotus thrived on the extraordinary relationship between Chapman and his driver Jim Clark, who was to make the most of Lotus' technical advances for F1 vehicles. One of the most vital of these was the monocoque chassis which was introduced with the Lotus 25 in 1962, which along with rear engines marked the second largest technological change in Formula One. Clark was involved in an accident at Monza in 1961 that took the life of Wolfgang von Trips, giving the World Championship to American Phil Hill and Ferrari 156. An oil leak caused a DNG while leading the final race at Kyalami and Clark barely lost the 1962 title to Graham Hill. In 1963 he won, and again in 1965, achieving the maximum possible championship points in both seasons. He also competed and became the first Briton to win the Indianapolis 500. Jack Brabham's new Team Brabham won in 1966 and 1977 while Lotus struggled with the new, increased 3.0 liter engine specification for F1. Jimmy Clark won four straight Belgian GPs at the very difficult Spa-Francorchaps circuit. During the 1965 season in the Lotus 33, he led every lap of ever race he finished. During the 1968 season in South Africa, Clark broke the legendary Fangio's record for career victories in the opening race, but unfortunately died just months later at Hockenheim in an F2 race following a crash into the trees in the rain on April 7th. Following Clark's death, the British era remained. In a Lotus 49 fitted with the then-new Ford Cosworth engine, Graham Hill took the 1968 title. Hill was introduced at the Dutch Grand Prix in June 1967, and with the first sponsorship colors and logs seen in F1 racing. Clark's close friend and protégé, Jackie Stewart soon took on the mantle of champion, and eventually surpassed Clark's career record for GP wins and captured three World Championships between 1969 and 1973. During the 1970s and early 1980s, Formula One technology was developed at a fast and furious pace. Midway through the 1968 season, the introduction of wings, or ‘aerofoils' was the introduction of such F1 technology. Wings allowed for the creation of ‘downforce,' pinning cars to the track for greater traction and increased cornering speed. Unfortunately, the original high-mounted, manually adjustable rear wings had a tendency to fall off, which caused tremendous shunts- F1 aerodynamic engineering proceeded in fits and starts. Wings were banned for Monaco and the balance of the championship that year due to Jackie Oliver's practice crash in July 1968, and disastrous accidents for both Graham Hill and Jochen Rindt during the 1969 Spanish GP at Montjuich Pack. Possibly his finest victory, Jackie Stewart won the 1968 German GP at the Nürburgring, where during the mist and torrential rain he outpaced the field to win by just over four minutes from Hill. Steward and his team owner, Ken Tyrrell owned the 1969 season as they dominated F1 with their Matra MS80, winning at Kyalami, Montjuich, Clermont-Ferrand, Zandvoorty, Silverstone and Monza. In 1970 Lotus returned with a vengeance and the season was all about the brilliance of Austrian Jochen Rindt with his new Lotus 72. Unfortunately this was all overshadowed by the horrific death of Rindt in practice for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza's infamous Parabolica corner. By now the Cosworth engine was now ubiquitous in F1 racing, though the Lotus 72 with its distinctive ‘shovel' nose and nose wings was significantly faster. In 1970 Rindt won the championship posthumously. His replacement as number one driver for Lotus was Brazilian Emerson Fittipaldi who piloted the 72 to his first F1 as the season-ending U.S. Grand Prix at Watkins Glen. Fittipaldi and Stewart then split the next four World Championships. Stewart took 1971 and 1973 for the new Team Tyrrell which was sponsored by Elf, while Fittipaldi won with the black 'John Player Special' Lotus in 1972, giving Team McLaren its first F1 title in 1974. One race short of 100 GPs, Stewart retired at Watkins Glen in 1972, withdrawing from the contest following the death in practice of Francois Cevert, his comrade and protégé at Tyrrell. Following Stewart's retirement, Ferrari resumed its place in the forefront of F1 in 1975 with the flat-12 powered 312T and drivers Clay Regazzoni and Niki Lauda. The season was rife with protests and concerns regarding driver safety. Fittipaldi refused to drive in the Spanish GP, which was halted following 29 laps when a car launched into the crown and claimed the lives of four spectators. Lauda won five races and took nine poles to capture his first of three F1 crowns. To increase air flow to the engine, Formula One cars now sported huge airboxes behind the cockpits, leading the way to the next major technological advancement in F1: ground effects. Following his championship win, Niki Lauda battled with James Hunt to win six of the first nine races of the 1976 season. Unfortunately Lauda crashed his Ferrari at Bergwerk, a 150 mph section of the Nürburgring, at the German Grand Prix on August 1st. It was a devastating accident that left severe facial burns and the inhalation of toxic fumes from the car's burning bodywork. Lauda was expected to die and received his Last Rites in the hospital, but in an amazing display of sheer determination, he made a miraculous recovery and returned to the cockpit in just six weeks, in time for the Italian GP, where he finished 4th. Following several victories by Hunt at Mosport and Watkins Glen, the '76 Formula One season went down to the final race at Fuji in Japan. Lauda led the World Championship by three points before withdrawing from the race following three laps of torrential rain. He gave the championship to ‘Master James', Britain's last F1 champion for 16 years. Not knowing whether he had placed or whether he had won the title, he nursed his rain tires until a late-race pit stop and finished the race, unable to even see the track. In 1977 Lauda re-captured the title with Ferrari, but stepped down from the team with two races still to go, following a calculated 4th place championship-clincher at the U.S. Grand Prix, to join Berne Ecclestone's Parmalat Brabham team, and eventually be replaced in the Ferrari by Gilles Villeneuve. Now referred to as ‘designers', Formula one engineers had been continuously working on aerodynamics for more than ten years. The art may have been reached in 1978 with the ‘ground effects' Lotus 78/79. Using side skirts and underbody design to literally glue the car to the circuit, ground effects turned the entire vehicle into a large, inverted wing. Taking the Lotus to the championship in 1978, Mario Andretti described the road effects as making the car ‘feel like it's painted to the road'. As Lotus won nice of the 15 races in the 1978 season, Colin Chapman's careful developments of the ground-effect car principle had reduced conventional GP machines basically uncompetitive in little over 12 months. Unfortunately Andretti's own championship winning race was scarred by the death of team mate Ronnie Peterson at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. In 1978 it would be the final time a Lotus driver would win the World Championship before Colin Chapman's death, while the Lotus team slowly declining into mediocrity and dissolution. Though evolutionary, ground effects had a problem, mainly that very slight miscalculations in set-up would render the ground-effect F1 car un-driveable and very unstable. The vehicles were rigidly sprung, rock-hard cars with basically no ride height tolerance and barely any ability to handle curbs and bumps due to the need to keep ground clearances extremely low. Unpredictable occurrences would happen if the airflow beneath the car was disrupted for any reason. By 1981 and 1982 all teams were using ground effects. In an effort to bring more driver control and skill to the F1, ground effects were officially banned in 1983. Though both were introduced initially during the 1977 season and both eventually banned, one could say that ground effects were less important to the long-run development of F1 technology than turbo-charging. Renault re-entered Formula One with the Turbo RS01, driven by Jean-Pierre Jabouille at the same time that Lotus was developing the ground-effect principle. Remarkably quick, the first turbo unfortunately was not very reliable and suffered from ‘turbo lag' under acceleration. It would be an entire year before the Renault finished a Grand Prix. The introduction of radial tires, originally by Michelin, then Goodyear and finally followed by Pirelli occurred during the 1977 season. Following the Lotus onslaught of 1978, turbo development moved at a snails pace. In 1979 South African Jody Scheckter driving the normally-aspirated Ferrari 312T4 claimed the F1 title. Described as ‘perhaps the most tenacious fighter seen in racing for year', Gilles Villeneuve won 2nd place in the World Championship by a close four points. The 1979 French Grand Prix was won with Jabouilly, while Villeneuve and Rene Arnoux followed close behind, with Villeneuve crossing the finish line a mere 0.3 seconds ahead. In 1980 Alan Jones and Team Williams almost completed dominated the season, while Ferrari unfortunately suffered a horrible year. Renault won at Interlagos, Kyalami and the Österreichring, the Scuderia introduced their own turbocharged car at Imola. The first Concorde Agreement in 1981 resolved a boycott of the Spanish GP due to a power struggle between FISA and FOCA. From 1981 on the Turbo vehicles dominated the circuit, though Cosworth-powered teams won the championship in 1981 and 1982. 11 teams were using the Cosworth engine in 1982. Meanwhile turbo's continued to be improved, with wins in one-half of 14 races. However, the real drama behind the 1982 season was dominated by a fight between Villeneuve and Didier Pironi at Ferrari that would end in tragedy for both drivers. Following the San Marino Grand Prix in which Pironi passed Villeneuve, against team orders, while the Ferrari's were easily running 1-2 under turbo power, Gilles claimed that he would never again speak to his team mate. Two weeks later, Villeneuve was killed while attempting to improve his grid position late in qualifying for the Dutch GP at Zolder. It was a severe accidence that flung the driver out of the cockpit as the Ferrari cartwheeled across the track and landed nose in the sand. Ricardo Paletti was tragically killed in his Osala at the beginning of the Canadian GP at Montreal, and Pironi also suffered horrible leg injuries during practice for the German GP at Hockenheim two months later. Pironi never raced in the F1 again. In 1983 the turbo era began to really take off with gusto as Piquet won his second World Championship by only two points, while using a turbocharged BMW powerplant. At the same time McLaren introduced the TAG-Porsche engine, driven to four checkered flags by runner Prost. Driven by fourth-year driver Nigel Mansell, Lotus also brought a turbo Renault which Mansell took to his first podium finish at Brands Hatch. McLaren and the TAG turbo won 12 out of 16 races in the 1984 season with a new MP4/2 car that was designed by John Barnard. McLaren took the constructors' championship with record points. Lauda also won five of those to seven for Prost, and won the F1 drivers' title by 1/2 point. (Only half points were awarded during the race due to the Monaco GP being halted in a thunderstorm after 31 laps. This race is today considered legendary as Ayrton Senna, driving for Toleman in his first F1 season, passed Prost on the final lap in the rain, and forever blamed the Formula One establishment of stealing the win. During the late 1980's, Rob Dennis's team dominated the track unlike any team before. In 1985 and 1986 Prost won the World Championship. In 1988, Senna, who had joined McLaren following several seasons with Lotus, won the F1 title, taking the championship deciding race in Japan at Suzuka after stalling on the grid, with an inspired drive to catch and pass Prost before drawing away in the rain. Prost and Senna eventually went on to win three drivers' titles with Dennis and Team McLaren. Unlike any other season, in 1988 Senna and Prost finished 1-2, with a combination of 167 points while winning 15 of the 16 GPs, and McLaren receiving the constructors' title. Beginning in the 1989 season, normally aspirated engines were mandated, and for cooperation between Prost and Senna. The fifth major technical revolution in Formula One was reached in 1987 as the sole Williams exception to the string of seven straight McLaren drivers championships from 1984 through 1991. During the 1987 season Team Lotus revealed the first F1 car with a computer-controlled ‘active suspension' system. The ‘black box' controlled starting programs and anti-lock brakes, active suspension, later joined by the semi-automatic gearbox, traction control, would produce complex and faster cars. McLaren remained supremely dominant at the start of the post-turbo era, but its main stars, Senna and Prost would began a personal rivalry that would never come to an end. Both drivers agreed in 1988 that it made little sense to fight over the first corner of a race, given their cars' technical superiority. Unfortunately at the 1989 San Marino GP, the agreement was broken when Senna overtook Prost during the restart by taking the racing line from behind. A furious Prost found Senna's adversarial approach to be an impossibility to deal with. Meanwhile Senna complained that fighting for the racing line before the braking zone was legitimate. The feud between the two men reached its breaking point at the time when the 1989 title was on the line at Suzuka. While Prost led by 1.7 seconds at the start, Senna slowly reeled him in, moving alongside at the chicane, putting two wheels on the grass to go for the inside line. Prost turned in and both vehicles collided and went off. Prost left his vehicle in disgust, but Senna insisted on a push start from the track marshals and passed Alessandro Nannini to cross the line first. Senna was disqualified and had his superlicense revoke, while FISA declared Nanninni the winner and awarded the championship to Prost. Senna claimed that this was the true manipulation of the World Championship. This would again occur in 1990, at a different corner, with the same result, except by this point Prost had moved on to Ferrari. The shunt occurred when Senna was leading the World Championship. Many observers feel that Senna deliberately drove Post off the road as a measure of revenge for the prior year, which Senna admitted in 1991 without remorse. The 1991 World Championship was won and lost in the first four races, all won by Ayrton Senna. Team Williams introduced the FW14, designed by Patrick Head, and it was in 1991 that the active era in Formula One truly began. Originally debuted by Ferrari in 1989, the first F1 car combined a semi-automatic gearbox with traction control. Revolutionary, the FW14 broke the old dictum that ‘To finish first, first you have to finish.' Senna was driving a plainly inferior McLaren-Honda Mp4/6, and following four raced had recorded four pole positions and four wins. No one before had ever started a Formula One World Championship campaign with four straight victories and to the others it was demoralizing. All races counting for the championship for the first time in F1, there was an increase in the points for a win from 9 to 10. Senna had 40 points, and nearest challenger 11, and Mansell of Williams with only six. Mansell took second to Senna at Monaco, and at the Canadian GP on June 2nd, Mansell qualified second, took the lead in the first corner and ended the penultimate lap with a lead of more than a minute. Mansell turned into the final hairpin, and while waving to the crowd, cut the engine dead and allowed the car to coast to a slow stop. Piquet pushed forward to take the checkered flag for Benetton, his final F1 win. The rest of the 1991 season was a fruitless quest by both Mansell and Williams to beat Senna, including a disqualification while leading at Estoril after a wheel fell off in the middle of pit road. Winning three in a row in France, England and Germany, Mansel came into Suzuka needed two more victories to take the title. Unfortunately Mansell went off into the sand chasing the Brazilian on lap ten, and Senna won his 3rd Formula One championship in four years. Running off an amazing streak over the 1992-1993 seasons, Williams added traction control and a variety of other computer-controlled gadgets to their gearbox. Mansell rose to win the World Championship in 1992, winning the first five races and a total of nine overall, breaking Senna's 1988 record and receiving the F1 crown. Mansell retired from Williams after the win. Prost returned in 1993, and promoted test driver Damon Hill (son of Graham Hill) to driving number 'O' to the second stop at Williams. In the same year he won his fourth and final World Championship which put him second on the all-tome Formula one list only to Juan Manual Fangio. In some respects, the end of another era, in 1993 the FIA declared an end to ‘driver's aids', banning active suspension, traction control and other automatic car adjustment mechanisms. This was mainly due to the perceived absence of driver skill as a delimiter of success, and concern over the impact a long series of ‘runaway' seasons on worldwide viewership and sponsor money. Senna once again won five GPs in an outmatched McLaren MP 4/8. The finest victory of his career, Senna picked up five places in the rain on the first lap at the European GP at Donnington Park, solidifying his place in history as the ‘rainmeister'. Following a final victory at Adelaide in the last race of the 1993 season, Senna prepared to move to Team Williams, after striking a $20 million per-year deal with the team, and owner that had given him his first test ride in an F1 car nearly ten years earlier. The current era in Formula One is marked by a single day, May 1, 1994. But the roots of the transition reach back even further to the 1991 Belgian GP at Spa where German Michael Schumacher entered the F1 season by qualifying 7th in his first Formula One start for Team Jordan, moving on one race later to Benetton. Since Mansell and newly retired Prost had left the F1, there was only Schumacher to compete with Senna and prove true driver mettle with the newly revised F1 cars F1 designers were hard pressed to meet the new design specifications following years of focusing on their active components. Much of the paddock was not even delivered in time for much winter testing before the season's first race at Interlagos in Brazil. Everyone expected that the combination of Senna and Williams would make the 1994 and easy march to the World Championship. Unfortunately for those predictors, Senna failed to finish, though taking three poles in the season's first three races, Schumacher won eat time, putting himself 30 points up in the championship as the F1 debacle descended on the San Marino GP at Imola. During practice two very devastatingly violent accidents did occur, one that took the life of first-year Simtek driver Roland Ratzenberger, and another that landed Brazilian Rubens Barrichelle in the hospital shook the cores of the GP Fraternity. Barrichello regained consciousness finally and withdrew from the final qualifying session. At this time Senna phones his girlfriend in Lisbon to tell her he did not want to compete in the race on Sunday. However racing was Senna's passion and he took to the track the following day holding the pole position once again. Six laps behind the safety car after a starting line shunt, Senna was in first place just car lengths ahead of Schumacher when on lap seven his Rothmans Williams-Renault bottomed out in the fast Tamburello corner, struck the wall head on at 180+ mph and ricocheted back onto the track. Eventually pulled from the wreckage, Senna was taken away in a helicopter. Hours later he died due to massive head injuries. Aryton Senna was the first and so far the only F1 World Champion to have died during a Grand Prix race. He was only 34 years old. New emergency rules were implemented by FIA to slow the cars further following the aftermath of Tamburello, along with mandated pit speed limits, ‘stepped' bottoms to reduced downforce, limited wing sizes and increased cockpit openings. The first two grid spaces were left empty and a moment of silence before the green light was observed at the next race at Monaco as a gesture of respect for the fallen comrade. Schumacher took his first pole position and then back-to-back World Championships in 1994 and 1995 with the latter season seeing a variety of head-to-head duels with Damon Hill. A measure of excitement was brought back to the Formula one following these twin Schumacher title seasons. Alesi, who had competed with Senna as a first-year driver in the streets of Phoenix in 1991, finally won his first GP at Canada in 1995. Lotus first merged with the Pacific GP team before withdrawing completely from F1 claiming bankruptcy and total disorder following nearly a decade as a backmarker. In 1995 Mansell made the unfortunate decision to return to F1 in a specially designed 'fat' McLaren to encompass his newly attained girth. He lasted all of three races but never made an impact despite a final win for Williams during an unequally brief stint the following season. Damon Hill won the World Championship in 1996. Jacques Villeneuve, son of the famous Gilles Villeneuve, won a Indy 500 and IndyCar championship joined Team Williams. At this point Schumacher had moved on to join Ferrari for $27 million per season bringing Maranello three victories and a renewal with the Tifosi celebrating after Ferrari's first victory in the Italian Grand Prix at Monza in nearly ten years. Controversy and politics has unfortunately not yet been eliminated. In 1994 Michael Schumacher was shown the black flag at Silverstone for ‘overtaking' on the pre-race parade lap, and then punished by FIA with a two-race suspension for allegedly ignoring the flag while Benetton's Flavio Briatore argued with the stewards. Schumacher was disqualified on technical grounds at the Hungaroring after the wooden undertray plank on his Benetton was judged too thin under the regulations. At Adelaide, Damon Hill was second in the race and the world championship, desperately dove for a small gap and Schumacher shut the door, breaking the Williams' front wishbone and securing the win and season title. Controversy continued into 1995 where Hill collided into Schumacher at Silverstone, spun out while leading at Hockenheim, leaving Schumacher to win his second title. Villeneuve won the 1997 World Championship. Villeneuve was disqualified at Suzuki for failing to slow under a waived yellow flag in practice, which ensued a seesaw mid-season battle between Schumacher and Villeneuve. Michael put the Ferrari 14 points in the lead with consecutive victories at Montreal and Magny-Cours, while Jacques was reprimanded by the FIA and summoned to appear personally in Paris the Wednesday before his home Grand Prix after criticizing proposals for '98 rule changes that were again designed to slow the cars. The result was a first-lap Jacques shunt into the wall on the pit straight chiane while leading the race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Villeneuve acted nonplussed, though the Canadian press considered the ill-timed meeting to be petty. Jackie Stewart's new Stewart Racing team, backed by Ford was entered into the 1997 F1 season. Before they were banned in 1998, Team Tyrrell introduced the ugly and controversial 'X-wings', sidepod-mounted winglets. F1 enthusiasts complained that Grand Prix racing had become an overly esoteric technical exercise with overtaking on most circuits the product of pit stop strategies rather than passing cars on the track itself. The change in rules in1 997 led to changed tactics that fundamentally altered the sport. Villeneuve held a nine-point advantage during the penultimate race at Suzuka, but his DQ and Ferrari's timely win put Schumacher in the points lead by one. Everything came down to the European Grand Prix which would be held at Spain's Jerez. Villeneuve qualified on pole with Schumacher alongside posting the exact same time. Villeneuve moved to overtake Schumacher for lead on lap 48, 20 tours from the finish and Schumacher turned in to the Williams left-hand sidepod as the Canadian dived inside. The moved was perceived widely as a re-run of the very controversial Schumacher-Hill accident at Adelaide in 1994. This time the ending result was the Ferrari stranded in the gravel trap and Villeneuve coasting to an easy third-place and the World Championship title. Unfortunately for Schumacher, this time he was brought before the FIA, stripped of his second-place in the driver's championship, and transformed among many F1 fans from Saint into the devil incarnate. The Ferrari team, for which the manager Jean Todt had brought Schumacher on board as their ‘salvation' was faced with the difficult task of another hard winter and yet another season in many long years. McLaren International returned to F1's roots with new silver West cars powered by Mercedes, hearkening to the ‘Silver Arrows' that were driven by Fangio and Moss during the 1950's. They had discarded their long-lived orange and white livery when Marlboro withdrew from Formula One. Taking Andretti's seats and surviving a massive head injury during a high-speed crash at Adelaide in 1995 was hakkinen and Coulthard. Winning the opening race of the 1996 season, the Scot gave way to permit the Finn to win his first GP in the finale at Jerez in a show of characteristic sportsmanship. The 1998 Formula One proved to be one of the most exciting F1 seasons in years, even despite the rule changes and grooved tires. The tires were supplied by both Goodyear and Bridgestone. The vehicles were once again faster, and overtaking proved to be just as difficult. Hakkinen in his reigning MP 4/13 McLaren won four of the first six races, including opening 1-2 finishes with Coulthard in both Melbourne and Interlagos. Schumacher though split the McLarens on the Buenos Aires grid and outwitted Coulthard into making a mistake to win the Argentine Grand Prix. Following Hakkinen's victory at Monaco left him 22 points in the drivers championship lead and it seemed that Ferrari were doomed to yet another season rife with disappointment. F1 fans resigned themselves to another McLaren leap to the finish. But it an amazing display of drive, Schumacher fought back fiercely, driving his Maranello team to improve the vehicle, winning back-to-back in Canada and France, then adding the British GP to move within two points going into the ninth race at the Austrian A-1 Ring. Unfortunately, Schumacher pressed to hard at the start on a light fuel load and ploughing through the gravel at high speed, eventually finished third. Schumacher was again seven points down and was just barely hanging on when the FI moved to Spa-Francorchamps. Another controversial race in Belgium, a huge 13-car shunt at the La Source hairpin was started by Coutlhard resulted in many cars being put out of action at the first corner. Hakkinen then spun on the restart and destroyed his McLaren when he was hit by Johnny Herbert's Sauber-Petronas. Schumacher had an incredible lead even through horrible rain, then reamed a slow-moving Coulthard from behind in the spray, wiping off the Ferrari's entire right-side suspension and wheel. Furious, Schumacher stormed down pit lane to have it out with ‘DC' but was pushed away by the mechanicals. Team Jordan received its first GP victory by Damon Hill. Schumacher went on to win at Monza to tie in the World Championship. But Hakkinen rose to the challenge. Under great pressure, he won the Luxembourg GP at the Nürburgring, outpacing schumacher's pole with a pass in the pits, taking a four-lead to the finale at Suzuka. Hakkinen took the World Championship title. 1999 was the 50th anniversary season of the modern formula one era and the end of the first century of Grand Prix racing. Alex Zanardi returned to F1 from CART racing in the U.S. Many were expecting an impressive win, but instead, Zanardi never got the feel for the groove-tired modern F1 car. Instead Ralf Schumacher took the team lead and scored well for Frank Williams. Johnny Herbert won his third win, and Jacques Villeneuve led a largely funded British American Racing team using a modified Reynard chassis that has dominated American IndyCar racing to a disappointing points-less finish. Michael Schumacher was shunted out for nearly the entire season at Silverstone, after breaking his legs after a full wheel lock crash straight into the tire barrier. Eddie Irvine, his Ferrari team mate took up the slack and won four races. Unfortunately after losing concentration he made some bad judgement calls and Mika Hakkinen won the season final GP in Suzuka, capturing his second consecutive drivers' title by a slim two points. Though many fans felt that the 2000 Formula One season would see a revival among the backmakers, particularly the new Team Jaguar, this was not the case. Ferrari and McLaren continued their dominance, winning every race together, nine by Michael Schumacher alone. German convincingly won the World Championship at the penultimate U.S. Grand Prix at Indianapolis, returning to Formula One following a gap of nine years. It was Maranello's first F1 championship in more than 20 years. Schumacher tied the legendary Ayrton Senna for second place among all drivers in career victories. Since the early 1990s, Ferrari had been steadily improving since their low point, and in 2000 Schumacher prevailed, becoming the first 3 time Champion since Senna. He brought the World Driver's title to Ferrari for the first time since Jody Scheckter in 1979. Ferrari began to leave the rest of the grid behind in the 2001 season, and Schumacher won the championship by the Hungarian Grand Prix. The following year, Ferrari finished every race, and won 15 out of 16. Schumacher scored more points than the second and third place drivers combined. He became the earliest ever championship winner int his season when he wrapped up the championship at the French Grand Prix. Benetton was no more, and Prost and Arrows had shut their doors for good. Despite heavy rule changes in order to prevent what had happened in the previous year, Schumacher won the championship yet again, though run close by both Kimi Räikkönen and Juan Pablo Montoya. He took the championship by two points at Suzuka. In 2004 Schumacher returned yet again with seemingly total dominance of the championships. In April a new race in Bahrain made its debute, and another new one in China was introduced in September. It was originally thought that by introducing these new raced, the older ones in Europe, like the British Grand Prix would be removed from the championships, but this was not the case, and the number of races only increased to eighteen. At the end of 2004, the Ford Motor company decided to pull out of Formula one. At the 2005 U.S. Grand Prix Fernando Alonso qualified in a Renault Formula One car. Alonso forged a clear championship lead. McLared was significantly a stronger team which consistently better results during the later part of the season. Unfortunately their early record of poor reliability held them back. Brazil's Fernando Alonso became Formula one's youngest champions ever. With the purchase of Minardi by Red Bull in September of 2005, the final small specialist racing team disappeared. Minardi was renamed as Scuderia Toro Rosso run as a separate entity alongside Red Bull Racing. Early in 2004, Jordan had been bought by Russo-Canadian steel company Midland and was renamed Midland 1 for the '06 season. BMW bought a majority stake in Sauber in June of 2005. Entering a commercial arrangement with Cosworth instead, the Williams team ended their partnership with BMW as a result of the decision. Honda also bought BAR. The end of the V10 era in Formula one was marked in 2005. V10 had become the most affluent engine configuration in Formula one since the banning of turbocharged engines in 1989. This configuration was made mandatory in 2000 to keep engine builders from developing and experimenting with other configurations. |
2008 BMW Sauber F1.08 |
|
| Year | 2008 |
| Make | BMW |
| Model | Sauber F1.08 |
| Body Style | Coupe |
| Engine Location | Mid |
| Drive Type | Rear Wheel |
| Body / Chassis | Carbon fibre honeycomb monocoque |
| Weight | 605 kg | 1334 lbs |
| Combined MPG | 0.00 |
| Engine | |
| Engine Builder | BMW |
| Engine Configuration | V |
| 90-degree | |
| Cylinders | 8 |
| Engine | BMW P68/8 |
| Aspiration/Induction | Normal |
| Displacement | 2.40 L | 146.4 cu in. | 2399.5 cc. |
| Valves | 32 valves. 4 valves per cylinder. |
| Valvetrain | DOHC |
| Engine Weight | 95.00 kg |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline - Petrol |
| Fuel Feed | Fuel Injected |
| Block | Aluminum |
| Head | Aluminum Alloy |
| Standard Transmission | |
| Gears | 7 |
| Transmission | Sequential |
| Dimensions | |
| Standard Payload | 0.00 |
| Seating Capacity | 1 |
| Exterior | |
| Length | 4600.001 mm | 181.1 in. |
| Width | 1800.001 mm | 70.9 in. |
| Height | 1000.001 mm | 39.4 in. |
| Wheelbase | 3130.001 mm | 123.2 in. |
| Front Track | 1470.001 mm | 57.9 in. |
| Rear Track | 1470.001 mm | 57.9 in. |
| Vehicles with similar dimensions | |
| Suspension | |
| Suspension | Push-rod actuated torsion bars, Sachs dampers, Double Wishbones |
| Steering | |
| Rack and Pinion with Power Assist | |
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