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BMW-Sauber scores nine points in Turkey
With Robert Kubica finishing fourth and Nick Heidfeld finishing fifth BMW-Sauber gained nine valuable points at the Grand Prix of Turkey. Both drivers improved on their grid positions; Kubica had started fifth and Heidfeld was ninth. It was the first race of the season in which Kubica did not qualify in the top four.
Most of the drama in the race took place in front of the BMW-Saubers. McLaren’s Heikki Kovaleinen, who had started second just two weeks after his horrific accident in Spain, suffered a punctured tire early in the race and had to pit. Ferrari’s Felipe Massa, who came into the race with two consecutive wins in Turkey, made it three in a row this year. Behind him, McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton looked strong, although the McLaren team was not able to come to terms with the soft-compound tires, so when Hamilton ran them on his third stint (both hard and soft compounds must be run at some time during the race) he slowed, holding on to second, but almost falling into the clutches of World Champion and current points leader Kimi Raikkonen of Ferrari, who finished third.
 Nick Heidfeld's BMW Sauber is pushed into position on the grid for the Grand Prix of Turkey (BMW AG photo)
Kubica ran third until the first pit stop. After both he and Raikkonen had stopped, the Ferrari driver came out ahead, and left Kubica to run alone behind him. Heidfeld took a long first stint, moving up to fifth and then staying there for the balance of the race.
BMW-Sauber Technical Director Willy Rampf said, “We have scored nine important points. This is more than can be expected if you start from fifth and ninth, therefore we are happy with the results. Both drivers had trouble free races with no errors. Now we are confident as we look forward to Monaco.”
Going into the Grand Prix of Monaco in two weeks, BMW-Sauber, with 44 points, remains second in the Constructors’ chase points behind Ferrari, with 63 points, and ahead of McLaren with 42. Kubica, with 24 points, falls to fourth in drivers’ standings behind Raikkonen in first with 35 points, and Massa and Hamilton tied for second with 28 each. Heidfeld, with 20 points, is fifth.
Brian S. Morgan, Motorsports Editor, bmwcca.org
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