Theissen: « Our drivers can win races »

Mario Theissen, head of BMW Motorsport, is confident that his drivers are ready this year to fight for Grand Prix victories, even though they have no previous experience of winning in F1.

Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica finished the 2007 season in 5th and 6th place respectively, without winning a single race. However, Theissen does not consider this to be an impediment to his team’s ambitions for victory.

« I think Nick is much more talented than some other drivers, » said Theissen at the launch of the new BMW-Sauber car, the F1.08 in Munich.

« I see no reason why he won’t win or be able to fight for the championship as soon as the car allows it. »

Although BMW-Sauber has set a race victory as a goal this year, Theissen believes it is still too early to talk about a victory in the constructors’ championship in 2008.

« I think it will be too soon, » he said about the fight for this year’s constructor’s title.

I hope our car will allow our drivers to achieve lap times similar to those of Ferrari and McLaren. That means we will definitely be fighting for the top positions in the race.

But I continue to think that the team will need another year to really be set and be sufficiently mature to go through the entire season with such ambition.

Theissen also stated that his team had no regrets about not approaching Fernando Alonso, after confirming Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica for 2008 in the middle of last season.

« We obviously want to win, but I have full confidence in our drivers to win races when the car is ready. There has never been any negotiation with Fernando, » he concluded.