Heidfeld and Kubica want to remain optimistic…

BMW-Sauber is back on track this week in Jerez with its F1.08. Nick Heidfeld, who admitted that his team had some problems at the beginning of the year, now confesses that the start of the 2008 season will be quite tough.

The team based in Hinwil was plagued with balance issues during the initial winter tests, but the introduction of new parts on the F1.08 helped overcome many difficulties that Heidfeld and his teammate Robert Kubica were facing.

The team appears to be the most capable of competing with Ferrari and McLaren, who are considered the leaders of the 2008 season. Heidfeld believes this assertion will be proven once BMW secures its first race victory.

However, he believes that this goal can only be achieved during the course of the year as he predicts a tough start to the season.

When asked if the improvements made to the F1.08 were now making it a winning car, he said: « No, not yet. Our goal is to win a race, but the car is not at the top right now. »

« It could therefore prove difficult to win a race at the beginning of the season. But afterward, everything will fall into place. »

Heidfeld thinks that mechanical and aerodynamic improvements have finally made the F1.08 a better car than the 2007 model.

« I originally said that the car was not better than the old one, but today we brought some new parts. In the end, we now find that the new car set-up is better than on the F1.07, » explained the German.

His teammate Robert Kubica is a bit less optimistic for the upcoming season but claims that the team’s position is better than what it appears from the outside.

« I think there are still problems, but the car is doing better in a more overall sense, » he said.

« We know where the problems come from and we need time to fix them. The overall balance of the car is changing even if it remains difficult to drive, but it can’t be worse than at the beginning of winter.

« We will do our best to be ready in Melbourne. The tests in Valencia in mid-January showed that we were not in the position we had imagined at this stage of the season. »