The Hinwil based team “realises the importance of continuity”, a statement read, confirming that Nick Heidfeld would again drive alongside Robert Kubica.

As reported earlier, Timo Glock has not yet been confirmed as next year’s official test driver because he is currently negotiating for a race deal elsewhere in pitlane.

A BMW statement confirmed: “With regard to signing a test and reserve driver, an announcement will be made at a later stage.” (GMM)

Nick Heidfeld secured a beautiful 3rd place podium finish while teammate Robert Kubica followed closely behind him picking up fifth spot. With BMW picking up another ten points, this puts them 38 points infront of the cars which won the world championship for the past two years, Renault. It certainly wasn’t easy though for Nick to keep Fernando Alonso from breathing down his back as he was being chased for several laps until the end.

Be sure to catch round 12 of the championship when the teams battle it out in Turkey in 3 weeks time.

Flugplatz, the “flying place,” definitely lives up to its name. A crest in the road gets the M5’s suspension on tiptoe and our breakfast is in our throat. Not noticing (or caring much) about her passenger’s greenish hue, our taxi driver doesn’t let up. She picks up even more speed into the crushingly quick Schwedenkreuz left-hander; one of the “fast bits” she admits is her favorite on the daunting and sometimes deadly Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit.

That’s right, our taxi driver. And the craziest New York City cabbie has nothing on this, the BMW Ring-Taxi. Despite the risks to man and machine, “the Ring” (as it’s commonly known) is open to the public during most weekends in the spring and summer. That also happens to be when the world’s wildest taxicab is open for business.

The Meter Is Running (Fast)
The two Ring-Taxis currently in service are completely stock BMW M5 sedans, each sporting a bright white paint job with huge logos emblazoned on the doors. It’s not subtle, but still loads better than any cruddy yellow Crown Vic we’ve ever been in. Each M5 receives new tires every two days, or after about 40 laps. The brakes last slightly longer; new pads are required only every three to four days. The 18.5-gallon fuel tank is the biggest culprit. It needs filling up after as few as six or seven laps. Take a moment to calculate those mpg figures and be prepared to pick your jaw up off the ground.

All of this might explain why one lap in the Ring-Taxi costs €185 (about $250). That’s a considerable sum for even the most die-hard Nürburgring fan. Luckily, each Ring-Taxi has room for three passengers who can then split the fare. Rides fill up quickly. In the summer months, booking a Ring-Taxi ride often means a two-month wait. To be fair, finding a cab in Times Square on a Friday night takes only slightly less time. Depending on the weather, the Ring-Taxi is open from April through early October.

A normal day’s schedule includes 20 rides for each of the M5s. As we had the 9:30 a.m. time slot (the first of the day), we were hustled to the car as soon as we’d signed all the necessary paperwork. The parking lot leading to the track entrance was already packed with wildly turbocharged Nissan Skylines, Porsche 911s with towering wings, and everything from tricked-out motorcycles to lumbering buses loaded with tourists. For those who choose to drive themselves, a four-lap pass costs €64 ($86). Those big, hulking tour buses pay slightly more.

The World’s Fastest Toll Road
For now we were happy to leave the driving to the experts. In the case of the Ring-Taxi, they don’t get much better than our “taxi driver” for the day, Sabine Schmitz. A two-time winner of the Nürburgring 24 Hours, and a Ring-Taxi driver for more than 15 years, by her own estimate, she has completed about 20,000 tours of the Nordschleife.

When not racing or behind the wheel of the Ring-Taxi, Schmitz is a television presenter in her native Germany. As the toll gate separating us from the track gets closer, she blips the gas pedal of the M5 and awakens the 5.0-liter V10 for its morning workout. The toll gate swings up and it’s finally our turn to head onto the track.

Unfortunately, common sense (and humorless track officials) means that there is no chance of using the M5’s launch control system for a smoky burnout. In fact, other than the relentless build in speed and a sharpening of the M5’s exhaust note, the first few hundred yards into our lap are eerily calm. Cars and motorcycles flash by faster and faster on our right-hand side. Schmitz deftly weaves the growling M5 past a group of motorcycles in a tricky slow left-hand corner.

Since bikes use completely different racing lines compared to cars, judging where and when to pass takes commitment and experience. At last, the road ahead is clear. Now, rather than simply dodging slower traffic — and with Schmitz at the wheel, everyone is slower — she can push the limits of the 4,000-pound M5.

Tail Out and Airborne
Clicking the steering-wheel-mounted paddles of the seven-speed SMG gearbox, Schmitz’s driving is textbook-precise and accurate. Every input is smooth and unrushed. The same can’t be said for our reactions to the racetrack and the speeds we’re traveling.

At roughly 12.9 miles long and with more than 70 corners, the Nordschleife winds up and down, through hills and forests, and around the Nürburg castle that looms over the 80-year-old track. Sturdy Armco barriers line the entire circuit. Forget about runoff room. There isn’t any.

Major corners are marked with signposts and, like a regular highway, there are mileage markers. Kilometer posts 10, 11 and 12 flash past at Bergwerk, Kesselchen, the famous banked Karussell hairpin, and we’re still barely halfway into our lap. Despite all the signs and markers, for a Nürburgring newcomer every corner seems to flow directly into the very next one. Our heads bob left and right as the G-forces build. Suddenly, Schmitz kicks the M5’s tail out at more than 60 mph.

The 9.5-inch-wide rear tires howl in protest, while the view of the track moves from the windshield to the front passenger side window. Easily catching the lurid slide, a devious smile appears on Schmitz’s face. “It’s to warm the tires,” she says, at once cool and totally unconvincing. We do our best to act unfazed and are equally unpersuasive.

An Unforgettable Fare
Barely 10 minutes after the toll gate first swung up, Schmitz eases off the gas pedal. Our lap is at an end and the next fare is already waiting back in the pits. We’re queasy, exhilarated and awestruck — driving the Ring is one thing, but seeing it tamed by an expert puts the experience on an entirely higher level.

Schmitz had told us that “after the Nürburgring, every other track seems boring.” Stumbling out of the M5, we weren’t about to argue. It won’t take you to the airport or train station, but you’ll never regret hailing the Ring-Taxi.

Click to enlarge

The contents of this article can also be found @ Edmunds: Inside Line

As for Mr. Kubica, things were not so lucky. On lap 27 as he approached the Casino hairpin, his car clipped the rear of Jarno Trulli and smashed directly into the concrete barriers then rolling all the way down to the hairpin entry point. From what looked to be a horrific and most likely fatal accident, Robert was extremely fortunate to only encounter a minor concussion and a sprained ankle.

USA – On a 94 degree afternoon on a track that is familiar to NASCAR, things were looking very good for the boys of BMW. With 19 year old Sebastian Vettel filling in for Robert Kubica, and Nick Heidfeld starting from 5th spot on the grid, BMW had yet another chance to score big. This was interrupted severely though when Nick’s hydraulic system failed on lap 59 which then led to his retirement. As for the rookie, right at the very end of the race, he managed to pick up the pace just enough to score his first Formula 1 point finishing 8th spot.

Catch the 8th chapter of the Formula 1 circuit as they move to France on July 1st. The race will be shown on FOX Sports and not the reqular Speed TV station. With Robert Kubica back behind the wheel, we hope to see our 3rd place in the constructors championship possibly catch Ferrari for 2nd. They still have a long way to go but anything is possible.

Written By: Ted Bogel of the Budds’ Parts Department

“Sensory and motor losses are possible, so are memory gaps and visual disturbances,” he said. “In the worst case the brain can swell and the pressure can be fatal. I consider it extremely dangerous for Kubica to drive again straight away.” F1’s former doctor Professor Sid Watkins, meanwhile, is also quoted as saying that the risk of serious injury with a second concussion is “quite high”.

We can reveal, however, that Robert Kubica’s name and helmet image is already featured atop the BMW-Sauber garage at Indianapolis, while both Sebastian Vettel and Timo Glock have travelled to the American city as possible stand-in pilots.

Team boss Mario Theissen said on Tuesday that F1’s chief medical officer “will have the final say” when 22-year-old Kubica is examined at the circuit on Thursday.

He explained: “We are prepared in case Robert will not be able to drive. But, of course, we are all hoping that he will line up in the car at the weekend.

“The ideal scenario for me would be for us all to put the accident behind us quickly with a good performance in the race.”

Source: Motor Authority

Munich/Hinwil, 1st June 2007. The BMW Sauber F1 Team and its Formula One rivals will be embarking on the second of five back-to-back race weekends during the 2007 season when they line up on the grid at the picturesque Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal on 10th June. A week later, they will be limbering up for the next race on the calendar at the world-famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the US.

The BMW Sauber F1 Team will arrive at the Canadian Grand Prix full of confidence. Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica are aiming to add to their points totals at the demanding high-speed track and to further strengthen the team’s third place in the constructors’ championship. The team has scored points in every race so far in what is only its second season on the grid.

Nick Heidfeld:
“Like most drivers, I really like travelling over to Montreal. The race circuit occupies an incredibly beautiful location on the island in the St Lawrence river, which makes for an unmistakable atmosphere. And the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve itself has a very special character. It is a high-speed track with long straights, but also some tight chicanes and a couple of slow corners. To start with, the asphalt always has very little grip. When the track starts to get really grippy and the car is working perfectly, though, you can run hard over the kerbs in the second chicane. This chicane also goes downhill, and you get seriously close to the wall on the exit.

“Away from the track itself, I also like the city of Montreal a lot. There is always a great atmosphere there and the people get really excited about the grand prix. I usually travel to Montreal a few days before the race and have time to do some shopping in the city. I also like to stop by at a few galleries in the old part of town. Patricia and I have several pictures at home which I bought there.”

Robert Kubica:
“I am really looking forward to Montreal as it is one of my favourite tracks in the Formula One calendar. It means driving with lower downforce for the first time this season. Last year on the Friday I was quite good there. I am looking to repeat that performance and I think our car can perform very well there because of the downforce configuration. I like the track because it is a street circuit and has pretty low grip, improving during the weekend.

“It will be interesting to see how I can cope with the Bridgestone tyres compared to the Michelins of last year, and how I have to change my driving style. I will see how big an influence it was for me to change to the different tyres. Montreal was the track where my driving style of last year gave me an advantage. As I am not driving the same as in 2006 we have to see how it will be this year.”

Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director:
“The two races in North America represent not only the next challenge for us as a team in terms of collecting more World Championship points – they also carry a lot of weight for the BMW Group. The USA was the most important single market for the BMW Group in 2006, with sales of some 314,000 BMW and MINI cars. Canada is the Group’s second largest market in America after the USA. BMW, therefore, has a large fan base in the country, and we also feel the strength of this popularity as a team.

“Last year, we crossed the Atlantic in fifth place in the standings. In 2007 we will be arriving in Canada as the third best team. In 2006 we were only able to take two points away from the pair of races in North America. This is something we are naturally looking to improve on, and we are aiming to collect as many points as possible on the back of our good result in Monaco in order to further strengthen our position in the championship.

“The atmosphere at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on the island in the St Lawrence river, with its paddock running along the side of the former Olympic rowing basin, is simply captivating. With the colourful hustle and bustle in the city and a race circuit on the waterfront there are certainly parallels in terms of atmosphere with the Monaco Grand Prix. However, the type of challenge presented by the Montreal track could hardly be more different. The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve places totally different aerodynamic demands on the cars and pushes both the brakes in particular, and the engines, to the limit. In line with the F1 regulations, our cars will continue with the same engines as we used in Monaco. Sebastian Vettel will be with us in America in his capacity as test and reserve driver.”

Willy Rampf, Technical Director:
“The combination of long straights and chicanes makes Montreal what we call a ‘medium downforce’ circuit, and we have developed a special aero package that takes this into account. The long straight leading up to the final chicane offers the drivers the best overtaking opportunity if top speed allows. Montreal is harder on the brakes than any other circuit on the F1 calendar, so maximum brake cooling and high-performance specifications for discs and pads are the order of the day.

“This is a circuit that punishes even the slightest error, as the crash barriers are largely extremely close to the track and there are not many run-off areas. We were very competitive in Canada last year, and I am extremely confident that we will be able to come away with good results again this year.”
History and background:

With a population of 1.6 million, the eastern Canadian city of Montreal is the country’s second-largest city and the capital of the 80-percent French-speaking province of Quebec. 3.7 million people live in the greater Montreal area. The city lies on the ÃŽle de Montreal at the confluence of the Ottawa and St Lawrence rivers. The 233-metre-high Mont Royal – located in the centre of the island – gave its name to the city, which was founded by French explorers in 1642 as Ville-Marie-de-Montreal. The Port de Montreal remains an important stop-off for ships on their way to the Great Lakes. The region’s climate is dominated by extremely cold winters and short, sunny summers.

From 12.00 to 18.00 hrs on Saturday 9th June, BMW drivers will gather with a selection of exceptional cars for a concours in the park grounds of the downtown Bell Centre. The finest examples in various categories will be selected as part of the event. Needless to say, representatives of the media are also very welcome to attend.

The complex on Notre Dame island where the non-permanent race track is located was the site of the 1967 World Expo and hosted the 1976 Olympic Games. The Formula One paddock runs along the side of the former rowing basin.

2007 marks the 39th Canadian Grand Prix and the 29th held in Montreal. The first Canadian Grand Prix took place in 1967 in Mosport, which went on to host a further seven GPs. Mont-Tremblant was the venue for two GPs. Formula One moved to Montreal in 1978, where it has been held ever since on the circuit named after the winner of the inaugural race, Gilles Villeneuve.

Neither driver experienced any vehicle problems this time, only the inconveniences of the inability to pass on this course. Over all a very good race for both team members as they cruised to a 5th and 6th spot on the board. Now that they have pretty much found all the bugs in the car and sent them on their way, the BMW team is ready for battle and is not going down easy.

As they hold a strong grip on third place overall, expect to see better and better results as the rounds continue.Next up is Montreal. With screaming straight-aways and tight hairpin turns, this race is sure to be a test of every drivers all out ability. It will take place on June 10th at 1:00pm on the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve.

Don’t miss it!

Written By: Ted Bogle of the Budds’ Parts Department Team

BMW F1 Sauber Wind Tunnel

2007 Race Schedule

• June 2 – Welland
• June 9 – Welland
• June 10 – Medina
• June 15 – Rochester
• June 16 – Welland & St. Marcel
• June 17 – Ayers Cliff
• June 23 – Welland
• June 24 – Medina
• June 30 – Welland
• July 7 – Welland
• July 14 – Welland
• July 15 – Medina
• July 20 – London
• July 21 – Leamington
• July 22 – Wheatley
• July 28 – Welland
• July 29 – Medina
• August 4 – Welland & Brome
• August 5 – Belleville & Medina
• August 6 – Belleville Raindate
• August 11- Sarnia
• August 18 – Leamington
• August 19 – Wheatley
• August 25 – Barrie
• September 8 – Three Rivers
• September 9 – St. Marcel
• September 15 – Monticello
• September 29 – Petrolia 

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On a beautiful sunny day in Barcelona, Nick Heidfeld had nothing but a black cloud over his head for most of his race. First with a pit stop error, which left his car with one of his wheels barely hanging on and having to complete an entire lap at a snails pace, to having stubborn transmission problems, which eventually made him throw in the towel.  

Though these little hiccups are annoying to the team, they still remain in third position in the constructor’s championship. Although BMW most likely will not pass this point, it seems like they are going to be the toughest team to beat other than Ferrari and Maclaren.

The next race finishing positions and points will be determined of how you place in qualifying. This Monaco race sees racers basically stay in their race spots for the best part of the whole race as there is essentially no room to pass on this tight course.

This will be a tough race indeed. Not only do Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica have to deal with the pressure of qualifying into Q3 to hopefully be in the points, they also have to deal with Darryl Budd and Carly sitting in the stands watching their every move.  

Tune in May 27th at 7:30am to catch all the action live on Speed TV.