Friday: BMW continues to make progress

After two races with low temperatures, where BMW remained far from the points zone, it seems that the Hungarian heat favors the mechanical performance of the F1.09. The drivers are confident in the modifications made to the car, although they both find themselves in the middle of the standings after this first day of free practice.

According to the team, BMW Sauber has made a step forward, but there is still a lot of work to be done on the optimal use of the tires and on the balance of the car, which is essential on the Hungaroring’s tight circuit.

Nick Heidfeld – 12th and 9th:

« We are making progress, although I am not yet satisfied with the balance of the car. It’s not exactly as I would like, neither on a flying lap nor in a long run. You can feel that the composition between the two types of tires is now more similar than before, but I’m afraid the tires are still not very good. Despite the traffic on the track, I was lucky this time and got a few clear laps. »

Robert Kubica – 11th and 14th:

«Today it was very hot. The car performed well in the morning session, I was quite satisfied, particularly in my first run. When there was more rubber on the track, we tested some new parts and adjusted the front wing. In the afternoon, I wasn’t very happy with the car. We now have to compare the data from both sessions and find the best balance.»

Willy Rampf – Director of Engineering:

We used some new parts today that had only been tested in the wind tunnel until now. Additionally, we put a lot of effort into working on the car’s setup and finding a good baseline. I think we managed to make a slight step forward. Compared to the last two races, the ambient temperature is much higher here, which makes the setup work a bit easier. Both our drivers completed long runs this afternoon to gather information on the tires.