Assessment: BMW is half-satisfied
BMW considers itself fortunate following the conclusion of the second Grand Prix of the 2009 season. In Malaysia, Heidfeld achieved a minor feat by reaching the podium, taking advantage of the rain and, above all, a good strategy. His teammate, on the other hand, was not lucky enough to race in the Grand Prix due […]
BMW considers itself fortunate following the conclusion of the second Grand Prix of the 2009 season. In Malaysia, Heidfeld achieved a minor feat by reaching the podium, taking advantage of the rain and, above all, a good strategy. His teammate, on the other hand, was not lucky enough to race in the Grand Prix due to an engine problem.
The performance of the BMW team allows them to score points for the second consecutive time, but it remains very mixed due to a lack of reliability. Half points… half joy.
Nick Heidfeld – 2nd:
« I am obviously very happy to be second in the end, even though I started only in 10th place. It was an extremely tough race today. I had a good start but it was difficult to drive with a car so heavy on fuel. When we saw it was raining, I pitted 7 laps earlier than planned and put on the full wet tires. The problem was it wasn’t raining, and nobody could have known. They still kept me on the track despite the tires wearing out in a few laps, and with a bit of luck, it rained heavily and the race was stopped, leaving me in this position. I am happy for our team: at least there was a good result in the first two GPs. »
Robert Kubica – Retirement:
« When I started the formation lap, my engine made strange noises and there was very little power. I started the race, which, under these circumstances, was not easy. After a few turns, I asked the team what I should do, but the car answered by itself by catching fire… and I stopped. »
Mario Theissen – Director:
The race was chaotic, as we thought based on the weather forecast. For Robert [Kubica], the race was already over at the beginning because his engine wasn’t responding. This apparently comes from a leak in the hydraulic system.
« Due to the weather, we loaded a large amount of fuel on Nick [Heidfeld]. This allowed him to stay on the track until the rain arrived. He then changed his tires at the right moment and managed to achieve the best possible result. Compliments to the entire team who worked without mistakes. »
