BMW relocates to Bahrain for upcoming tests

BMW-Sauber has decided to join Ferrari and Toyota on the Bahrain circuit for the upcoming winter tests.

After the start of the F1.09 in Valencia last week, the Hinwil-based team had initially planned to join the majority of the teams in Jerez for the next event.

But after seeing, reading, and hearing about the dreadful weather conditions last week in the Algarve region, considered a temperate area, BMW decided to leave Europe in search of better conditions.

With the ban on in-season testing, teams have only a handful of testing days left to prepare their new cars for the Australian Grand Prix.

While most teams will be in Jerez, Ferrari and Toyota had already planned the trip to the island of Bahrain, where testing will begin on February 10.

After the fog, rain, and even hail in Portimao, this first session of the year 2009 will not go down in history as the most productive.

Timo Glock from Toyota had stated: « At least in Bahrain, we will have much better weather conditions. We will be able to do laps, which is what we need with the new car. »