Comments on: So just how fast are BMW?

By: openwheelfan

openwheelfan — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 21:32:17 +0000

I don’t want to say that it is a fluke because I really think this is for real. BMW tested very carefully this year so I am not surprised. I am very exited for the competetion this season. If they had a fuel load strategy that would explain why Heidfeld was 5th. I always wanted to see Vettel at BMW. But I think that the Heid and Kub are talented enough. The race is only hours away!!!!!

By: Gman

Gman — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 20:25:43 +0000

It was a very good showing for the BMW club yesterday, but as Keith pointed out, they had their best quali showing there last season. It will be interesting not only to see if they can make the podium or win tonight, but also if they can turn in top perfomances on the other tracks.

By: George

George — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 19:18:43 +0000

Nervous, twitchy cornering, smoking tires, mistakes by drivers……this is the way racing was meant to be! Great cars without artificial support (TC, etc) will show us who the really good pilots are.

As the season unfolds I think we’ll see fewer bobbles and even better competition. Now if we can only overcome the darned aero passing problem

By: oliver

oliver — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 18:14:48 +0000

BMW from the looks of things may have one car in the top 4 or possibly top 3 all season long.

By: Wesley

Wesley — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 17:51:01 +0000

Just watch those BMWs fly….whooo..hoo..!!! Looks like Kubica is going to force Heidfeld to take his game up another notch this year.

If there were mistakes for lack of T.C. in quali, just wait and see what happens when they are on top of one another racing for territory.

By: Vertigo

Vertigo — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 16:55:17 +0000

I would bet on Kubica for the win if it was going to rain tomorrow, but from what I’ve heard it looks like it won’t…ah well. Could Massa come into play tomorrow, as he may be heavy on fuel (hence the poor quali position)?

By: C-type

C-type — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 16:24:16 +0000

I was sorry for Kubica missing out on his first pole which would have been something very special for him (those ‘Pole on Pole’ headlines will have to wait a bit longer). Enjoyed his attacking of the circuit and look forward to seeing how he does later. I doubt he’ll be on the podium, sorry Robert, but he’ll be hugely influential on the outcome, and for me, I hope to the advantage of Ferrari though I do wish him well.
But that is not why I don’t see him on the podium, he looks light to me and I think Mario may well be overly-aggressive in their fuel strategy (again).

By: Keith Collantine

Keith Collantine — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 16:19:47 +0000

Hope you’re right Clive – as far as I’m concerned the more the merrier at the sharp end.

By: Clive

Clive — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 16:15:55 +0000

Ladies and gentlemen, we have what we have been asking for at last: three teams in with a chance of the championship. Watch those Beemers go!

By: oliver

oliver — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 15:39:38 +0000

We only assume Kimi would have the pace to be on pole.

By: Keith Collantine

Keith Collantine — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 14:21:34 +0000

Afraid not – Red Bull always had Vettel’s contract and he was due to return to them for 2009 regardless. He must be a good tip to join the Red Bull ‘A Team’ next year.

By: Mario Peeters

Mario Peeters — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 14:15:01 +0000

I a wondering what the combination BMW – Vettel could bring us. I am not sure but I thought that BMW still has Vettel under contract and is only lending it to STR. Given his pace at STR and the pace of the BMw I think they would make Hamiltons strole to the title difficult. I am looking forward to a battle Mercedes vs BMW, Hamilton vs Vettel. I think that those will be the heroic battles of the future. Shame for Kimi he had problems with his car. Ferrari and renault seem to be the losers of the 2008 season so far.

By: Keith Collantine

Keith Collantine — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 13:12:40 +0000

Comment by Don Wilson moved here

By: M Smith

M Smith — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 12:55:52 +0000

Regardless of the different strategies, BMW performed very well in qualifying. I certainly do not think that it was a glory pole position like what Toyota did awhile ago, they have good pace.

How fast is BMW? I guess we will only find out tomorrow, but thanks to Ferrari’s misfortune, the podium is a big possibility. A victory? Maybe. That would make a great start to the season.

By: Fer no.65

Fer no.65 — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 12:51:07 +0000

it has been an strange qualyfing session appart from the fact Kimi was not there, neither Alonso. Also Webber could have been fighting for the top rows, but as usual for him, a mechanical problem stopped him….

So, looking at the times… everything is so relative…
-Who thought Honda would be narrowly out from top 10?
-Who thought Toyota would be that strong?
-Who thought Ferrari would fail badly at qualy???
-Who thought the BMWs were faster than both Williams??
-Who thought Piquet would do worse than Heikki last year!?
- Who tought every lap would be that untidy? every driver seems to be fighting hard with the cars… that was a surprise for me, as all drivers said the Traction Control loss wasn’t a problem… but it is! the laps are strange sometimes, they had to fight really hard to get those cars on the corner properly!… so many mistakes… many white-smoke moments, or sometimes loosing the rear too…!

we’ll have to be patient… as the race willl tell us everything… and it will be so interesting!

By: Stew

Stew — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 12:31:09 +0000

Hard to say, but I’m beginning to see that they are fast this year. The practice times didn’t do much for me, fast or slow.

For me, if Kimi was in, Kubica was 3rd on the grid which is still just as good

It’s going to take this race to see if it is true that BMW-Sauber are a serious threat for wins.