Although not amongst the leading teams, BMW Sauber F1 has one of the current best drivers, Robert Kubica. Based in Hinwil, Switzerland and Munich. The team was formed by the end of 2005 when German car manufacturer BMW which partnered with Williams and took over the existing Sauber F1 team. Scoring two podium finishes, it came fifth in its first season. Its current team principal is Mario Theissen and technical director is Willy Rampf. It made its debut in the 2006 Bahrain Grand Prix and has since competed in sixty one races but with only one race victory and pole positions. In 2008, its position was third with 135 points. When the McLaren team was excluded from the championship it won second place in 2007. Robert Kubica, its Polish driver, the "new kid on the block" scored for the Sauber team the first Grand Prix victory in the Canadian Grand Prix in 2008. Sauber could not achieve a race win, pole position or fastest lap throughout its existence in any of the Grand prix. But with new drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Nick Heidfeld, Sauber has enjoyed the most successful season during 2001, finishing first in the Constructors’ Championship.

Origin

The first car was built by Peter Sauber in 1970 which had competed for the year’s Swiss Hillclimb and won that event. After several hill climb events, he turned his attention towards sports car racing. After enjoying some success through the 1970s and 1980s, it was appointed as the Mercedes-Benz works team in 1989 and won the 24 Hours of Le Mans and also won after a year, the World Sportscar Championship. This team from Switzerland competed in Formula One in 1993 where the German Mercedes supplied the engines. But in 1994, the marquee switched over to McLaren, then in 1995-1996, to Ford and from 1997-2005, to Ferrari, under the badge of Petronas from 1997 to 2005.

Wrap Up

Although targeting 2009 as the year to change it all, the start to the season has not been favorable as Kubica was third place in opening rounds. Mario Theissen, after the qualifying for the British Grand Prix, wants to focus more on the improvement of aerodynamics leaving KERS to Ferrari as the only user of this system of which it had previously been a very strong proponent. It is apparent that their determination will not hold them back long from a true Championship victory before long.