Situation prior to the Spanish GP Race

By BMW Sauber F1 Team
May 13 2007

Unfamiliar sight on the Spanish GP grid: for the first time since the 2006 Hungarian GP at Budapest, Robert Kubica has succeeded in out-qualifying Nick Heidfeld. On the eve of the fourth round of the 2007 season, we have compiled some interesting facts for you.

- For the first time this season, Robert was quicker than Nick Heidfeld in the qualifying session's crucial top-ten shootout. With four qualifying sessions contested, Nick now holds a 3:1 lead, in the team-internal battle. - For the second time this year, Robert starts a Grand Prix from row three of the grid. In Melbourne he also qualified fifth. On the Spanish GP grid he shares row three with Toyota's Jarno Trulli, while Nick will start next to Heikki Kovalainen (Renault), from row four. - By qualifying fifth, Robert equalled his best Formula One qualifying result to date. In the six rounds the Pole contested in 2006, sixth position in Italy had been his best qualifying result. - It's the second time in 2007 that the BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers start a Grand Prix from fifth and seventh grid positions. In Malaysia, however, Nick started from fifth on the grid and Robert had had to settle for seventh. In the race, Nick gained one position to finish fourth. - For Nick, it's the ninth time in his career that he is seventh on a Formula One grid. The best result he achieved from this grid position was the fifth place secured in the 2002 Malaysian Grand Prix. - Last year, Nick secured tenth position on the grid for the BMW Sauber F1 Team in Spain - and finished eighth, thus scoring a point. - Never before has Nick succeeded in clinching such a good grid position for a Spanish GP. His best qualifying result achieved at the "Circuit de Catalunya" to date was eighth position, in 2002. At that time, he drove a great race to finish fourth.