As a gesture of thanks for Heidfeld’s activity within the team, legendary Peter Sauber gave the German driver a Formula One car from this era.

“It now becomes very emotional,” said Heidfeld, 32, after finishing fifth in Abu Dhabi. “During the last laps I had to pull myself together in order to keep my concentration.”

Heidfeld raced for Sauber’s privateer team in 2001-2003, before returning to the Swiss camp for the start of the BMW era four years ago

The special parting gift should cheer him up and we hope to see Heidfeld in the next year’s championship as well.

As a thank you for Nick Heidfeld’s seven years of great commitment to the team in Hinwil Peter Sauber is giving him a Formula One car from this era. The 2009 season’s finale also marks the last Formula One race for BMW after the company’s decision at the end of July to pull out of this sport. In the team’s four year history the BMW Sauber F1 Team collected 308 world championship points, one pole position and 17 podiums, including one win. (The following pages outline a timeline of the team’s achievements.)

Nick Heidfeld: 5th

BMW Sauber F1.09-07 / BMW P86/9

Fastest lap: 1:40.672 min on lap 54 (7th fastest overall)

“I am very happy with my fifth place. It was a good race in which I was able to get the maximum out of the car and score four points, which was enough to reach our target for the end of the season to overtake Williams in the constructors’ championship. After I have been a little unlucky in recent races, this time I was really able to exploit the car’s potential. For quite a long period I was able to go at the same speed as the world champion’s car, the Brawn. The strategy to go for a rather long stint paid off and the track was even more fun when it had more rubber on it. It is a pleasing end to our last season together. It now becomes very emotional. During the last laps I had to pull myself together in order to keep my concentration.”

Robert Kubica: 10th

BMW Sauber F1.09-08 / BMW P86/9

Fastest lap: 1:40.924 min on lap 54 (14th fastest overall)

“I lost the race in the second stint when I was very slow, while in the first stint I was able to go at quite a good pace, similar to Rubens. The car was working very well. After changing tyres I had no grip at all. The track was getting quicker and I just could not go at the pace of the other drivers. This was very strange. My fight with Sébastien Buemi was quite tough and a bit dangerous. We nearly touched when braking into the chicane. He first moved to the left and blocked the inside of the left hander. When I moved to the right he pushed me over the high inside kerb of the right hander section of the chicane and I spun. He did not leave any space at all. Thanks a lot to the team for the last four years. I hope to meet them back on the grid next year.”

Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):

“That was once again a strong weekend for our team in the season´s finale. Starting from eighth Nick consistently moved up to fifth thanks to a very good performance. Robert was unlucky three times during the race: After each pit stop he came back on the track behind a slower car, and due to the collision with Buemi he lost one position. But the most important point is that with today´s result we gained another place in the constructors’ championship. So we ended a very tough season with some strong results. A big thank you goes to the whole team – both here at the track as well as in Munich and Hinwil.”

Willy Rampf (Head of Engineering):

“Our goal today was to score three points more than Williams and overtake them in the constructors’ championship. This goal was achieved thanks to Nick’s great drive and his fifth place. The race was very interesting from a strategic point of view because a one stopper was exactly as quick as two. Therefore the decisive part was at the second pit stop where it was decided who was in front of who. The race was so close today, so it was an absolute must not to make any mistake at all. I want to express my respect for the team in Munich and Hinwil who never lost motivation and continued to push very hard. They all did a fantastic job and deserve this result.”

Abu Dhabi, 1st November 2009

Thank you!

BMW says thank you –

to its partners for their backing,

to the fans for their enthusiastic support,

to its rivals for their respect,

to the drivers for their sheer focus,

to the team for its collective achievement,

and to the media for their fairness.

Timeline.

16th/17th January 2006: The BMW Sauber F1 Team presents itself to the public in Valencia. The BMW Sauber F1.06 has its first track outing. The team drivers are Nick Heidfeld (DE) and Jacques Villeneuve (CA), the test and reserve driver is Robert Kubica (PL).

12th March 2006: The BMW Sauber F1 Team lines up in Bahrain for its first GP.

19th March 2006: The team wins its first World Championship points in the second race of the season when Villeneuve finishes seventh in Malaysia.

2nd April 2006: The third GP sees both drivers finish in the points for the first time. In Australia Heidfeld is fourth, Villeneuve sixth.

6th August 2006: Heidfeld takes the first podium place in the team’s 13th World Championship race. Kubica runs his first Formula One race in Budapest.

25th August 2006: Sebastian Vettel (DE/19) is made Friday driver in the third F1.06 with immediate effect.

October 2006: The wind tunnel in Hinwil runs on three shifts. A year previously it had been on one daily shift.

22nd October 2006: The BMW Sauber F1 Team ends its debut year in fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship (36 points).

16th January 2007: Presentation of the BMW Sauber F1.07 in Valencia. Heidfeld and Kubica continue as team drivers, Vettel remains reserve driver, Timo Glock (DE) is taken on as second test driver.

10th June 2007: In Canada Heidfeld earns the team’s first second-placed finish. Kubica survives a serious accident virtually unhurt.

17th June 2007: Vettel stands in for Kubica in Indianapolis and gains his first World Championship point.

21st October 2007: The BMW Sauber F1 Team concludes its second season with 101 points as the third-strongest team. Officially it is in second place (after disqualification of McLaren Mercedes).

End of 2007: The extension at Hinwil is ready for occupation and accommodates a workforce boosted by 150.

14th January 2008: The BMW Sauber F1.08 is unveiled at BMW Welt in Munich. Kubica and Heidfeld continue as the team drivers.

2nd February 2008: Christian Klien (AT) and Marko Asmer (EE) are announced as reserve driver and second test driver respectively.

23rd March 2008: Heidfeld records the team’s first fastest race lap in Malaysia.

5th April 2008: Kubica wins the BMW Sauber F1 Team’s first pole position in Bahrain.

6th April 2008: After the Bahrain Grand Prix – the third race of the season – the team leads the World Championship for the first time.

8th June 2008: Kubica crosses the line ahead of Heidfeld in Montreal to claim the first win for the BMW Sauber F1 Team in their 42nd GP. The Polish driver now leads the Drivers’ Championship.

2nd November 2008: After a mixed second half of the season, the team has 136 points and 11 podiums to place it third in the World Championship. The drivers conclude the season in 4th (Kubica) and 6th (Heidfeld) position.

20th January 2009: The F1.09 is unveiled in Valencia. Kubica, Heidfeld and Klien are on board once again. The economic recession makes for generally low-key presentations.

29th July 2009: The BMW Group announces its withdrawal from F1 at the end of the season. The freed-up resources are to flow into the development of new drive technologies and projects promoting sustainability.

15th September 2009: BMW AG announces the sale of the team to Qadbak Investments Ltd.

1st November 2009: The BMW Sauber F1 Team contests its 70th and final Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi.

* The best results for the Sauber Team as a solo venture (1993-2005) were six third places.

* With Brabham, BMW took eight wins in the period 1982 to 1985. The final victory with the legendary turbo engine was in 1986 with Benetton. During the Williams era (2000 to 2005) the total was ten wins.

* In 1983 Nelson Piquet (Brabham BMW) won the Drivers’ Championship. Prior to the BMW Sauber F1 Team era, BMW had totalled 19 Grand Prix wins and 33 pole positions.

Robert Kubica:

BMW Sauber F1.09-08 / BMW P86/9

Qualifying 7th, 1:41.992 min in Q3 (3rd Free Practice: 8th, 1:41.322 min)

“Unfortunately I missed yesterday’s second free practice session. As a result I had no experience of the track conditions at this time of day. The conditions were completely different compared to the third free practice session. The lower temperatures had quite a big effect on the car’s balance. In the end qualifying in seventh is quite ok and I am optimistic that we can fight for points tomorrow.”

Nick Heidfeld:

BMW Sauber F1.09-07 / BMW P86/9

Qualifying 8th, 1:42.343 min in Q3 (3rd Free Practice: 5th, 1:41.241min)

“I think my eighth position is alright. On the last lap there was a small chance to improve, but I had traffic with Mark Webber in front of me, and anyway there is no guarantee this lap would have been faster. If I take the fuel load into account, I’m happy with my grid position although I only really know the fuel load for our cars. The tyres seem to last here remarkably well, which means it could pay off if you stay out for longer. The light from the setting sun was a bit brighter than yesterday, but the circuit is built in such a way that you have to deal with it in only one corner, which anyway is flat. For our last race tomorrow I hope for all of us we can achieve a good result with points for both cars.”

Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):

“The outcome of qualifying is more or less what we expected. It was good to see both our cars made it quite safely into the top ten. In the final part of qualifying the field was very close together again. However we ended seventh and eighth. Now it will be important to see when the first pit stops will take place. Technically today everything went without any problems.”

Willy Rampf (Head of Engineering):

“For our team it was a qualifying without any special excitement. Our result reflects quite accurately where we stand with our performance. As early as Q1 it was clear we had a very good chance to make it into Q3, and that finally happened. With the fuel load our drivers have on board we should be able to score a good result in the last race for the BMW Sauber F1 Team.”

Following the victory in the American Le Mans Series race in Road America (US), this is the second win for the new GT sports car, and also the car’s maiden win in Asia. The final phase of the Asian Le Mans Series inaugural event was a thriller. After Müller, who was in the car at the start, had worked his way up from fifth on the grid to second in the early stages of the three-hour race, Milner took over the wheel of the BMW M3 GT2 on lap 52.

The 23-year-old took the lead with a successful overtaking manoeuvre on Henzler on lap 78. In order to save time, the BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team decided not to change tyres during his second pit stop on lap 103 when Milner remained in the car. The gap which he had kept thanks to this brave strategy diminished lap by lap. Eight minutes before the end of the race Lieb, running on fresh tyres, started to put Milner under constant pressure, But the BMW driver successfully defended the lead in a nail-biting finale, committed no mistakes and ultimately took the chequered flag as winner.

The second round of the Asian Le Mans Series will be held on Sunday. The red lights go out at 9:00hrs local time (0:00hrs GMT).

Bobby Rahal (Team Principal): “This is a fantastic result. In qualifying we didn’t achieve the maximum, so it was important that Dirk gained some ground after the start. Our fuel economy and the pace of the car were very good. During our second pit stop we didn’t change our Dunlop tyres. Tommy then drove the race of his life. The Porsche managed to close the gap, but just couldn’t get by. There’s only a little time to celebrate our win as there is a second race to contest tomorrow. Up to now Japan has proved excellent ground for us.”

Tommy Milner: “This was a tough race. As we didn’t change tyres during the pit stop I knew it would be a close finish. Marc Lieb put me under pressure, and I had to fend off his first attacks in order to keep my chances alive. I managed to do that. Finally I scored my first win. In the ALMS I finished on the podium five times, and many times I got close to victory. Now it has happened at last. A big thank you to my team. The guys are once again doing a great job.“

Dirk Müller: “We knew that our package would be competitive. But it’s just great that it was strong enough for the win. After the start I gained several positions. In these close battles my experiences from the World Touring Car Championship are a bonus. I didn’t risk anything when behind the Porsche and patiently waited for my chance. That paid off. Tommy did a perfect job today and wrapped up our victory.”

Robert Kubica: 2nd

BMW Sauber F1.09-08 / BMW P86/9

Fastest lap 1: 14.155 min on lap 38 (4th fastest overall)

“The basis for today’s result was laid yesterday when we decided to take a gamble and drive the wet qualifying with a low-downforce set-up. This went well in Q1, but was difficult in Q3. Although some people were disappointed with eighth place yesterday, I was quite pleased. Today we had a good and consistent pace. I was surprised at the beginning that it was quite easy to follow Rubens Barrichello and Mark Webber. But I had to reduce the engine revs after about 15 laps because the water temperature was too high, and I had to avoid the tow of the guys in front of me. After my first pit stop I was unlucky because I got stuck behind four cars. At that stage Mark was able to increase the gap. This is a great result in a difficult season, and I really hope that I will see this team on the grid next year.”

Nick Heidfeld: DNF (retired after 21 laps with no fuel)

BMW Sauber F1.09-07 / BMW P86/9

Fastest lap 1:14.988 min on lap 19 (15th fastest overall)

“My start wasn’t perfect but I saw there were very tight fights and decided it was better to stay clear of trouble. Then straight away there were crashes in turn two and at the exit of turn five. I was able to overtake a couple of cars, and among them was Romain Grosjean who didn’t really play fair. I was worried I could lose my front wing then. After I had left him behind me I closed the gap to Sebastian Vettel but could not overtake him. Then I was due for my first pit stop. I wondered how quick the car was and soon I received the call to save fuel and to save more fuel, but it was too late. I ran dry in turn 8. At least it is good that the team has something to be happy about today.”

Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):

“First of all congratulations to Jenson Button and Brawn GP for having won both the Drivers’ and the Constructors’ World Championships. But today we also have some reason to be happy. Robert put in a strong performance without the slightest mistake. He was the only one on track who could keep up with the speed of the front runner over the entire race distance. His second place is a well deserved reward for the intensive work and the efforts of the last weeks. For the entire team it is important to achieve a top result at the end of that difficult season. I want to thank every single team member for that. Unfortunately the fuel rig didn’t work at Nick’s pit stop. Up to then he also drove a strong race. Our second podium finish this season saw us move up one position in the Constructors’ Championship. We want to keep that momentum for the final race in Abu Dhabi.”

Willy Rampf (Head of Engineering):

“That was a first class performance from Robert. He was consistently fast and without any mistakes. A great compliment and thank you to him and the entire team. We really earned this second place on the podium in our penultimate race. The risk to set the car up for dry race conditions during the wet qualifying session on Saturday paid off. Unfortunately Nick had a problem with the fuel rig, which did not work and was responsible for his early exit. Congratulations to Jenson Button and BrawnGP for winning two World Championships.”

In the ten-race, eight-months-long season from Sebring to Laguna Seca, the team tallied one victory, five podium finishes, two 1-2 M3 qualifying efforts, and three fast race laps. BMW secured third place in 2009 ALMS Manufacturers Point standings and Milner and Müller took fourth place in Driver Points. The team finished third in Team Points.

Milner and Müller completed 153 laps in today’s four-hour race at Laguna Seca, to finish sixth in the No. 92 M3. Though disappointed this weekend, the duo has reached the podium in half of the races this season. Milner started from eighth and ran strongly until a competitor spun him off after the race’s second caution period. He pitted to check for damage and Müller entered the race one lap down to the leaders. Dirk battled for the next three hours, running as high as fifth and turning some of the fastest laps of the race. A late pit stop to repair a damaged left front wheel ultimately dropped him to a sixth place finish.

For Bill Auberlen and Joey Hand, the final race of the year quickly ended in disappointment as a mechanical failure only minutes into the race ended the Californians’ hopes for victory. Auberlen and Hand earned the program’s first win at Road America in August.

Tommy Milner, driver No. 92 M3 (sixth): Youtube: click here for video.

“A great effort from Dirk today to finish sixth. It’s unfortunate I was taken out early by the Corvette. It cost us one lap and we tried really hard to get it back. The speed was there, but not the luck. Overall, it has been a great season. A brand new program, a brand new M3, a brand new partnership with BMW and RLR and managed to finish on the podium five
times with one win.”

Dirk Müller, driver No. 92 M3 (sixth): Youtube: click here for video.

“I just have to say awesome! I really squeezed that M3 for three hours and it was unbelievable. I was the quickest car out there for a long time – even after that hard hit. I am not sure that I had 100% power because of the damage to the exhaust, but I had a great time. I want to thank the whole team for a great year. Five podiums and P3 or P4 in driver
points, we will wait to see. The first time I have driven for BMW of North America and Rahal Letterman Racing, as well as on Dunlop tires. Everything came together very nicely. I am already looking forward to the next race!”

Martin Birkmann, BMW NA Motorsport Manager:

“Although this was a very tough day for us, it was a very good day for others and we congratulate this season’s champions. We returned to the ALMS this year because the competition is so tough and we are pleased to have given everyone a race this year. We plan to do even better next year. We would like to thank all our loyal – and new – fans for the continuous support and enthusiasm throughout a season that had it all. A partnership became a team this year and we reached the podium five times, the top at Road America.”

The Monterey Sports Car Championships for the American Le Mans Series will be broadcast on SPEED television at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 11.

Switching usual qualifying drivers in both M3s, Bill Auberlen qualified the
No. 90 M3 sixth with a 1:23.552 minute lap around the 2.238-mile Laguna Seca Raceway. Making no adjustments during the session, Auberlen set his quick time on the sixth lap.

Making his first qualifying effort of the season, Tommy Milner drove the
No. 92 M3 to the eighth starting position with a time of1:23.745 minutes. The crew pitted Milner for adjustments after nine laps, but his seventh lap stood as the fastest.

Bill Auberlen, driver No. 90 M3 (sixth): Youtube: click here for video

“This afternoon we took a different, more conservative approach with our set-up and ended up in the middle of a very competitive field. I think we’ll surprise some people tomorrow as we have been quite quick on a tire that can get us through the entire race. That means we can tailor a very good race strategy.”

Tommy Milner, driver No. 92 M3 (eighth): Youtube: click here for video

“Eighth may not be where we want to be, but, most importantly, our pace picked up as the session went on. We have a very good race car and with a bit of fine tuning tomorrow morning I am confident we’ll end up with a very good package for the race.”

The Monterey Sports Car Championships for the American Le Mans Series is scheduled to start at 2:45 p.m. PT Saturday, Oct. 10 and will be broadcast on SPEED television at 2:30 p.m.  ET on Oct. 11.

BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen said: “Robert played an important role for us – and certainly we did the same for him. He joined us in 2006 as a test driver with no Formula One experience, and then we promoted him to be one of our team’s drivers during that season.

He never let us down and, with our first pole position in 2008 in Bahrain and first victory the same year in Canada, he set milestones in the history of our team. We are grateful for his strong and constant performances and wish him all the best for his future.“

Kubica himself commented: “I’m very thankful to those responsible in the BMW Sauber F1 Team for giving me the chance to get a Formula One cockpit. I think I justified the belief in me by delivering good results. In 2008 I managed to get the first pole position in Bahrain and the first win in Canada. Both will remain unforgettable moments for me. For 2010 I will have a new challenge. I wish everybody I worked with at the BMW Sauber F1 Team all the best for the future. I’m sure in the future our paths will cross in Formula One.”

Kubica drove his first Formula One race on the 6th August 2006 in Budapest. He competed in 55 Grand Prix for the BMW Sauber F1 Team, during which he achieved eight podium finishes and collected 129 championship points.

The team that will succeed the current BMW Sauber F1 Team will announce its driver line-up at a later stage.

[Source:  BMW ]

Nick Heidfeld: 6th

Fastest lap 1:33.600 min on lap 13 (10th fastest overall)

“Today was not our lucky day. I’m very disappointed with this result. Fourth place was within reach but several things went wrong today, especially at the second pit stop when the rear right wheel nut got stuck. But certainly I don’t want to complain. These things can happen and normally we have very good pit stops. That was when I lost a position to Kimi, and I rejoined the race just behind him. When the safety car came out I lost another position to Nico, who was lucky to refuel while the safety car was out.“

Robert Kubica: 9th

Fastest lap 1:33.334 min on lap 44 (7th fastest overall)

“The entire weekend was unlucky for me. Yesterday I wasn’t able to show my good pace due to the red and yellow flags. Today I was stuck in traffic a couple of times. Furthermore I lost much time at the beginning of the race with a heavy and understeering car. Once the car was lighter and I got into my rhythm I was quite quick. I was then very unlucky with my first pit stop, as after the stop both Kimi and Nick were in front of me. That cost me time. Also after the safety car period I was in traffic. I was stuck behind Jenson. I was quicker than him in the corners, but was not able to overtake as we were missing some top speed on the straights.”

Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):

“That was a strong performance from us with a disappointing end. Nick was quick and well on his way on fourth. Then he lost a position during his second pit stop due to a sticking wheel nut. He lost another position during the safety-car-period when Nico Rosberg passed him after his pit stop. Coming in ninth, Robert missed the points by just a small margin.”

Willy Rampf (Head of Engineering):

“Today more should have been possible for us. Nick established himself in fourth for a long time. Until his second pit stop, which we did earlier because Kimi Räikkönen was right behind him, everything went according to plan. But during the pit stop a problem occurred which cost us valuable seconds. As a consequence Kimi was able to get by. During the safety-car-period Nick lost another position. Robert lost a position after the start which he gained back later during the race. But at the end it was just not enough to score a point.”

As you recall, BMW will exit the Formula 1 championship at the end of this year and a new buyer for the Sauber team has been found.

The move would also clear path for Mercedes to focus on its elaborate partnership with Brawn, the leading team this season.  McLaren has an engine supply contract with equity partner Mercedes for two more seasons, but the Chairman Ron Dennis believes the car can manage without the Mercedes’ engines.

Auto Motor und Sport said BMW would be interested in selling its F1 engine program for the right price and contacts might have already been established.

A very interesting rumor and if it turns out to be true, we can’t only be happy to see the BMW engines continuing in the Formula 1 races.

On a different note, BMW Sauber driver, Rober Kubica, is still weighing his options for the next season. While many people see him joining Renault next year, the Japanese team Toyota  showed interest in his skills as well. Kubica is being reluctant to make a choice since both teams’ future is up for debate.

[Source: Auto123 | AMS ]

Heidfeld, who was eighth fastest in qualifying, started from the pit lane. When his car was weighed after qualifying the team found that it was slightly under the minimum weight. The team reported its error with the ballast weights to the FIA. As the team found itself in this situation, it also decided to change the engine and gearbox on Heidfeld’s car. Heidfeld has now used his ninth engine of the season.

2008 Car Featured Here

Robert Kubica: 8th / BMW Sauber F1.09-08 / BMW P86/9

“This was a very tough race. I was quite unlucky with the safety car period. I lost a couple of positions as I had just refuelled before the safety car went out. On top of this we had a lot of problems with my car’s rear tyre degradation. As a result the final ten to fifteen laps of my stint were very slow and, especially in the final stint, I had to defend my position extremely hard. In the end I must say this was the most difficult point I have scored in my whole life.”

Nick Heidfeld: Accident on lap 20 / BMW Sauber F1.09-07 / BMW P86/9

“For me it was clearly Adrian Sutil’s fault. Obviously I saw it from the inside and later also on TV. He had spun backwards and then just drove back onto the track and straight into my car. That’s something you just can’t do. I had no chance to avoid this accident. I was last with a lot of fuel on board. The speed at the back of the pack was very low and, therefore, I started to save fuel very early on as overtaking was impossible anyway. Although my chances were far from promising today, it is still annoying not to finish because of such a stupid incident.”

Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):

“That was a lot of hard work for a single point. With Nick starting from the pit lane it was clear he would not be involved in the outcome of the race. Unfortunately eventually he was taken completely out of the race due to an accident which was not his fault. Robert, yet again, was unlucky as the safety car came out just after his first pit stop. Therefore he lost some positions. What we take from this race is the improved performance in qualifying. Now we have to fully exploit the potential of the car.”

Willy Rampf (Head of Engineering):

“Nick’s start was very difficult as it was from the pit lane. The accident, which was not his fault, ruined his race early on. Robert lost ground at the start. Later he was not able to fight back as our pace today was bad compared to our qualifying speed. Also Robert suffered from early tyre degradation. In the end he rewarded himself with one point, which he had to fight for really hard in the final laps.”

[Source: BMW ]

The running order was frozen and eventually made final, securing the team’s seventh podium of the 2009 season. Dirk Müller set the fastest GT2 lap of the race, with a 1:21.366 minute lap of the Road Atlanta circuit.

Earlier in the race, before a punctured radiator slowed its progress, the No. 90 BMW M3 of Bill Auberlen, Joey Hand, and Andy Priaulx was among the fastest GT2 cars. When the red flag fell, the trio was deliberately clawing back toward contention, but was forced to settle for twelfth-place.

Martin Birkmann, BMW of North America Motorsport Manager:

“I’d like to dedicate this podium to the crowd of BMW Car Club members and true race fans that spent their Saturday with us in the pouring rain. This was the first race we’ve started under wet conditions, so we took a very conservative approach. We managed to close the gap to the leaders with good pit calls and fast pit stops. Unfortunately, a mechanical problem dropped the No. 90 M3 out of contention or I think we would have had both M3s on the podium.”

Bobby Rahal, Principal, Rahal Letterman Racing:

“It’s disappointing that the race didn’t go the distance as I think we had the pace to win. At least we were able to end up on the podium again with the No. 92 M3, but it is a shame that Bill, Joey and Andy could not join them. This was a very tough race and I am pleased that both M3s are rolling onto the trailer.”

Dirk Müller drove the No. 92 M3 to the fourth starting position with a 1:20.981 minute lap around the 2.47-mile Road Atlanta circuit, only .162 seconds from the pole sitter. Pitting
for adjustments on his seventh lap, Müller went out a second time, but his fourth lap stood as his fastest. On Saturday, Müller will share the No. 92 M3 with Tommy Milner and Jörg
Müller.

Joey Hand, driving the No. 90 M3, recorded a 1:21.219 minute lap, 0.238 seconds behind Müller. Hand also pitted for tire and suspension changes on his seventh lap, but his third lap stood as fastest. Hand will co-drive with Bill Auberlen and Andy Priaulx tomorrow.

Earlier Friday, BMW of North America held a press conference to announce that the BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team will return for a second season of ALMS competition in 2010.

Dirk Muller, driver, No. 92 BMW M3:
“That was a hot session! The track was very slippery compared to this morning. I was 0.7 seconds slower even though I tried everything. I was happy to be fighting for pole position
again. Our main competitors in the points are behind us so, although we did not get the pole, this result is not a disappointment.”

Joey Hand, driver, No 90 BMW M3
“I had a little off at the end of the morning practice session, but the guys got the car ready for qualifying with no problems. I ran easy early on to make sure everything was okay, but I think the heat caught everyone out today. As I pushed harder I realized we couldn’t go much faster, because I was getting very loose. In the remaining session time, we didn’t get it tucked in, but I know our pace is good enough to be very competitive in tomorrow’s enduro.”

Martin Birkmann, BMW of North America Motorsport Manager:
“A surprising outcome of the qualifying session with a first time pole sitter, but that is what makes the GT2 class so interesting. The track heated up significantly, so grip levels were much lower than earlier in the week and it certainly shook up the grid. Nonetheless we are starting ahead of most of our core competitors, and that’s ideally the sequence we’d like to
see when the checkered flag falls.”

Bobby Rahal, Team Principal, Rahal Letterman Racing:
“Our team is deliberately focused on having both cars see the checkered flag tomorrow evening. With a ten-hour race ahead, the qualifying positions are somewhat less important than usual. Nevertheless, capturing two top-five grid positions will give our drivers good chances for a clean start.”

The 12th annual Petit Le Mans is scheduled to start at 11:15 a.m. ET Saturday and will be broadcast live on SPEED television.

Last weekend, BMW of North America drivers Bill Auberlen, Joey Hand, Dirk Mül ler and Tommy Milner tested both BMW M3 GT2 race cars at Road Atlanta. Test time was limited
by torrential rains, but the team was able to gather data, bed brake pads, and properly aim each M3’s xenon headlights. On Tuesday, BMW Motorsport drivers Andy Priaulx and Jörg
Müller arrived at the track.

The Petit Le Mans will be one of the toughest challenges the team has faced in its inaugural American Le Mans season, but having proven able to win at a circuit like Road America, the BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team is ready to take on Road Atlanta.

Bill Auberlen, driver, No. 90 M3:

“The weekend test went well. I have been part of several BMW efforts at Petit Le Mans and I feel we are ready. The key to winning the Petit is to stay clean and fast.”

Joey Hand, driver, No. 90 M3:

“Petit Le Mans is driven like a sprint. We will need to go full tilt the whole time because the competition is closely matched. Last weekend’s testing showed how far we have come as a team. The engineers and mechanics and drivers work well together. We get better with every lap.”

Andy Priaulx, driver, No. 90 M3:

“This will be my first race in the US so I am very excited to do it in a BMW. I haven’t driven this car since testing here nine months ago, but I don’t believe that to be an issue. What I will have to learn quickly are the specific rules regarding caution flags and pit stops, while getting a handle on race pace.”

Tommy Milner, driver, No. 92 M3:

“The rain this weekend limited the amount of track time, but the team was still able to accomplish enough that we can now focus on the race itself. In the ALMS you can’t win just by staying out of trouble. We will have to be both fast and reliable. I am excited that our Number 92 M3 will carry Need for Speed SHIFT logo for this race. It’s a thrill to see the M3 on the box cover, and a great connection to real-life motorsport.”

Dirk Mül ler, driver, No. 92 M3:

“During testing I learned that Atlanta can be much like Malaysia with the amount of rain coming down. I did get in some dry laps and it feels like the M3 suits the track nicely. We checked all the systems and we are prepared for the race. I have raced Petit Le Mans four or five times and it is more like a long sprint race than an endurance race. Jörg will be a
good addition, and his last name begins with an M. Three M’s in our M3!”

Jörg Müller, driver , No. 92 M3:

“I have very good memories of Petit Le Mans and I am happy that I can come here again to support BMW in North America. I have led the race in past years, but a GT2 class win is high on my list of things yet to do.”

The Petit Le Mans Powered by Mazda 6 is scheduled to start at 11:15 a.m. ET Saturday, Sept. 26 and will be broadcast live on SPEED television.

BMW AG, based in Munich, Germany, is pleased to announce today that Qadbak Investments Ltd, a Swiss-based foundation which represents the interests of certain Middle East and European based families, has agreed to purchase the BMW Sauber F1 Team, based in Hinwil, Switzerland. The contract was signed today (Tuesday).

A strong investor has therefore been found for the Hinwil-based team. Qadbak´s interest in the team will be represented by Lionel Fischer, a Swiss national.

BMW wishes Qadbak and the Sauber Team every success for the 2010 season and beyond.

Priaulx and Müller tested the BMW M3 GT2 for BMW Motorsport this year in Europe, and both participated in the first U.S. test at Road Atlanta in November of last year.

Currently, Müller and Priaulx are racing in the World Touring Car Championship behind the wheel of a BMW 320si, standing sixth and fourth in driver points respectively.

Both have significant M3 endurance racing experience, and each has won the 24 Hour Race Nurburgring in an M3 GTR. Müller co-drove the M3 GTR to four ALMS victories in 2001 on his way to the ALMS GT Drivers Championship.

Müller, 40, has been racing in BMW Motorsport livery since 1995, competing at the Petit Le Mans three times from 1999 to 2001. At this year’s Petit, he will co-drive the No. 92 M3 with Tommy Milner and longtime racing partner Dirk Müller (no relation).

Priaulx, 36, from Guernsey, began karting on his native Channel Islands in 1984 and has been a BMW Motorsport driver since 2003. He is a three-time WTCC champion. This will be Priaulx’s first race in North America, and he will join Bill Auberlen and Joey Hand in the No. 90 M3.

“Andy and Jörg were chosen to join us at Petit due to their base of experience with the M3 GT2 and their aptitudes which match those of our full-season drivers,” stated Martin Birkmann, BMW of North America Motorsport Manager. “Their collective experience in WTCC perfectly rounds out our team and should help deliver an action-packed show for Petit Le Mans spectators.”

“I am looking forward to this year’s Petit Le Mans,” stated Bobby Rahal, Principal of Rahal Letterman Racing. “Our team has developed at every level this year, including technical improvements, reliability, and speed. From a strategic standpoint, the addition of Jörg and Andy means we can properly manage factors like driver fatigue, which puts us in an even stronger starting position.”

The Petit Le Mans Powered by Mazda 6 is scheduled to start at 11:15 a.m. ET Saturday, Sept. 26 and will be broadcast live on SPEED television.

Bad luck and the No. 45 competitor struck Auberlen from behind on lap 11, causing a lengthy stop for repairs to the rear bodywork of the No. 90 M3. Auberlen rejoined six laps down, but the damage to the duo’s race was done.

The No. 92 M3 of Dirk Müller and Tommy Milner led the race in the opening stage, but an early stop to resolve a tire vibration dropped them down a lap. A mechanical problem, still under investigation, ultimately ended the day for the No. 92 M3 on lap 71.

“Racing brings equal highs and lows, and our team has experienced both this season, even in the past two weeks,” stated Matthew Russell, BMWNA Motorsport Communications Manager. “Despite today’s poor luck for each car, the team remains focused and energized by our recent win at Road America, and we look forward to the upcoming Petit Le Mans.” Round 9 of the American Le Mans Series, the 10-hour Petit Le Mans, will be held at Road Atlanta on September 26 2009.

While Robert Kubica improved from fifth on the grid to fourth in the Belgian Grand Prix, his team mate, Nick Heidfeld, was not so happy as he started third and finished fifth in the race. This is the exactly the total points the team has accumulated in all the other eleven races so far. It is also clear that the drivers are fighting to impress other teams for new contracts next year.

The next race will be the Italian Grand Prix which will take place at Monza on September 13th.

Robert Kubica, 4th
Fastest lap 1:47.664 min on lap 41 (3rd fastest overall)
“I managed to make a good start and was second after the first corner. I was surprised to see Kimi next to me going through Eau Rouge. Approaching the fifth corner he braked very late and went off. It is a very tricky place. He came back on the track right in front of me and I played it safe as we saw a lot of accidents there over the weekend. Although we had a slight touch, I was able to continue. At times we lacked a bit of speed but, of course, it is good to be fighting for podiums again. The result means a lot of points for the team and is good. Unfortunately we didn’t have the chance to achieve anything better. The result proves we are quite competitive on low downforce tracks, which is a positive sign for Monza. However, we have to analyse why the car was more competitive and felt better during qualifying yesterday.”

Nick Heidfeld, 5th
Fastest lap 1:47.371 min on lap 35 (2nd fastest overall)
“Although it is a good result for the team, I have to admit I’m disappointed. From third on the grid I had higher expectations, but I lost the race on the first lap. My thought pattern before the race went back and forth as to whether I should take the harder or the softer compound for the start. The harder was the quicker one but, of course, not the better one for heating up quickly. Because the sun was shining I went for the harder compound, and paid for it. After the start I tried to out brake Jarno on the inside of La Source, but I lost ground because the tyres weren’t warm enough. Up the hill to turn five several cars were in the gravel, including me, and that’s where I lost more positions. Later at my first pit stop I had to lock up the brakes in the pit lane to avoid crashing into Mark, who I was then able to immediately overtake on the track. In the last stint my pace was really good and I closed the gap to Robert. But, even though I was quicker than him, I couldn’t overtake because as soon as you are less than two seconds behind another car you start sliding due to losing downforce in the dirty air.”

Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director: “After our best qualifying this was also the best race result of the season. With fourth and fifth we were the only team that managed to get both cars into the top eight, and we scored nine championship points. Nick lost the chance of a podium position on the thrilling first lap. Robert damaged his front wing right at the beginning, but was able to continue. A big compliment to the whole team for this strong performance.”

Willy Rampf, Head of Engineering: “We were all very excited before the start because we expected some action. And this happened exactly as expected. Unfortunately, Nick lost the advantage of his strong starting position in the chicane after the Kemmel straight. After this incident he was able to maintain a very good pace and he finally clinched fifth. Robert had contact with another car right at the beginning and lost part of his front wing. We checked the aero data and decided it would not make sense to bring him into the pits, which turned out to be the right decision. Today’s result is the reward for all our hard work during recent weeks.”

Dirk Müller drove the No. 92 M3 to its first pole position of the season with a 1:17.528 minute lap around the 2.459-mile circuit. Müller and co-driver Tommy Milner stand third in GT2 driver standings following the duo’s fourth podium finish (second place) at Road America.

Joey Hand, driving the No. 90 M3, recorded a 1:17.657 minute lap to come within 0.129 seconds of Müller. Hand and co-driver Bill Auberlen delivered the team’s first victory at in the last round at Road America.

Dirk Muller, driver No. 92 BMW M3:
“We weren’t so sure yesterday after testing so we really went deeply into the data with both the team and Dunlop engineers. Everyone worked hard and gave me a great car. We took the momentum from Elkhart Lake and this makes me really happy. The weather could be a factor tomorrow, but we are good in the rain so I don’t have any concerns.”

Joey Hand, driver No 90 M3:
“I made a tiny mistake in the last corner and left a bit of time on the track, but I am glad it’s our own car that beat me. The critical thing to success at this track is avoiding contact. If the weather turns wet, it will be certainly be a dicey race. The key is to stay clean.”

Martin Birkmann, BMW of North America Motorsport Manager:
“We are seeing that qualifying has become very close, with track position becoming a science of inches and seconds. With the No. 92 M3 on pole and BMW claiming the front row two times in as many races shows that we can bark with the big dogs now. In the race tomorrow we must continue to show that we can run with them.”

The two-hour-and-forty minute race is scheduled to start at 3:05 p.m. ET Saturday and will be broadcast on SPEED television.

[Source: BMW ]

With three high-profile events remaining in the season, the team has had no time for rest. Mosport is known as the fastest track in the history of the American Le Mans Series. The circuit’s high-speed corners and elevation changes require complete preparation and focus by the crew and drivers.

The two-hour-and-forty-five-minute race will also provide an excellent opportunity to fine tune for the equally demanding Road Atlanta and the grueling ten-hour Petit Le Mans on September 26.

“Going into the season we had hoped to become quickly competitive, but our opponents continue to raise the bar week after week,” said Martin Birkmann, BMW of North America Motorsport Manager. “The win is a result of all parties growing together more closely and a desire for victory. Nonetheless – it is a huge relief. The confidence that we can challenge the best teams will allow us now to continue to push hard for the remaining three events. There are still a lot of points to go around, and we would like to collect many of them.”

“The win at Road America marks the point where we hit our stride as a new team this season,” said Bobby Rahal. “At Mosport, you must be sharp and focused to win, so I believe this is the perfect time for our team’s first attempt at the track.”

The Mobil 1 Grand Prix of Mosport is scheduled to start at 3:00 p.m. ET Sunday, Aug. 30 and will be broadcast live on SPEED television.

[Source: BMW Motorsport ]