Sauber F1

So Robert Kubica's a bit of an enigma in my eyes. Don't worry, I'm about to explain why.

This is the guy who, before the season pretty much began, had already dismissed himself from fighting for the title. And unless they were driving a Ferrari or McLaren, most of the other drivers felt this way too. Can you really blame them?

There is hardly ever room for the little guys. It is a truth that we F1 fans have to bitterly acknowledge. We accept deep down that the constructors title can only be won by two teams, and it is not particularly hard to guess which teams.

But it is in the cockpit that there is a difference made. It is here where a driver can either flourish or diminish.

And Robert has certainly been flourishing. In Australia, he would certainly have gotten pole position had he not made an off track excursion, yet he still managed second. That race would have been excellent indeed had he not been crashed into by Nakajima.

In Malaysia, having driven a lonely race where he had been 20 seconds behind Kimi Raikkonen, and 20 seconds ahead of Heikki Kovalainen in a Finn sandwich, he got his first podium of the year.

Need I say anything about Bahrain since the media said it all, with the predictable, but enjoyable headline "Pole on Pole." He had beaten the superior cars to the front of the grid. And even after the BMW mechanics had neglected to mention the oil on the track, he still managed to bring home a second podium for the Swiss/German based team.

A neat fourth place followed after the return to Europe, and he pocketed a handful of points. He also added another trophy to his collection in Monaco, with another second place.

We now return to Canada, the site of Robert’s 2007 horror crash. No doubt his memories of the place are now only happy ones, after a certain somebody neglected their brakes. He was now part of the minority of drivers who have won a race this season. BMW ruined the Ferrari party; they were now no longer the only team to have enjoyed a 1–2.

But even after this Robert was still dismissing any title chances. He led the hunt for the WDC, but insisted that he would not win. This race was followed by miserable ones, and BMW have not recovered truly since.

So it seems odd that Kubica recently released a statement about how he was going to keep fighting for the title, despite being in a less enviable position than merely a few months back, where he was point-blank denying his chances.

But he has every hope, and every right to keep fighting. Despite being in an inferior car, he is currently separating the two Ferraris in the table, and those who follow the sport know that a single DNF can make a huge impact on the final result.

I’m still supporting Kimi all the way to Interlagos, but if he does fail to win his second championship this year, I hope it that it is Robert Kubica he loses to.

They're an odd triumvirate, aren't they? Why on Earth would one give their kudos to three teams, only one of which is a front-running challenger?

It's simple, they go out of their way, to a certain extent, to bring Formula 1 to the unwashed masses.

BMW has a pitlane park, Renault has their global tour, and Williams appears to be attempting to show off their wares by having an exhibition in Red Square in Moscow, Russia earlier this year.

I have talked about adding access to Formula 1 a while ago, and while a few teams are taking the initiative to do so, I would think that the other teams should at least consider a sort of pitlane park that BMW has used.

But moving away from the glitz and glam of Formula 1, I look at Nascar and see that they have a Pit Crew Competition where the pit crew are showcased in their attempts to change tires, fill up a car with fuel and other things.

The Nascar Pit Crew Competition really grabbed my attention and to be honest, it was a breath of fresh air from the regular oval racing that one observes.

Why can't Formula 1 be like this? Formula 1 is the pinnacle of motorsport, it should be a competition where new ideas come to the fore and a pit crew competition would be a great way to find ways to shave off tenths of a second in a pit stop.

A pit crew competition similar to Nascar would be an amazing way to catch fans, it basically creates a level playing field for all the teams, and it would just be a breath of fresh air.

I think to myself, the pit stops tend to be the most interesting part of a Formula 1 race, so why can't there be a competition to find out the best team's pit crew?

It won't count for championship points, but it would be an interesting way to improve on pit stops and it would leave the door open for anyone to win, even Force India!

As for venue, why not go somewhere where Formula 1 doesn't usually go? Why not somewhere like New York, Paris, or other major city? It would be interesting, and it would be a lot of fun for the average person to see a Formula 1 car in a place where you might not necessarily see.

C'mon Bernie, c'mon Max, c'mon Ross, Flavio, Vijay, Luca, Ron and all the others; appease your fans, make something interesting out of this...

In 2006, Dr. Mario Theissen convinced the BMW Board of Directors to end BMW's partnership with the Williams F1 Team and to enter F1 as a manufacturer team, by buying out what was then Peter Sauber's Sauber Petronas.

From 2006 onwards, Theissen and his team have been on a steady upward curve of progress. He has been instrumental in systematically and thoughtfully integrating the team in Hinwil, Switzerland, and Munich, Germany.

He left 'Sauber' on the team's name, which I think mattered a lot to the guys back in Hinwil who had been loyal to Peter Sauber since 1970. It gave them a feeling of being a part of the new team and not just an entity that was bought out.

Peter Sauber remained with the team as a consultant. This is something that stands out when compared to the way other team takeovers have happened in F1 like Spyker buying out Jordan; B.A.R. (now Honda) buying out Tyrell; and Jaguar buying out Stewart Grand Prix.

This has resulted in the smooth integration of the team in Hinwil and Munich, which has been the key to the success they enjoy now.

BMW took on board Nick Heidfeld as the lead driver and Jacques Villeneuve who had an existing contract with Sauber Petronas. Robert Kubica was signed in as the third driver.

Nick is one of the most underrated drivers with immense talent, and his not so outspoken character perfectly suited the team. Jacques was a clear mismatch, and that resulted in him being ousted from the team in Hungary.

A strong technical team headed by Willy Rampf has been one step ahead of the game. Instead of investing in multiple wind tunnels, he has been sensible and has gone ahead and invested in Albert 2, the fastest industrial supercomputer in Europe, to simulate CFD models. This has been another key to the team's progress.

Unlike other team principals in F1, Theissen had set very realistic and sensible targets for the team to achieve every year.

2006 - Integrate the team in Hinwil and Munich -> Achieved their first podium

2007 - Get on the podium regularly                 -> Second in the Constructors

2008 - Win a Grand Prix Race                         -> Kubica wins in Canada

They have quite comfortably hit their targets year after year. No other Formula 1 team has made quite as much progress as BMW Sauber have made in the past three years. Another point worth noting is that the team's budget has been under control, unlike extravagant spenders like Toyota, Honda, and Ferrari.

The team's driver lineup for 2009 hasn't been confirmed. There are speculations that Alonso might move to BMW, but I really don't think Alonso is a match for the team's character and is better off staying with Flavio and Renault.

BMW Sauber have set their sights on the Drivers and Constructors championship in 2009. Can they win it? Looking back at their achievements to date, they certainly look destined to win the championship next year.

Can the spate of rule changes for next year knock them off track? I think Theissen has got it covered...

However, only time can tell, so enjoy the competitive drivers championship this year!

This 2008 World Driver's Championship in Formula One has been hotly contested for many seasons. This year, things are closer even than last year's effort. But how have we come to this point? After the British Grand Prix four weeks ago, there's a three way tie and another driver two points further behind? Let's examine why this looks like the Championship nobody wants.

The Races

Australia

The season began with a win from the Mclaren of Lewis Hamilton but it was not a dominating performance all around for the Silver Arrows. Finnish team mate Heikki Kovalainen had quite a low-key afternoon. Here, we witnessed the first indication that Mclaren would struggle for Constructors points.

Ferrari had a miserable time of it at Albert Park, with BMW being the second team clearly. Raikkonen drove like an amateur all weekend and took at least two off-road adventures while Massa ran into David Coulthard.

ACTUAL AVAILABLE POINTS (D & C): 18

FERRARI: 1 (Raikkonen 1; Massa: 0)

MCLAREN: 14 (Hamilton: 10; Kovalainen: 4)

BMW: 8 (Kubica: 0; Heidfeld: 8)

Malaysia

Raikkonen bounced back in Malaysia after Australia's dire performance to win in sensational and dominating style. Yet even here Ferrari did not capitalise as they should have. Massa had 'another one of those days' and spun away good Constructors and Drivers points for himself and the team.

Hamilton suffered due to a wheel nut problem in his pit stop. Kovalainen managed a third place, but it was Kubica again who managed to drive to second. BMW scored more consistent points.

ACTUAL AVAILABLE POINTS: 18

FERRARI: 10 (Raikkonen: 10; Massa: 0)

MCLAREN: 10 (Hamilton: 4; Kovalainen: 6)

BMW: 11 (Kubica: 8; Heidfeld: 3)

Bahrain

Here we saw Ferrari finally making two cars in the points and one team seeming like they wanted to make a decent stab at the championship, as Massa led Raikkonen home

It was Mclaren, though, that seemed now to be throwing points away left, right, and center with Kovalainen managing only a distant fifth position behind both BMWs and Lewis Hamilton having a needlessly messy race and involving himself with Alonso.

ACTUAL AVAILABLE POINTS: 18

FERRARI: 18 (Raikkonen: 8; Massa: 10)

MCLAREN: 4 (Hamilton: 0; Kovalainen: 4)

BMW: 11 (Kubica: 6; Heidfeld: 5)

Spain

Another Ferrari one-two at Barcelona saw the Scuderia cementing a dominant performance at Bahrain. It was a role reversal as Massa finished behind Raikkonen this time. However, consistent wins were not forthcoming. Even BMW slipped up this race, with Heidfeld finishing outside the money in 9th.

Hamilton had another troubled day and Mclaren continued to throw their early dominance away as an accidental failure on Kovalainen's car pitched him into the wall.

ACTUAL AVAILABLE POINTS: 18

FERRARI: 18 (Raikkonen: 10; Massa: 8)

MCLAREN: 6 (Hamilton: 6; Kovalainen: 0)

BMW: 5 (Kubica: 5; Heidfeld: 0)

Turkey

Ferrari continued to show that they perhaps wanted this Championship after all, with Felipe Massa scoring a good victory. Lewis Hamilton took second place and Raikkonen was back in third.

The ghosts of Kubica and Heidfeld were there again, collecting good points as best they could. Kovalainen had a disaster of a weekend and thus, so did Mclaren, with 12th the best that the Finn could manage.

ACTUAL AVAILABLE POINTS: 18

FERRARI: 16 (Raikkonen: 6; Massa: 10)

MCLAREN: 8 (Hamilton: 8; Kovalainen: 0)

BMW: 9 (Kubica: 5; Heidfeld: 4)

Monaco

It was all good for Mclaren at the drenched Monte Carlo circuit. Hamilton took a convincing and masterful win and the team also managed to squeeze Kovalainen into the points in 8th place. The other teams did not manage to score both cars in the points.

Ferrari and BMW dropped the ball big time, with Raikkonen bouncing around the track like a 6-year-old playing a PlayStation and Nick Heidfeld also struggling in the conditions. Kubica and Felipe Massa were second and third respectively.

ACTUAL AVAILABLE POINTS: 18

FERRARI: 6 (Raikkonen: 0; Massa: 6)

MCLAREN: 11 Hamilton: 10; Kovalainen: 1)

BMW: 8 (Kubica: 8; Heidfeld: 0)

Canada

Ferrari and Mclaren made good progress in putting right their poor runs during the season with two 1-2's for Ferrari and some strong finishes for Mclaren and Hamilton. Hamilton and Raikkonen, however, were eliminated from this race in pit lane after some silly driving, which was initiated by the two BMW's; Robert Kubica in particular.

ACTUAL AVAILABLE POINTS: 18

FERRARI: 4 (Raikkonen: 0; Massa: 4)

MCLAREN: 0 (Hamilton: 0; Kovalainen: 0)

BMW: 18 (Kubica: 10; Heidfeld: 8)

France

After a strong but admitedly lucky race in Canada, BMW struggled in the French Grand Prix. Mclaren had their problems with penalties and punishments at this circuit as well, meaning they too could not push an advantage.

It was Ferrari who came back and took the top honours, once again throwing the championship into their own hands and those of Felipe Massa. Raikkonen was on course to win but struggled later with a sick car.

ACTUAL AVAILABLE POINTS: 18

FERRARI: 18 (Raikkonen: 8; Massa: 10)

MCLAREN: 5 (Hamilton: 0; Kovalainen: 5)

BMW: 4 (Kubica: 4; Heidfeld: 0)

Britain

And so to that memorable British Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton cemented his position as favourite of the British fans but also as a man who is serious about winning the championship. On the other side, Ferrari did not continue their momentum from France.

Massa and Raikkonen had awful days and the team was trounced. BMW too could not keep both cars in the hunt and it was Kubica the championship man who fell off the circuit not Heidfeld.

ACTUAL AVAILABLE POINTS: 18

FERRARI: 5 (Raikkonen: 5; Massa: 0)

MCLAREN: 14 (Hamilton: 10; Kovalainen: 4)

BMW: 8 (Kubica: 0; Heidfeld: 8)

Germany

Finally managing to string two race wins together and dominating in awesome style, Lewis Hamilton looks as though he is now taking the intiative for keeps in the championship. Raikkonen has had another worryingly ordinary race weekend where he has appeared dissinterested and off the pace.

BMW again have been there somewhere and Massa kept the Italian team's flag flying for third place. Perhaps we are entering a period of closer action and consistency? For the first time this weekend, all three teams managed to get both cars home in the points.

ACTUAL AVAILABLE POINTS: 18

FERRARI: 9 Raikkonen: 3 Massa: 6

MCLAREN: 14 Hamilton: 10 Kovalainen: 4

BMW: Kubica: 2 Heidfeld: 5

Team Politics

In the olden days of the Ferrari domination machine, Ferrari would only be celebrating victory from one driver, and he would be backed to take the World Championship at all times. Michael Schumacher is no longer around, though. Ferrari is allowing (for the moment) both drivers to gun for the title. It is spectacular to see and fair as it should be, but it is hurting their chances in real terms. By not selecting one driver to be the breadwinner, Ferrari has seen the chance to lead by a big margin slip away.

Mclaren has an equal driver policy, too, though off the record it is clear between team and drivers that Kovalainen is no number one driver. Of the top teams, only Kovalainen has scored so badly. In the few chances he has had to perform well, he has failed.

Hamilton has had penalties and has made silly mistakes. Is Mclaren still paying for Spygate? Or is it simply that Hamilton has made some quite serious errors? Either way, Mclaren's actions have stung them quite a few times this season, leading to the loss of points.

BMW is the most curious team with political machinations. Throughout the season they have scored consistently, driven well, challenged whoever is the second team on a given weekend and even won a race this year with a one-two at Canada. Yet, Mario Theissen and both drivers have talked themselves out of a fight for the championship when clearly there is a battle to fight; a curious decision given their results. BMW may not be able to take the title, but they have given it away before it is half over. They seem not to want it.

Cars

Ferrari started the season with without doubt the best Formula One racer on the grid. Kind to its tyres, reliable and with two quick drivers, it was the class leader. Since around the French Grand Prix however, Ferrari has allowed what they haven't allowed in many years: Mclaren to surpass them in the development race. Perhaps it is because they are catering to both Raikkonen and Massa. In the old days, Ferrari catered only to Schumacher. The number two had to like it or lump it and get on with the job.

Mclaren started and still has a car which savages its rubber. Soft tyres and hot conditions will stifle the progress of the Mercedes-powered car. Yet since the French Grand Prix, the Mclaren team has had a better run than the Ferrari thanks to hard work and impressive updates. They are ahead of Ferrari in the development race this season as it stands now; impressive considering that certain elements of the car are suspended from development under the Spygate legislation.

BMW, it seems, has perhaps slipped back. Theirs was a tidy, reliable and consistent racer. They were steady rather than quick before some impressive speed came forth in the middle stages of the season. Now BMW appears to be cruising to third place in the Constructors Championship and are not keen to develop the F108 further to catch Ferrari and Mclaren, even though the gap is relatively small.

Drivers

Kimi Raikkonen is the reigning world champion. That should be all we need say about the 'Iceman'. However, there have been at least two lukewarm performances from the Finn and his tendancy to turn up to circuits not ready for the competition is a serious flaw, especially since the racing is so hot and heavy and the points so tight. It is Raikkonen's desire to win more than anyone's that appears lacking.

Hamilton is Hamilton. Anyone who saw him racing in GP2 will know about his racing style. Robust and frightening at times, Lewis has had a tendency to overdrive. This has caused him headaches in many places, including Canada, France and Bahrain. Nobody can question his lust for the top position, though, and since the German Grand Prix, it is he more than anyone else who seems to be putting the blocks together to climb to the top.

Felipe Massa is a driver with a schizophrenic race performance. Watch highlights of the Turkish and British Grands Prix and then try to remind yourself it is the same driver in the car with the '2' plate. Felipe lacks the consistency to maintain good runs and to stay on top of his car. This is what has cost him the championship lead since he took it in France. Despite being second in the standings, it has to be said that he looks more on course for third place at season's end. His desire is not in question; his quality is.

Kubica. What can one say about Robert Kubica? He doesn't have the technology to reach the top and his team has no desire to change that this year. Yet the Pole is a talented driver and one whom Lewis Hamilton is keeping an eye on. It is difficult to quantify how badly Robert wants the championship but he is a Grand Prix driver used to winning. But with BMW having talked themselves out of contention, it would seem Kubica has the least chance of challenging for the title now.

The championship has ebbed and flowed, stopped and started. Drivers have taken the initiative and then let it go again. But that was only the first half of the season. In the first race of the second half, it is Lewis Hamilton who appears hungriest and fastest with Raikkonen looking on worriedly as if he doesn't really care. 

It also appears to this writer that you can read in Felipe Massa's eyes that he knows he doesn't have the skill nor the speed to take the title fight to Hamilton in the improved Mclaren. With Ferrari making error after error for their drivers as well, it will be interesting to see if this season continues in the manner it began.

Of course if it does, it makes for spectacular viewing for we the fans! So come on Robert, it's your turn in Hungary! 

This weekend has shown that Ferrari are no longer the dominant force in this year's championship with a superb fightback by Lewis Hamilton to take his fourth win of the season.

Only the hardiest of Ferrari fans, living a few metres from Monza, could dispute the fact that only Hamilton deserved to win today.

Also, Nelsinho Piquet must be credited who finally got some luck taking a staggeringly good second place. However, superb results again overshadowed another brilliant drive by THE quiet man of F1. I am talking, of course, about Nick Heidfeld.

"Understated" is the best word to describe Nick Heidfeld. The driving style of the calculating German has earned him a consistency that has shown no less ability than some more flamboyant drivers, but realises Heidfeld's potential significantly more.

He is a calculating, precise driver who rarely steps over the limit. That has been a poisoned chalice over the years.

Heidfeld has always been good, but many have overlooked his abilities because of his less than outward style and character. To the question, whether or not he could tell a German joke he merely replied: "there is no fun in Germany."

Maybe it's his German character (not intended as a stereotype) that has allowed him to be so serious and to realise his potential fully, rather than squander it.

Indeed, Heidfeld no doubt knows he is not the best driver on the grid, but every time something goes wrong, he is there to pick up the places. This year in particular, he has pulled out podiums and great results seemingly from nowhere.

Sunday's German Grand Prix was merely one of many. Starting 12th, he and his team were able to play the safety car period to perfection, elevating him to fourth place and challenging Massa for a podium.

What Heidfeld does is consistently give 100 percent, and while not overstepping this marker, he can churn out results for you consistently.

However, some critics do not see this. His seemingly 'lacklustre' driving approach does not compare well to the aggressive styles of Lewis Hamilton, nor the pace of Robert Kubica.

ITV in particular have had a bittersweet relationship with Heidfeld, praising his ability to create results from thin air one weekend, and then criticising his methodical approach the next.

I remember vividly James Allen during the Canadian GP claiming Heidfeld should focus more on racing. His seemingly consistent, conservative approach does seem uncompetitive, but do not forget this was a race which he could have won.

By not losing his head, like others did, he was able to pull a second place from nowhere. It is amazing how easily he does it, and yet he seemingly does not get the aforementioned praise on a regular basis.

However, this consistent approach might possibly be his downfall when it comes to finding that elusive win. For a driver to take a Grand Prix victory, he must have a great car, make few mistakes, but most importantly commit above the limit in order the beat the other drivers.

There is still a question of whether Heidfeld can do that...

Until he does this, he will remain the understated man of F1. 

Following a meeting of the World Motor Sport Council in Paris this week, the FIA are looking at introducing a new feeder series to Formula 1, seen as a low-cost way of breeding new talent to move up to Formula 1.

The series is to be called Formula 2, which seems an obvious name for it, given that it is to be the second tier in the hierarchy, but it’s not really something new. There used to be a Formula 2 until it was replaced back in 1985 by Formula 3000, which was in turn replaced by the GP2 Series back in 2005, but the FIA feel that a new series is needed, and if everything goes well, they hope for the first season to be 2009.

GP2 has served its purpose as a feeder series in its short history. In the three seasons under the GP2 format, all three champions – Nico Rosberg (2005), Lewis Hamilton (2006), Timo Glock (2007) – have secured drives with F1 teams from the following year, while the runners-up – Heikki Kovalainen (2005), Nelsinho Piquet (2006), Lucas Di Grassi (2007) – have all gone on to become Renault test drivers, with two of them subsequently securing race seats, while Di Grassi is combining testing duties for Renault with another season in GP2.

Even going back to Formula 3000, current F1 drivers Sebastien Bourdais (2002) and Nick Heidfeld (1999) are both former champions, as was Jean Alesi back in 1989.

GP2 was designed specifically to allow for affordable racing and to give drivers the opportunities, and with Flavio Briatore’s involvement in GP2, at least one driver a year is going to have a chance to further their career by at least testing with the Renault F1 team.

One of the best things about GP2 is that all of the teams have to use the same chassis, engine and tyre supplier, while many of the GP2 events take place at the same time as the F1 races to allow for maximum exposure to the F1 environment for the drivers – the only variable factors are driver ability and race strategy of the teams.

How the new Formula 2 will work, it’s too early to say, but it would appear likely that it will be very similar to the model of GP2, but independent of Formula 1, racing at different circuits at different times of the year. A feeder series it might be, but away from the glamour of the F1 world. The drivers might get an opportunity to drive for a low-budget team, in a competitive environment, but should be disadvantaged when compared to their GP2 counterparts when trying to make the step up to F1.

It makes you wonder if the reason a new series is being proposed is because the GP2 format was conceived by F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone and Renault team principal Briatore, and at a time when some parties of the F1 circle are in disagreement with FIA president, Max Mosley, the FIA are making moves to protect their own interests.

This is all speculation, of course, but a very realistic possibility given the current tension between the drivers, teams and the governing body.

If the Formula 1 works teams decide to form a breakaway series, Ecclestone is sure to go with them, because it is the big manufacturers that bring the money into the sport. If the FIA lose Ecclestone, they will not only lose F1, but GP2 as well, potentially leaving them with a number of independent teams, or worse no teams at all.

With a feeder series to F1 in place, should a breakaway take place, the FIA feeder series, could become the new equivalent to the current F1 series, in competition with the breakaway series.

It's been a long time since Jarno Trulli has been able to enjoy the view from the podium.  He's quite lucky to be there, too, after a final lap overtaking attempt by Heikki Kovalainen almost went tragically wrong.

The Toyota team had been in strong contention (for a place) throughout most of the early stages, though unfortunately Timo Glock missed the opportunity to obtain points after making a pit stop that left him with tyre trouble for the remainder of the race.

Heikki Kovalainen was most impressive in improving from a penalty-enforced starting position of 11th to fight back for 4th place, although once again his competitiveness almost proved his undoing, going wheel-to-wheel with Trulli with barely a lap to go.

Most disappointing were Robert Kubica (5th), David Coulthard (9th), Lewis Hamilton (10th), Nick Heidfield (13th) and Nico Rosberg (16th).

Kimi Raikkonen was the logical favorite, but a slight case of car trouble on the 39th lap caused a setback, and Felipe Massa slipped into the lead.  The result was still a quinella for the team, but not quite in the anticipated order.

Kubica's failure to secure a top 4 position has allowed Massa to sneak ahead on the points table as well.   Kubica now has 46 points, putting him two behind Massa who is on 48.

Above all, the true winner of the day may have been the French Grand Prix itself, which has been under threat of being dropped from the Formula One calendar.

The race was an entertaining 92 minutes, and remarkably for such a difficult course there were few mishaps.   The only driver not to finish was Jenson Button, after an accidental collision with Sebastien Bourdais on lap 14.

Button had miscalculated the distance to the turn, and when slotting in behind Bourdais was travelling too fast to brake before making contact.  Although the contact was not severe, it loosened the front wing.  This detached shortly afterwards, forcing Button out of the race.

Bourdais was able to continue without incident, and eventually finished 17th.

So, there weren't too many surprises today, as Ferrari locked out the front row of the grid, Hamilton right up there in terms of speed, but with that 10-place penalty a potentially difficult race tomorrow. There was one surprise, however, and that was BMW's performance - with Nick Heidfeld failing to make Q3 and Robert Kubica, just squeezing throught, and putting his car in 6th position for tomorrow's race.

Coming here this weekend, everyone expected BMW to carry on their winning form from Canada, being a major threat to Ferrari as they look to overtake them in the Constructor's Championship, and Robert Kubica - riding high from his maiden victory in Montreal - was potentially a race winner here in France.

The likelihood of that is extremely low after BMW's poor performance in qualifying. Of course, rain is always a posibility here, and that would help Kubica (as well as Hamilton), but even so I think anything more than a 3rd place tomorrow is a long shot for the Pole and BMW.

Hamilton did well to qualify where he did (3rd right behind the Ferraris), and it looks like he has opted for a very short first stint. This could play out very nicely for him, if he makes a good start and overtakes the under-performing likes of Vettel, Heidfeld, and Piquet (12th, 11th and 10th respectively) in the first corner, and, being lighter than everyone else, does enough to end up behind the Ferraris and Alonso after the first set of pit stops. I think that is the most optimistic outlook for Hamilton, as he would have to go through both BMWs, which, even though not performing too well, will still be difficult to overtake, and well, we all know Alonso won't cut him any slack.

I am certainly expecting a very eventful race tomorrow, with both Hamilton and Kubica trying hard to make up the places, Hamilton from his penalty, Kubica from his poor performance in qualifying. I am assuming BMW fuelled him quite a bit seeing that they lack performance and maybe trying out a one-stopper? If not, then certainly a two-stopper with a very long first stint.

The top 10, after adjusting for Hamilton's penalty, looks like this: P1 - Raikkonen, P2 - Massa, P3 - Alonso, P4 - Trulli, P5 - Kovalainen, P6 - Kubica, P7 - Webber, P8 - Coulthard, P9 - Glock, P10 - Piquet. 

Alonso, Trulli and Kovalainen also looked quite strong in qualifying, but Trulli and Kovalainen have lacked race pace as of late, so I do not think they will do any better than a point scoring position, and Renault certainly dont have the pace of the Ferraris and McLarens. However, Alonso looks to be making the best of it, and I am expecting him to be certainly quicker than Kovalainen and the Red Bulls, and depending on what Hamilton gets up to, maybe even get to a podium position.

My prediction for the race: A Ferrari one-two, with a three way fight between Kubica, Hamilton and Alonso for that last place on the podium. Of course, that could all change if it rains, which is still quite likely.   

Practice Day One here in Monte Carlo has been utterly fantastic and todays practice session heat one lived up to the hype for this weekends tight race for the championship. As I walked around today I couldn't help but noticing that the majority of the fans here seemed to be supporting the American team Sauber Red Bull Racing. I mean with a Formula One guru as your team chief and manager/coach, a high budget coming from top sponsorship and two rowdy and young American drivers, who wouldn't be infatuated with them? The last two days the team has brought out several public festivities including driving simulators, Red Bull girls, autograph sessions and freebies including posters, pens, Red Bull and other prizes to win over the public eye. Now as a huge Formula One fan and supporter of both BMW-Sauber and Red Bull Racing, I think this team certainly has the Championship winning motive and design behind their every action. Especially in their Championship points leading driver Brook Johnston. Johnston and his counterpart Jaskel are two young American drivers that have a ton of racing background in open wheel series and several crowning opportunities, placing them here in the Formula BMW Internationals Series. With several karting championships, American Formula Series championships, and experience in the American Le Mans GT Class Sports Car Series, Johnston has proved his dire right to be here in Monaco this weekend. After seeing Ross Byrann and several Formula One scouts and teams here this week running around, I would imagine Johnston has kept the public eye and the professional eye keen. His test for Formula One teams Scuderia Torro Rosso this coming August was recently announced yesterday to the Euro press and down played rather much due to one spot held for fifteen drivers trying out. As a fan and after following the American this season, I wouldn't be surprised if he performed well this weekend and maintained the points lead if he got some other superb offers from needy teams such as Renault and BMW-Sauber's Formula One teams. This weekends race will determine a large portion of the American's desire to reach Formula One and to see if he has the proper European style needed to compete in the series. Todays practice session showed Johnston as the fastest man around the track with sunny weather early in the morning with a lap time of 1:14.83. However others ran out the track with tons of traffic before a wet fog rolled in over the track and caused slower times with Sciutto of Italy as the second fastest in the heat today at 1:15.25. Sauber Red Bull Racing driver Matt Jaskel had the third fastest time of the day at 1:15.34 yet could not seem to get the car dialed in perfectly today, he explained to the press in frustration. I look forward to updating you on tomorrows qualifying session and eager anticipation to see who will come out on top. Here in Monaco the qualifying position has determined the race winner almost seventy five percent of the time. 

Going into the new 2008 F1 season, BMW Sauber publicly stated that their chief objective was to "win a GP."

Now, merely half way through the season, BMW through the exploits of the very talented Robert Kubica have now achieved that objective.

Yet did they really "win a GP" in the truest sense?

This is the question I wish to ponder in this article.

One line to take here would be to say yes, of course they did.

He completed the 70 odd laps of Montreal in the quickest time, therefore winning the GP. Thus, in literal terms he did indeed win his and BMW’s first GP, and accomplishing the objective.

Yet, if we look at the objective "win a GP" in more detail, would it be fair assume that BMW in setting that objective, were hoping they would have the best overall pace over a whole GP weekend to win a GP?

That is to say, have a better overall weekend package than Ferrari and McLaren.

If one takes this line of thinking further one could suggest that had the Hamilton Raikkonen pit lane incident not have happened, then one of those two would have probably won the GP.

Then, one could argue that although BMW’s achievement should be warmly applauded, they should now go on and aim to win a GP on genuine pace, reliability and dominance, as McLaren did with Hamilton in Australia and Ferrari likewise with Raikkonen in Spain.

One could argue that until BMW win a GP on genuine pace, they haven’t fully reached their goal of winning a GP, or at least to not as fuller extent as they would ideally hope.

Of course, another person opposed to this argument could say that thrills and spills of the kind we saw in Montreal are all part of the fun of F1. Hence the fact that BMW survived such thrills and spills renders them worthy victors and their ultimate mission achieved.

And they certainly wouldn’t be wrong in arguing such a case.

Yet GP’s of a much more orthodox nature are also part of the fun in F1, and in such Grand Prix’s the driver and team with the best overall package deservedly wins the race, and say that BMW should be aiming to win a race of this nature too.

This discussion has added significance in that in various media circles, it has been suggested that now BMW have reached their objective they should effectively give up development on their 2008 car and devote all their efforts on the 2009 challenger, the year in which a whole host of changes will alter the sport quite dramatically.

Proponents of this argument say that due to such dramatic changes being enforced in 2009, BMW could gain a key advantage over Ferrari and McLaren, who will be flat out in the remainder of 2008 to win both championships.

This would be somewhat similar to the advantage McLaren gained when grooved tyres were introduced, and in 1997 McLaren did indeed gain an advantage.

This line of thinking has some flaws however.

The first being the debatable contention made in this article; BMW haven’t as yet reached their objective fully.

In addition, why would BMW wish to take such a stance when they are in such strong positions in both the drivers and constructors championship?

Surely in a sport such as F1 when opportunities present themselves a team must be in the greatest position possible to take advantage of them hear and now!

To surmise then, the main question being asked is, "Have BMW Sauber reached their objective of winning a GP in 2008?"

I believe the answer to this is less straightforward than some may say.

Also, from a fan's perspective it would be great to see the three-team race for the titles develop further.

Yet for it to do so BMW must not only continue demonstrating excellent consistency, but also win GP's by beating Ferrari and McLaren by having the best overall weekend package.