BMW Sauber F1.07
BMW Sauber predstavio svoj bolid za 2007. godinu: BMW F1.07
Chassis.
BMW Sauber F1.07 – a cast of experts.
Time was of the essence in the development of the F1.06, the first car developed by the BMW Sauber F1 Team. Indeed, BMW only took
the decision to purchase a majority stake in the Sauber team in June 2005.
The components already in the midst of a lengthy development period
(the chassis, engine and transmission) were moulded into an overall package – and with notable success, as the results over the course of the season
just gone can testify. However, the shortage of time available meant that compromise was unavoidable in certain areas.
The BMW Sauber F1.07 started out from a very different basis. Work on the concept began in April 2006 and took shape as part of a close cooperation between the chassis experts in Hinwil and their colleagues in Munich responsible for the powertrain, i.e. the engine and transmission, and the electronics. Priorities were set out from day one and all the aspects of the project brought together to create a harmonious overall package.
“We have channelled our experience with the F1.06 into the new car, but at the same time focused on the new challenges presented by the 2007 regulations”, explained Willy Rampf, Technical Director of the BMW Sauber F1 Team.
To this end, the most significant change is the switch to a single tyre supplier in Bridgestone. In accordance with the stipulations of the FIA, the Japanese company has produced tyres which offer less grip as a means of lowering cornering speeds.
“It’s clear that the cars are going to slide around more. It was therefore important for us to build a car that is easy to drive and that our drivers can trust sufficiently to go on the attack”, added Rampf, giving an insight into the team’s development strategy. “We should also expect the cars to run with
rather greater downforce as a rule, in order to make up for the loss of grip.”
The nose has it.
Aerodynamics has been a key area in Formula One for a long time now, but the advent of the single tyre supplier format in 2007 will raise its importance even further. “If you look at all the components which affect the performance of a Formula One car, aerodynamics represent – by a distance – the single most important factor”, emphasises Rampf.
All of which explains why the BMW Sauber F1 Team top brass gave the expansion of the aerodynamics department top priority. The team’s use of the wind tunnel in Hinwil was gradually increased, with a move initially from
one to two shifts, and from there to a round-the-clock three-shift system in late October 2006. This has given the team parity in this area with its rivals – who have long had comparable systems in place – and fulfilled a central requirement in achieving its ambitious aims.
As always, the key is to enhance aerodynamic efficiency. However, almost
as important this year is the need to develop a package that functions as well as possible through corners.
Here, the front wing has an influential role to play, largely dictating the flow of air around the front tyres. It has been completely newly developed and forms a harmonious unit with the likewise totally new nose section, which is shorter and sits higher than its predecessor. This results in a reduction in its weight, but also places extra demands on the engineers when it comes to passing
the FIA crash tests. The most important aspect of this development, though,
is that the wing channels a large amount of air under the car, allowing the underbody and diffusor to work to their full potential.
New cooling concept.
The cooling intakes are somewhat larger than those on the 2006 car and represent part of a new cooling concept which is more effectively integrated into the overall package and designed to ensure greater air throughput.
The air is diverted upwards to maximum effect, improving aerodynamic efficiency compared to last year’s car, especially in high outside air temperatures. As Rampf explains: “We took a lot of time in the conceptual phase to find the best possible solution in this area. This is an important point, as the air temperature at the first races of the season, in particular, are traditionally very high. The cooling concept of the F1.07 promises to deliver impressive efficiency in all conditions.”
Slimmed-down rear.
The designers built on the knowledge gained with the F1.06 in the development of the rear, giving the tail an even slimmer and lower profile in order to further optimise the air flow around the rear wing. The basis for
these modifications is provided by the compact quick shift gearbox and cleverly positioned hydraulic elements. Also integrated into the design are the exhaust pipes, whose form was defined to maximise performance and fit harmoniously into the overall package.
The section underneath the rear wing is a totally new development.
More stringent regulations governing rear-end collisions have meant that the rear crash element is now more voluminous overall and also has a modified form. The lower positioning of this element has required a totally revised design for the centre section of the diffusor.
The engineers were also instructed to reduce the car’s weight, while maintaining its rigidity. The affects the monocoque, which is made up of up to 60 layers of carbon fibre in places, as well as individual components. “It’s always good if you can use a lot of ballast, but in the situation we have now it’s particularly important, as it ensures outstanding flexibility in terms of weight distribution. And that plays a critical role in the optimum use of tyre potential”, explains Rampf.
New suspension elements.
The construction of the suspension elements is totally new and, at the front axle, dictated primarily by aerodynamics. The raised nose section mean that the wishbones slant downwards at a striking angle. The kinematics have been modified in response to the introduction of the standard Bridgestone tyres.
“We were also very keen to give the steering a high level of feedback”, says Rampf. “This area has gained even further in importance as a result of the cars’ reduced grip levels. The harder tyres will, by definition, cause the cars to slide around more, which means the drivers will have to do a lot more correcting as a result. And that makes good steering feedback indispensable.” The rear axle was also modified to further improve traction.
Greater comfort.
Comfort and Formula One make uneasy bedfellows. And yet, one of the focal points in the development of the F1.07 was an increase in comfort. This is expressed specifically in the seating position of the drivers, especially that of Robert Kubica. The Pole’s 184-cm frame was a far from comfortable fit in
the 2006 car, whose cockpit area was particularly tight. As Rampf points out: “We only have restricted room for manoeuvre in this area, but we’ve
done what we can to give Robert a pleasant seating position in the new car.”
There has also been progress in the area of electronics, which combine the workings of the chassis and powertrain in the interests of integration.
The electronics for the chassis, engine and transmission have now been brought together into a single control unit, whose space-saving design allows it to be accommodated in the cockpit without taking up too much room.
“We created a solid basis for this year’s car in our first season on the grid.
The cooperation between the team members in Munich and Hinwil is now working well, and the additional resources give us extra potential. Our aim
is now to further reduce the gap between ourselves and the top teams”,
said Rampf, looking forward optimistically to the new season.
BMW Sauber F1.07 – technical data.
Chassis: carbon-fibre monocoque
Suspension: upper and lower wishbones (front and rear), inboard springs and dampers, actuated
by pushrods (Sachs Race Engineering)
Brakes: six-piston callipers (Brembo),
carbon pads and discs (Brembo, Carbone Industrie)
Transmission: 7-speed quick shift gearbox, longitudinally mounted,
carbon-fibre clutch (AP)
Chassis electronics: BMW
Steering wheel: BMW Sauber F1 Team
Tyres: Bridgestone Potenza
Wheels: OZ
Dimensions: length 4,580 mm
width 1,800 mm
height 1,000 mm
track width, front 1,470 mm
track width, rear 1,410 mm
wheelbase 3,110 mm
Weight: 605 kg (incl. driver, ready to drive, tank empty)
Engine.
V8 reloaded.
Following the fundamental conceptual shift from V10 to V8 engines ahead of the 2006 season, the focus is now on the development of clever details for
the Formula One powerplants of the future. In 2006 the decision was taken to freeze large areas of engine development until after the 2010 season.
The homologation of the 2.4-litre V8 units requires technical monitoring and has been conducted in several stages.
The Formula One teams’ engines started to appear at the FIA office in Chessington, England towards the end of the 2006 season. All the manufacturers were required to submit an engine which had come through two
GP weekends. To be on the safe side, BMW decided to put aside the first P86 engine as early as Monza, with further development work continuing apace
at the same time. Having met its obligations, the team had earned itself extra room for manoeuvre when it came to making improvements. The engines in Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica’s cars completed the final races of the season in Japan and Brazil without a problem, and Kubica’s unit was handed over to the FIA. The deadline for engines was 22nd October, but that didn’t mean the engineers could go into hibernation for the winter.
The teams were able to submit a list to the FIA – by 15th December 2006
at the latest – containing modifications to the engine (except the pre-specified core) which they were intending to carry out by 1st March 2007 in order
to adapt it to the rev limit of 19,000 rpm. In simple terms, while the block and crankshaft had to remain untouched, further tweaks were allowed to the cylinder head and peripheral components. Additional enhancements were permitted to details of the intake and exhaust piping, lubricant and fuel supply, pistons, valves and mounts. Alterations required to install the engines in the new cars were also given the green light.
A new central control unit for the engine, transmission and chassis replaces the previous engine electronics. The new development has been christened RCC, standing for Race Car Controller.
The designation of the BMW power unit reflects the fact that the engine concept must remain unchanged: it will be known as the BMW P86/7,
rather than the P87.
Fixed parameters for all.
The introduction of the V8 engines in time for the 2006 season was underpinned by a series of central parameters governing their construction. Displacement of 2,400 cc and a bank angle of 90 degrees were stipulated for the V8 engines. The powerplants had to tip the scales at no less than 95 kilograms. This included the intake system up to and including the air filter, fuel rail and injectors, ignition coils, sensors and wiring, alternator, coolant pumps and oil pumps. It did not include liquids, exhaust manifolds, heat protection shields, oil tanks, accumulators, heat exchangers and the hydraulic pump.
The new regulations stipulate that the engine’s centre of gravity must be at least 165 millimetres above the lower edge of the oil sump. The longitudinal and lateral position of the V8’s centre of gravity has to be in the geometric centre of the engine (+/– 50 millimetres).
The cylinder bore is limited to a maximum 98 millimetres. The gap between the cylinders is also set out in the rulebook – at 106.5 millimetres
(+/– 0.2 mm). The central axis of the crankshaft must not lie any less than
58 millimetres above the reference plane.
Variable intake systems designed to optimise torque have also been banned since 2006.
The power supply to the engine electrics and electronics is limited to a maximum 17 volts and the fuel pump has to be mechanically operated.
Only an actuator may be used to activate the throttle valve system. With the exception of the electric auxiliary pumps in the petrol tank, all subcomponents must now be driven mechanically and directly via the engine.
In addition, a long list of exotic materials have been excluded and the team limits itself to working with the conventional titanium and aluminium alloys stipulated in the regulations.
Another restriction which will come into force for 2007 and the following years is a cap placed on engine speed at 19,000 rpm.
V8 development from November 2004 to February 2007.
Development work on the BMW V8 engine began in late November 2004. The champagne was flowing at BMW’s Formula One engine factory at
Anton-Ditt-Bogen in Munich in May 2005 after the first-specification V8 successfully completed its opening examination on the test rig. An updated specification made its track debut in Jerez on 13th July 2005. A further developed version was then introduced in time for winter testing, which began in Barcelona on 28th November 2005. The next stage of development was ready for the first rollout of the new car on 17th January 2006, and this was followed by another update for the first race of the season and a series of
new specifications as the year went on. The later versions were developed with one eye on the homologation process to come.
As Theissen explains: “A Formula One engine is never the finished article.
It’s like a painting that may already look finished to the onlooker but which the artist, knowing precisely where he can improve his work, will still touch
up here and there. A single stroke of the brush can change the whole effect. Far from reducing development work to a standstill, the increased number
of regulations has merely shifted the emphasis. It’s important that Formula One remains at the cutting edge of technology, and that’s what it will do.”
Power for longer.
The mileage a Formula One engine is required to cover has changed dramatically in the recent past. 2002 was the last season where a new engine could be fitted ahead of every race. Back then, qualifying saw the use of
highly tuned engines which the teams would never have dared risk over a full race distance.
In 2003 the rules changed to force the teams to use the same engine for qualifying and the race itself, and that was followed by the introduction of the whole-weekend stipulation in 2004, doubling the mileage the engine had to cover. Since 2005 the engines – then still 3-litre V10 units – have had to hold it together for two full GP weekends. An unwanted side effect of this rule saw the GP drivers preserving their engines during Friday practice and staying in the garage as much as possible. In order to offer the fans more in the way of action, the Friday sessions have now been granted exemption from the engine regulations for the 2007 season. This will encourage the drivers to spend more time out on the track during what are now two 90-minute sessions.
Only from Saturday will the teams be obliged to fit the engines in their cars which must then last two GPs – under the watchful eye of the FIA.
Longer at full throttle.
The lower output of the V8 compared to the V10 engines means the
cars spend longer under full throttle. BMW’s figures show that the average proportion of the race spent at full throttle in 2005 was 56.67 percent,
with that figure rising to 63.53 percent in 2006.
Practice behind closed doors.
Before a new specification reaches race readiness, it has to successfully complete an extended session on the dynamic test rigs. BMW first introduced the new-generation testing facilities, which stretch out over several floors
and fill entire halls, in autumn 2005. The exacting challenge for the powerplant remains unchanged: 1,500 kilometres on a pre-programmed circuit profile based on Monza. No other GP venue can match the full-throttle percentage of the Italian track. Engines earmarked for transportation to the race venue complete a rather more gentle functioning check on the test rigs. This is followed by quality checks, with the oil undergoing spectrometer analysis to identify any metallic residue. Then it’s time for action on the track.
Shifting faster.
One section of the new testing facility at Anton-Ditt-Bogen is used by the transmission development and testing department now based in Munich.
A Formula One race transmission needs to display maximum rigidity, yet at the same time be lightweight, have a low centre of gravity, be compact and boast extremely short shift times. The BMW Sauber F1.07 is fitted with a 7-speed gearbox. The main and auxiliary drive shafts are arranged longitudinally to the direction of travel. The driver can shift up a gear without breaking off tractive power to the rear axle. In a conventional Formula One transmission, engaging the clutch results in the flow of tractive power being interrupted for approximately 50 milliseconds during the shift process. In other words, during this time the car is deprived of propulsion and just rolls – in particular at
high speeds against high wind resistance. In practical terms, the car is braked by around 1g during this suspension of tractive power. In a road car,
this would come across as powerful braking.
This interruption of tractive power every time the driver shifts up a gear – which he will do some 2,000 times over the race distance of the Monaco Grand Prix – adds up to a significant loss of time or a deficit of several hundred metres by the end of the race. The new quick shift gearbox (QSG) fitted in
the BMW Sauber F1.07, however, totally eliminates this break in tractive
power. The ingenious interplay of electronic and mechanical components is the key.
Both the development and production of the QSG takes place in Munich.
The transmission’s extremely durable toothed gears – partly manufactured at BMW’s Dingolfing plant – are made of high-strength steel, while the transmission housing consists of cast titanium.
Converting torque and engine revs is just one of the transmission’s jobs.
It also has to pass on the forces generated in the suspension to the chassis via the engine.
Made for the track, benefits for the road.
One of the aims stated by BMW for its return to GP racing in 2000 was the creation of synergies between F1 and series production. The development of the Formula One powertrain and electronics has been integrated
with impressive effectiveness at the Munich plant. The BMW Research and Innovation Centre (FIZ), a type of automotive think tank, plays a key role
in this process. The F1 factory was built less than a kilometre away from the centre and the two facilities are interconnected.
“The FIZ represents the future of BMW, with elite engineers working in state-of-the-art research and development facilities”, says Theissen. “The FIZ is given vast resources, from which we benefit directly. At the same time, due to the extreme technical challenges and pace of development demanded
by grand prix racing, the company’s involvement in F1 represents a unique proving ground for our engineers.”
BMW has made the vision of a seamless process chain a reality, following the development from concept to construction, casting, component production, assembly and testing all the way to race action on the track – and all under its own roof. Transportation of parts – and the quality problems this can cause –
is no longer an issue, and the expertise acquired remains within the company, where it benefits the development of production cars.
Casting technology for Formula One and series production.
The casting quality of the engine block, cylinder head and gearbox plays a crucial role in determining their performance and durability. Advanced casting techniques, coupled with high-precision process management, enable lightweight components with impressive rigidity. To ensure that production models benefit from these developments, BMW has its own foundry
in Landshut. In 2001, this was joined by a dedicated F1 casting facility.
The two departments are jointly managed and that ensures a constant exchange of information and expertise. The same sand-casting procedure as is used for the production of the Formula One V8 engine is also applied
to oil sumps for the M models, the intake manifold for the eight-cylinder diesel engine and prototypes for future generations of engines.
Virtually at the same time as the F1 foundry went on stream, an F1 parts manufacturing facility based on the same template joined the series production facility. This is where the team make components such as the camshafts and crankshafts for the F1 engine.
Electronics for race day and every day.
With the backing of the electronics experts at the FIZ, BMW also had the confidence to develop its own F1 engine management system for its
GP comeback. Turning to established motor sport specialists might have been the easier option, but such a move would have done little to augment the knowledge base in Munich. Engineers normally devoted to developing the electronics for the M models also created the engine management system
for the F1 engines. The expertise they gained in the process filters back into series production. Top-of-the-range BMW cars, such as the 7 Series and
M models, have long featured two types of microprocessor which BMW has used and tested in Formula One. Added to which, data storage technology which had first proved itself in F1 was used to hone internet access and
the navigation system for the BMW 7 Series. F1 technology is also used in monitoring systems for a variety of vehicle functions – another area which is gaining in importance in road car development. Early warning systems and automated electronic intervention technology can play an important role
in enhancing safety and guarding against damage in production cars as well as racing machines.
The demands on the engine management system of a high-revving Formula One engine, which also has to run smoothly at low engine speeds, are immense. The ignition timing and fuel supply have to be perfectly coordinated millisecond by millisecond in order to achieve optimum efficiency – maximum output combined with low fuel consumption. Optimising fuel economy
can enable both better lap times and greater flexibility in race strategy.
One of the electronics and transmission innovations from Formula One to have proved its mettle in the BMW M3, M5 and M6 is the “Sequential
M Gearbox – SMG with DRIVELOGIC”. The SMG drive concept delivers F1 transmission technology for everyday use. The driver changes gear electrically via paddles behind the steering wheel. As in Formula One, an electrohydraulic system replaces the mechanical clutch and shift process, and SMG users can similarly keep their foot on the accelerator while changing gear.
Material research for the future.
Despite the introduction of even more stringent regulations into GP racing,
the materials used in today’s F1 cars still have to be “as lightweight as possible and as durable as necessary”. The materials research section at the FIZ provides crucial input for the development of BMW’s F1 engines and transmissions, with aviation and aerospace technology frequently serving as a basis. Some highly promising developments, which as yet remain too expensive for use in production models, have already found their way into BMW’s F1 project. This opportunity to introduce fresh technological blood helps the engineers to continue developing innovations for series production
Rapid prototyping – models in double-quick time.
From the new idea and the conception phase to the construction process, production of the necessary tools, manufacture of new parts and testing,
new components are expensive and time-consuming to make. In Formula One, moving forward and addressing problems demands fast reaction times, while the number of design modifications made during a single season
has been as high as for the entire BMW range of series-produced engines. The team is therefore constantly on the lookout for ways of shortening
its processes. Here the BMW Formula One engineers can turn to the Rapid Prototyping/Tooling Technology department of the FIZ. Once the necessary parts have been designed – using a CAD system – computer-controlled machines use laser beams or three-dimensional pressure technology to create scale models made out of resin, plastic powder, acrylic, wax or metal. That enables installation and interactions to be simulated without delay, allowing any necessary modifications to be carried out before the final manufacturing process gets underway.
BMW P86/7 – technical data.
Type: normally aspirated V8
Bank angle: 90 degrees
Displacement: 2,400 cc
Valves: four per cylinder
Valve train: pneumatic
Engine block: aluminium
Cylinder head: aluminium
Crankshaft: steel
Oil system: dry sump lubrication
Engine management: BMW
Spark plugs: NGK
Pistons: aluminium
Connecting rods: titanium
Dimensions: length: 518 mm
width: 555 mm
height: 595 mm (overall)
Weight: 95 kg
Stats and facts.
• The 2007 Formula One calendar has 17 grands prix lined up. The last time the same number of races were staged was in 2002. The record is held by the 2005 season with 19 GPs.
• For the first time since 1975, there is no country hosting two GPs.
• On a grand prix weekend the entire crew, including the logistics, marketing, press and catering staff, is around 80-strong.
• When the takeover was announced in summer 2005, the workforce in Hinwil numbered 275. By the end of 2006 this had risen to 400 and
is scheduled to reach 430 at the end of 2007. Staff numbers in Munich remain unchanged at just under 300.
• For flyaway grands prix, the team transports around 32 tonnes of air freight. This includes four chassis (three plus one spare), six engines, three to five sets of spare parts, wheel rims, tools, computers, radio sets, headphones and pit garage equipment. Everything is packed onto three ten-foot pallets and four vast packing containers known as “igloos”.
• The transport fleet for the European grands prix comprises five trucks from Hinwil and one engine truck from Munich.
• Seven trucks transport the team’s hospitality facilities, four of them constituting an integral part of the smart construction.
• The hospitality has 37 plasma screens. 20 kilometres of cables are laid
for the power and network supply. It takes twelve men 36 hours to erect the hospitality.
• Average food consumption per GP weekend in 2006 amounted to
120 kilos of meat, 70 kilos of fish, 60 kilos of pasta and 1,600 bread rolls – among other items.
• On a GP weekend, a team consumes up to 1,200 litres of fuel,
60 to 80 litres of engine oil and up to 30 litres of transmission oil.
• On average, a Formula One driver sheds two kilograms in weight
per grand prix.
• The cockpit temperature averages 50 °C.
• The steering wheel is a computer and a control centre. Drivers can monitor at least 15 functions on the display, including basic information such as selected gear, engine speed, fuel supply and temperatures. Behind the steering wheel is the shift paddle. The steering wheel also has buttons for the pit radio, the drinking bottle and the program selection for the engine management and differential settings, among other functions.
• A modern Formula One helmet is made of carbon and, in keeping with
the regulations, may not weigh more than 1,800 grams.
• To make a Formula One seat, first a foam shape is created using PU pellets in which the driver sits. The impression is scanned before a seat shell is shaped out of carbon and finally covered. The production process takes an average of 20 working hours and the seat weighs approximately 3,000 grams.
• The F1.06 accelerated from 0 to 100 km/h in approx. 2.6 seconds and from 0 to 200 km/h in approx. 5.5 seconds.
• It took the BMW Sauber F1.06 a distance of 55 metres to brake from
200 km/h to standstill.
• In extreme braking manoeuvres and high-speed cornering, drivers are subjected to forces of up to 5g.
• Parts of the protective monocoque consist of 60 layers of carbon fibre.
A single carbon fibre is around six micrometres thick. The baking process in the autoclave is repeated three to four times for the monocoque.
• Carbon brake discs and pads require a minimum operating temperature of 550–650 °C. During braking they reach temperatures over 1,000 °C.
• Formula One tyres may heat up to 130 °C. Beyond this threshold there
is a risk of blistering.
• After a race, it takes the team at least eight working hours to dismantle a car, test and replace individual components and reassemble the car.
• Assembling the BMW engine takes around 120 working hours.
• Almost 200 units of the BMW Formula One engine are built for rig testing, test drives and races.
• The BMW P86/7 engine consists of approx. 1,100 different parts and some 5,000 in total.
• The P86/7 was configured on the basis of the homologated P86
engine within the scope of the permitted modifications and with a rev
limit of 19,000 rpm, as stipulated by the regulations.
• Maximum piston acceleration in the BMW P86/7 is 10,000 times the speed of the earth’s rotation. Peak piston speed is 40 metres per second, or from zero to 100 km/h in 0.3 milliseconds. This exerts a force of almost three tonnes on the conrod. Average piston speed is approx. 26 metres per second.
• The exhaust reaches a temperature of up to 950 °C, while the air temperature in the pneumatic system rises to 250 °C.
• Over an average race distance of 300 kilometres, the BMW V8 engine undergoes around 6.5 million ignitions per grand prix.
• When the car returns to the pits during practice or qualifying, oil samples are taken for spectrometer analysis in the pit garage. Metal traces in the oil provide important indicators as to the state of the engine.
• In 2006, the BMW Sauber F1 Team covered 22,281 race kilometres.
• 43,659 test kilometres were clocked up between January and the close of the season.
• In the team’s maiden season, a race car made it into the points 15 times, two podium places were claimed (Heidfeld finished third in Budapest, Kubica was third in Monza).
• A BMW Sauber F1 Team driver made it into the top ten qualifying 19 times.
4. The drivers.
Nick Heidfeld.
The devil wears Prada.
When Nick Heidfeld hits the dance floor, people rub their eyes in amazement. The internet download sequence runs for around 20 seconds: an excerpt from a television broadcast showing him in rave mode. This dance devil doesn’t care two hoots about the running camera, he simply dances his thing, just as he lives his thing. Convention is not his thing. He goes for off-the-wall outfits, and the only place he doesn’t wear them is in the paddock. The only giveaway accessory that isn’t part of the simple blue and white team gear is generally
an outsize pair of Prada shades, which he is obliged to take off when he gives TV interviews. That’s fine with the man from Mönchengladbach.
He is no showman. Yes, he has been cohabiting with his longstanding girlfriend Patricia. Yes, their daughter Juni has an unusual name. Yes, he enjoys his Formula One trips and uses them to buy unusual artworks and seek
out the best eateries. Yes, he’ll have foie gras on the evening before a race because he simply cannot resist it, and on the Sunday after clocking off from work there’ll be a night on the tiles with his boss and colleagues. All that is
his prerogative. But when it comes to the BMW Sauber F1 Team, this driver is an out and out professional. He keeps himself in top form, he is punctual,
he is assertive, he does not shy from dishing out uncomfortable criticism until he is absolutely satisfied, and he will mull over matters with the engineers
until the small hours, leaving no stone unturned.
Starting from scratch.
On 10th May 2007, the racing driver with the physique of a jockey will turn 30. He was not quite five years old when he began competing with his brothers Sven and Tim in Motocross. His parents, Angelika and Wolfgang, lived a fast, fun life with their young sons. “I had a wonderful childhood,” says “Quick Nick”, who still loves bringing his parents and brothers along to the race track today. Even his grandmother makes the occasional appearance. At 1.65 metres, Nick is the smallest in the Heidfeld clan. “If I had designed myself, I would have made myself a bit bigger”, he confesses, “but in motor racing it was always
an advantage to be small.” Almost always. There was that long haul before he reached the minimum height to be allowed to ride hire karts. “They had these
bars at the kart tracks. If you could walk under them you weren’t allowed to drive.” When he finally made it, he managed to leave his father trailing on
the Nürburgring kart track. He was given his first kart at the age of eight and followed this up with club championships in Kerpen-Manheim, races at national level and participation in European and World Championship events.
Heidfeld’s entry into Formula racing was swiftly crowned with success.
Aged 17, he won the German Formula Ford 1600 Championship after taking eight wins from nine races. A year later he snapped up the title in Formula Ford 1800. In 1996, at the age of 19, he was the youngest competitor on the grid of German Formula 3. It was a strong debut with three wins and
third place overall. He also claimed a pole position and a race win in the Formula 3 World Final on the tricky Macau city circuit, as well as third
place in Formula 3’s showdown at Zandvoort.
Pressure points.
In 1997, Heidfeld had his first taste of the pressures of being in the public eye. His first Formula One test drive with Mercedes aroused the interest of the media, and even before the season got underway he was being heralded as the up-and-coming Formula 3 champion. Heidfeld single-mindedly took
five wins to claim the title. Winning the Formula 3 Grand Prix in Monaco was another masterstroke. In 1998 and 1999 he continued to pursue his path in International Formula 3000. After taking three wins and finishing as championship runner-up in the first year, he dominated the second year and claimed four wins to secure the title. In parallel with this he was testing for F1.
When Kubica and Vettel brought some young blood into the BMW Sauber F1 Team in 2006 and the mantra-like question was put to Heidfeld as to whether he now felt under pressure, he would give an astonished reply: “How come now all of a sudden? There’s always been pressure. After all, I had to hold my own against team-mates like Kimi Räikkönen – and I beat them.” That was back in 2001 during his first year with Sauber. His debut season in 2000,
by contrast, had proved disappointing. He had been given a place in the new but unpromising team founded by Alain Prost, which won not a single championship point and suffered numerous retirements.
2001 saw Heidfeld claim his first podium place for Sauber in Brazil. He drove for the then all-Swiss team for three years. “It was a great time”, he recalls.
“I felt very good with the team.” It was during this period that he exchanged his home in Monaco for a house in the Swiss town of Stäfa. “Built in the mid-19th century and restored using traditional craftsmanship”, he likes to point out.
But to imagine a pair of stag’s antlers hanging above the fireplace would be a grave mistake. Paintings by Patricia, other works of art and a modern interior makes for striking aesthetic contrasts. There is also a gym in the house, which is also ideally located for outdoor sports, be it cycling, water sports on
Lake Zurich, tennis or golf. Heidfeld is a fan of variety and does not subscribe to a single sporting discipline. And when the mist descends over the lake
in autumn and winter, he’s glad that it’s a mere 15-minute drive to the big-city lights of Zurich.
Since 2005, he has at least been able to spend his winters there knowing exactly what awaited him the following year on the professional front.
That wasn’t always the case. When his contract with Sauber was not renewed at the end of 2003, he just managed to slip into the Jordan team at a late stage. One winter on, he had to earn his place in the BMW WilliamsF1 Team in a month-long competitive testing bout with Antonio Pizzonia. Team Principal Frank Williams waited until the January presentation before informing Heidfeld that he had got the place.
In 2005 Heidfeld made his mark with strong performances, bold overtaking manoeuvres, a pole position, three podium places and incisive analytical work with the engineers. An accident during testing in Monza in August, caused
by a broken wheel suspension, and a subsequent cycling accident brought an early end to the season for him, but for Mario Theissen he was already the driver of choice for the new BMW Sauber F1 Team. “I’m in this project body and soul”, says Heidfeld. “In 2006, our first season, we made progress from race to race, even though the development work on expanding the team was running in parallel. We have to continue working at this pace. There’s still
a lot of room for improvement.” His goals today remain the same as in Formula Ford ten years ago: he wants to earn wins and the title. Only his sunglasses will soon be ditched for a trendier pair.
Interview.
Questions to Nick Heidfeld:
How important are your fans for you?
Very! I think we have one of the best fan clubs of all. There’s a good atmosphere. But I’m not at the centre of things to the extent one might imagine. Of course it’s about me, but it’s also about having fun together. The atmosphere is relaxed. We go karting and partying together. At the race track I naturally meet most of my fans at races in Germany. I really enjoy that and it’s a great
support. From that point of view I’m disappointed that we will only be having one grand prix in Germany from now on. But you also have to see it from
the point of view that it was great to have two GPs for such a long time.
Fans abroad are always an interesting reflection of the mentality and culture of the country. Asians, for example, are shy as long as they are alone. But once you get a group of them – and that can be two or three people – they start to mob you. Things quickly descend into chaos, and it can be very amusing.
Your girlfriend Patricia didn’t attend so many races in 2006.
Do you miss her company?
Definitely. I always like to have my family, and especially Patricia, around me at races. During the day there’s no time for them of course, but there is in the evenings, and that takes your mind off things. You can talk about other matters, which is important. Since we’ve had little Juni – who will be two in July –
her needs have taken priority. You can’t keep travelling around the world with
a baby in tow, and she would be totally out of place in the paddock. When Patricia and Juni accompany me, Grandma usually comes along as well and looks after Juni in the hotel.
Do you ring up and report home after each practice session?
No. Only if I have an accident do I get in touch straightaway to put their minds at rest. But I don’t bore Patricia telling her which rear wing setting was better in which turn. We phone a lot but then we talk about other things and about Juni. Videophoning is fantastic. That way I was able to witness live how my daughter took her first steps, even though I wasn’t at home.
Formula One has changed since you made your debut in 2000.
Have you changed as well – your driving style, your approach?
Technical modifications or changes to the rules influence your driving style. With the less powerful V8 engines, for example, you have to take the corners slightly differently than you used to with the V10 engines. Because
the engines have to last longer, it means you sometimes cut down on engine speed. Essentially my driving style has been refined over the years. In a
go-kart I was still known as a metal-basher, but already by my Formula Ford days I was treating the material and the tyres with care. That is still the
case today. My general approach to Formula One has certainly become a bit cooler, and the initial respect has given way to routine. What has also changed over the years is that I don’t stay in the paddock as long in the evenings.
I’m still one of the last drivers to leave, but in the past I often stayed till midnight, poring over data. Eventually you can’t see the wood for the trees any more, and your sleep suffers.
What does security mean for you?
Privately security means having a healthy family and enough money to let you sleep in peace. In private and in motor sport, there’s no such thing as absolute security. The cars and the race tracks have got significantly safer over the years, but there’s still an element of risk. If wheels touch or visibility is bad in a wet race, things get dangerous. Everyone has to decide for himself whether
to take these risks or not. For me the answer is a clear affirmative.
Biography.
Nick Heidfeld.
Born: 10th May 1977/Mönchengladbach (GER)
Nationality: German
Residence: Stäfa, Switzerland
Website: http://www.nickheidfeld.de
Marital status: Partner Patricia, daughter Juni
Height: 1.65 m
Weight: 59 kg
Hobbies: Sport, eating
Favourite food: Foie gras
Favourite drink: Fresh orange juice, virgin pina colada, testarossa
Favourite tracks: Suzuka and Macau
First race: 1986, Kerpen-Manheim karting track
First win: 1987, Kerpen-Manheim karting track
Career highlights.
1988–1993 Karting successes, first at a national level, then qualified for European and World Championship
1994 Winner of the German Formula Ford 1600 Championship, eight wins out of nine races
1995 Winner of the International German Formula Ford 1800 Championship, four wins
1996 3rd place German Formula 3 Championship, three wins; pole position and race win at the Formula 3 World Final in Macau; 3rd place Formula 3 Masters in Zandvoort
1997 Winner of the German Formula 3 Championship,
five wins;
winner of the F3 Grand Prix Monaco;
Formula One test (McLaren-Mercedes)
1998 2nd place European Formula 3000 Championship, three wins; Formula One test driver
(McLaren-Mercedes).
1999 Winner of the European Formula 3000 Championship, four wins; Formula One test driver (McLaren-Mercedes)
2000 Formula One World Championship (Prost Peugeot),
no points
2001 8th place Formula One World Championship
(Sauber Petronas)
2002 10th place Formula One World Championship
(Sauber Petronas)
2003 14th place Formula One World Championship
(Sauber Petronas)
2004 18th place Formula One World Championship
(Jordan Ford)
2005 11th place Formula One World Championship
(BMW WilliamsF1 Team)
2006 9th place Formula One World Championship
(BMW Sauber F1 Team)
Robert Kubica.
Self-made man.
Robert Kubica may be just 22 years old, yet he can already look back on
18 years of motor racing experience. The Pole was just four when he spotted
a small off-road buggy in the display window of a department store in his
home town of Krakow. The youngster begged and pestered until his mother Anna finally gave in. Her son has since become well known for his persistence.
Robert’s father Artur used plastic bottles to mark out a small circuit in a car park, where Kubica jnr. could give his new wheels a run-out. However, as only one of the rear wheels had any drive, the four-horsepower buggy handled differently through right and left-hand corners. His father couldn’t help
but notice how quickly his young son was able to adapt to this idiosyncrasy.
Day after day, Robert drove round and round the makeshift circuit,
but soon his skill at the wheel became too much for the 4 hp vehicle.
His father duly traded it in for a small rear-wheel-drive model Porsche, which could reach speeds of up to 80 km/h. Not bad for a kid still in short trousers, but this was child’s play to this particular five-year-old. Indeed, Robert soon had the car drifting sideways – and costing his father a small fortune in rear tyres in the process. Eventually, Artur Kubica sold the Porsche and replaced it with a kart. The minimum age for competing in official kart races in Poland was ten years old, but father and son still travelled to the nearest kart track once or even twice a week, even though that was 150 kilometres away. Robert was eventually cleared to race in the Polish Kart Championship once he had turned ten, and he went on to collect six titles in two different categories over the next three years.
All or nothing.
The Kubicas had reached a crossroads. Robert had won everything there was to win in Poland and now was left with nowhere to go. Artur decided to throw caution to the wind, taking out the bank loan which allowed his son to line up in the intensely competitive Italian Kart Championship.
While the other drivers in the series were turning up at the circuits in fully kitted-out trucks, the Kubicas had to be content with simply lashing their kart onto the roof of their BMW, Artur’s pride and joy. With just a few spare parts stashed away in the boot, father and son set off on the 1,500-kilometre journey to Robert’s first race. The family team enjoyed overwhelming early success, but the money ran out after just a few races. Fortunately, Robert had done enough to earn a contract with kart manufacturer CRG. In 1998, at the age of 13, he moved to Italy, living in a room in his employer’s house.
His whole life now revolved around lap times and he learnt to speak Italian. The same year, Kubica became the first foreign driver to win the Italian Kart Championship, and also secured second place in the European Championship. Next up was victory in the prestigious Monaco Kart Cup.
A year later he repeated this success in the Italian Kart Championship
and Monaco Kart Cup, but this time added the German title, the Elf Masters and the highly respected Margutti Trophy to his trophy haul.
After another year in kart racing, he was snapped up by manager Daniele Morelli, who organised a test for him in a Formula Renault 2000 car. Morelli also negotiated deals with sponsors to cover a season in Italian Formula Renault. Kubica claimed a pole position in his first year and earned a place on the Renault driver development programme.
Well armed.
In 2003 it was time for the Pole to take the next step in his career. That winter he tested a Formula 3 car, but his rapid progress was to suffer an abrupt setback. Shortly before the first race of the season, he was a passenger in a car accident and sustained complicated fractures in his right arm. His doctors forecast a recovery time of up to six months. “The worst thing was not
knowing whether the injury would have negative consequences for my career”, recalls Kubica of his fears at the time.
However, just five weeks after the crash Robert was back in a racing car for a Formula 3 Euro Series race at the Norisring in Germany. Kubica stormed to victory, his right hand shielded by a plastic cuff and his arm held together by 18 titanium screws. It was a quite extraordinary debut. The highlight of the rest of the season was at the tradition-steeped race in Macau in which he claimed pole position, set the fastest race lap and finished in second place.
Kubica left a lasting impression with the Epsilon Euskadi team during winter testing and was awarded a contract for the World Series by Renault in 2005. There he won four races and was confirmed as champion three races before the end of the season. It was an important triumph, especially as the reward for the winner was a test in a Renault Formula One car in Jerez at the start of December 2005. Three hours at the wheel was enough to post a succession of impressive lap times. Three weeks later, BMW Motorsport Director
Mario Theissen, who had personally watched Robert’s successful drive at the prestigious 2005 Macau Grand Prix in November, signed him up as the
BMW Sauber F1 Team’s test and reserve driver – without so much as seeing him turn a wheel in the team’s F1 car. It was a gamble, no doubt about
that, but one that had paid off before January was out. Kubica was setting some fine lap times, demonstrating admirable consistency and providing astonishingly good technical feedback. Still only 21, the Pole was going
about his work with the unaffected ease of a man born to drive a racing car.
Into the car and flat out.
In his first outing as a Friday driver at the Formula One season-opener in Bahrain, a circuit he had never driven before, Kubica soon had his name at the top of the time lists. “I look at the pictures from the on-board cameras and walk the track to find out where the bumps are, but that’s about it”, he said, downplaying his skill at the wheel. While Robert was taking his accession to F1 very much in his stride, his success had sparked an outbreak of “Kubica-mania” back in his native Poland. Afforded superstar status more or less overnight, he became the darling of the press. Kubica’s inexorable rise then hit even greater heights at the Hungarian GP, where he lined up on the grid for the race proper.
He could not have picked a more difficult race in which to celebrate his F1 debut, yet Robert made light of the chaotic weather conditions to storm home in seventh place. A technicality ultimately cost him his first World Championship points, but he didn’t have to wait long to redress the balance, finishing on the podium at Monza – just two grands prix later. This was also the day, of course, that Michael Schumacher announced his retirement from the sport. As a result, all the cameras were focused on the seven-times world champion, but that didn’t bother Kubica: “That just means I was not so much the centre of attention. The most important thing is what happens on the track, not any fuss about me personally.” And that is typical of the man.
Kubica is equally adept at keeping his feet on the ground as he is his car. His formative years in Italy and the setbacks he’s experienced through his career so far have had a profound effect. He has a fine instinct for what is and what isn’t important, and he’s never forgotten the people who have helped him get where he is today. He has very little time to himself between races, testing and dates with sponsors, but that’s not something he minds: “I’m doing the thing I enjoy the most. If you look at it like that, every day is a holiday.”
Interview.
Questions to Robert Kubica:
Who gave you the most help at the start of your career?
That would be my parents, no question. I’m extremely proud of them and really grateful for everything they’ve done for me. When you’re so young, it’s
difficult to make a lot of decisions and you’re really dependent on your parents.
My mum and dad have always accepted and supported what I’ve wanted to do. Between the ages of eight and ten I practised very hard. There were
no kart tracks in Krakow and we had to travel 150 kilometres every time to go racing. And that took up a lot of my father’s time and money.
How did it feel moving to Italy as a 13-year-old?
I’d run out of competition in Poland, and at the time the Italian championship was the toughest kart series out there. We wanted to find out if I could hold my own against the best drivers in Europe. A few other Polish drivers had tried
to do the same thing in previous years, but never made it into the final race for the top 20. That was our aim. But then I took pole position and finished second in two races first time out. For both me and my father, that provided important confirmation that we had done the right thing. Things were going well, but there were also very bad times – when my dad ran out of money. Although we were reasonably well off by Polish standards in 1998, that didn’t mean a great deal outside the country. Today, average earnings in Germany and Italy are still six or seven times higher than in Poland. We’d got to the point where we only had enough money for one more race in the European Championship, then I got lucky with the contract from CRG. To start with I lived with the owner’s family, but then moved into a place of my own when I was 16. My parents couldn’t afford to come over very often and in a situation like that you have to learn a lot about life very quickly. You grow up fast.
What’s the worst experience you’ve endured in your career so far?
That would definitely be when I got injured as a passenger in that car accident. My arm was so badly damaged that everybody thought I’d be out for six months. That was later reduced to three months, and in the end it was only a month and ten days later that I was driving – and winning – my first Formula 3 race. I just wanted to get back into a car as quickly as possible. The crash happened in Poland, but I was taken to Italy for treatment. I’m very grateful to the doctors there, they looked after me amazingly well.
And what has been the best moment?
That was probably that Formula 3 race at the Norisring after the accident.
I only had about 70 percent use of the injured arm and needed the other one to change gear with. There aren’t any fast corners at the Norisring, which helped of course. But that win in the Euro Series was just fantastic for me.
Was it your aim to make it into Formula One?
Formula One was certainly a dream, but I hadn’t really identified it as a goal. My aims were rather more realistic. You need a certain amount of luck to get into F1, especially if you don’t have any money. And I was given my big
break when Mario Theissen called and offered me the job as test driver in December 2005.
You are 1.84 metres tall – does that cause problems in the car?
The cockpit of the F1.06 was designed for smaller drivers and that didn’t make things easy for me. I would like to have been a few centimetres shorter.
Before I could sign the contract, Mario Theissen and Peter Sauber asked me to get into the car so that they could see if it would work. Of course, I did everything I could to squeeze myself in and told them it was a great fit – you just don’t throw away a chance like that. Shortly before the end of the
2006 season I was given a new chassis with a somewhat larger cockpit.
Where would you say your main strengths lie?
In my head. I’m pretty tough mentally. I’ve learnt that at least 50 percent
of success is achieved in your head and through your mental preparation.
Biography.
Robert Kubica (pronounced “KOO-beet-sah”)
Born: 7th December 1984/Krakow (POL)
Nationality: Polish
Residence: Krakow
Website: http://www.kubica.pl
Marital status: Single
Height: 1.84 m
Weight: 73 kg
Hobbies: Bowling, computer games, indoor karting
Favourite food: Pasta
Favourite drink: Orange juice
Favourite circuit: Macau
First race: Polish Kart Championship in Poznan, 1995
First win: First race
Career highlights.
1995–1997 Six-times Polish Kart Champion (Juniors)
1998 1st place Italian Kart Championship (Juniors;
2nd place European Kart Championship (Juniors;
1st place Monaco Kart Cup
1999 1st place Italian Kart Championship (Juniors;
1st place German Kart Championship (Juniors;
1st place Monaco Kart Cup;
winner of the Margutti Trophy
2000 4th place European Kart Championship (Formula A);
4th place World Kart Championship (Formula A)
2001 First races in Italian Formula Renault 2000
2002 2nd place Italian Formula Renault 2000, four wins
2003 First races in the Formula 3 Euro Series, one win;
1st place Formula 3 Masters in Sardinia
2004 7th place Formula 3 Euro Series;
2nd place Formula 3 Grand Prix Macau
2005 1st place World Series by Renault, four wins;
2nd place Formula 3 Grand Prix Macau
2006 16th place Formula One World Championship
(BMW Sauber F1 Team – 12 outings as Friday test driver, 6 race involvements)
Sebastian Vettel.
Angel in disguise.
At first glance Sebastian Vettel looks more like a choirboy than a ruthless racing driver. He has a fresh-faced, angelic look that makes him appear younger than his 19 years, but looks are certainly deceptive when it comes to this fast, determined racing driver who was welcomed as a breath of fresh air when he joined the F1 circus in 2006. He made history by being the youngest driver to take part in a grand prix weekend when on 25th August – just a few weeks after his 19th birthday – he became a Friday driver for the BMW Sauber F1 Team at the Turkish Grand Prix. That weekend saw another record claimed: no driver had picked up an F1 speeding fine as quickly as the young man
from Heppenheim. In just nine seconds, he was clocked for exceeding the speed limit in the pit lane.
While he took the Formula One world by storm by being quickest overall on that Friday, anyone who had followed the career of this young German was
not surprised at his meteoric rise to stardom. However, the youngster was always very honest about just what his lap time meant: “It is natural to think the quickest driver may be the best, but an important part of this Friday programme is to be on low fuel and new tyres. My job is to give the best feedback to the team for use over the rest of the weekend. If I started
to believe that because I was quickest I was the best driver out there, I would be deluding myself. It was very seldom that anyone but a Friday driver was quickest on the first day, so that should speak for itself.”
Early wins.
Vettel had been a winner since he first donned overalls and helmet. In 1995
he claimed his first kart victory in the Bambini class in Wittgenborn.
In 2001 he was European and German Junior Kart Champion, as well as winning prestigious kart races in Monaco and Paris-Bercy, and when he moved to Formula racing in 2003 he was again in the winners’ circle from the start. He was just 15 years old when he embarked on his first season of
the Formula BMW ADAC Championship. By the end of the year he was 16, Rookie Champion and runner-up in the series.
In 2004, his second year in BMW’s entry-level series, he took the title
and set a record that will take a long time to beat: 18 wins from 20 races,
15 pole positions, 16 fastest race laps, 387 out of 400 points on offer.
BMW recognised his potential and gave him a joint contract with Red Bull.
For 2005 a move up to the Formula 3 Euro Series was on the agenda for Vettel.
He was able to add another Rookie Championship to his CV and came
fifth overall in the championship. He was on the podium six times – on the Norisring, the Nürburgring, Zandvoort, EuroSpeedway Lausitz and Hockenheim. On 27th September 2005, BMW gave him his first test in a Formula One car in Jerez. At the end of the season he went on to demonstrate his talent in the toughest F3 race of all, and came third in Macau.
It was in 2006 that he claimed his first wins in Formula 3. Vettel triumphed in Hockenheim, on the Nürburgring and in Barcelona. But this was not an entirely trouble-free year. He also contested a few races in the World Series by Renault. He won a race in Misano, but suffered a big accident in Spa at the end of July. Flying debris almost sliced off part of his index finger. It was predicted that he would be out of racing several weeks, but a week later Vettel was back behind the wheel in the Formula 3 Masters in Zandvoort, where he astonished his own team boss by finishing sixth.
It was shortly after this that the big break came for Vettel when the
BMW Sauber F1 Team was looking for a Friday driver replacement for
Robert Kubica, who had been promoted to a race team driver from the Hungarian Grand Prix onwards. Vettel had been given a second test chance in Jerez on 5th July and managed to persuade BMW Motorsport Director
Mario Theissen that he need look no further for his Friday driver. In the remaining five races of the season, the youngster handled his task so well that the
team announced him as the official test and reserve driver for 2007 just before the season final in Brazil.
Sense of humour.
While Vettel was well known in Germany, international Formula One journalists knew very little about him. That was soon to change. From his very first appearance as a Friday driver, the young lad fresh from high school was the talk of the paddock. His sense of humour particularly struck a chord with
the British media when he declared himself a fan of the popular UK TV series Little Britain, stated his favourite group was the Beatles and his favourite
film Monty Python’s Life of Brian. His self-assured manner and ability to answer even the most searching questions from seasoned journalists earned him respect, while his easygoing manner ensured his popularity.
Interview.
Questions to Sebastian Vettel:
When did you first start thinking about racing?
When I was three and a half years old and I was driving in our back yard.
When I was five I was able to drive on a proper karting track. In March 1995
I was able to enter the mini class as, according to the rules, you were allowed to participate in this series in the year you turned eight.
Have other members of your family raced?
My sister Stephanie, who is four years older than me, was also karting back in 1993 and ’94, while the other sister was more interested in horses.
Then Stephanie stopped because I was driving so much and I always wanted to drive and didn’t want her to drive! But she still likes racing and comes
to watch me when I race in Europe. Obviously my father is also very keen and spent a lot of years driving me to my races.
When did you first start thinking about a fitness regime?
That was when I was 12 and moved from the mini to the junior class in
karting. Physically it was a big step as these karts had much more power and better tyres, and it meant I started to think about fitness for myself. I started
by running about 15 minutes a day, but it is different now. Fitness was part of the programme when I was in the Formula BMW ADAC Championship,
and when I joined Red Bull I was offered a good programme. I know how important it is to be fit.
What did your schoolfriends think about you being a racing driver, and have they changed their attitude to you now you’re in F1?
When I was racing in Formula BMW they didn’t know much about it.
Thanks to Michael Schumacher, Formula One is well known in Germany of course, so they know exactly what is happening and ask me how things
are going. But they don’t treat me differently. I didn’t talk much about my racing when I was at school. If I was asked, I would tell them what I was doing,
but preferred to keep quiet about it and never volunteered the information.
Did your move to Formula One in 2006 cost you the Formula 3 Euro Series title?
Absolutely not. I just made some mistakes and that was it. I was pushing hard to catch up with Paul di Resta, and when you’re driving at 120 per cent
such things happen. For me the mistake I made in Le Mans was crucial as
I didn’t want to go to Hockenheim a long way behind in the points.
You are only 19 and you are in Formula One, so has your dream come true and did you ever have a plan of what your ideal career would be?
Yes, I always had this dream since my childhood. However, I never had any idea how it would all turn out or if it really could happen. I still have a long way to go to realise this dream, and that is my goal now.
Biography.
Sebastian Vettel.
Date/place of birth: 3rd July 1987/Heppenheim (GER)
Nationality: German
Residence: Heppenheim
Website: http://www.sebastianvettel.de
Marital status: Single
Height: 1.76 m
Weight: 62 kg
Hobbiess: Running, cycling, swimming, music, football
Favourite food: Pasta
Favourite drink: Apple juice spritzer
Favourite circuit: Macau
First race: 1995 Kart race (Bambini class) in Walldorf
First win: 1995 Kart race (Bambini class) in Wittgenborn
Career highlights.
from 1995 Karting
2001 Winner European Junior Kart Championship;
winner German Junior Kart Championship;
winner Monaco Junior Kart Cup;
winner Kart Paris-Bercy
2002 6th place European Championship ICA Senior
2003 2nd place Formula BMW ADAC Championship,
rookie champion
2004 Winner Formula BMW ADAC Championship,
18 wins from
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