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Hockenheim: Friday Facts
By BMW Sauber F1 Team July 18 2008
With the first two practice sessions for the German Grand Prix, the BMW Sauber F1 Team kicked off the second half of the 2008 Formula One season. Here, we have compiled several interesting facts regarding the first day of the Hockenheim weekend. .
- Practice work on a damp track: Not exactly what you would call mid-summer conditions: at the beginning of the 1st practice session, a light drizzle was falling over Hockenheim and the conditions remained changeable throughout the day. This was nothing unfamiliar for Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld as they also had to cope with mixed conditions during last week's test at the German GP venue. While the British GP held two weeks ago didn't exactly take place during a drought.

- 104 laps on Friday: In the two practice sessions, the German crowd could watch compatriot Nick Heidfeld - the best-placed German in the World Championship - complete a total of 60 laps of the Hockenheimring, with Robert lapping the circuit 44 times

- Braking spot: While approaching the hairpin, Robert and Nick have just 116 metres in which to decelerate from 307 to 72kph. Lap after lap, it takes them just 2.3 seconds to execute this braking manoeuvre - extremely hard work for the carbon-brake discs on the BMW Sauber F1.08.

- 15 years at Hockenheim: While Robert is contesting his first race at Hockenheim, Nick's debut appearance on the Southern German racetrack dates back quite a while. "I think my first race at Hockenheim was a Formula Ford 1600 event back in 1994," says the 31-year old. And unless I'm very much mistaken I was the winner in that race. It was on the long track, which I enjoyed a lot more than the new one. I think the new one is good but the long one was spectacular. It was big fun."

- New aero package: Nick and Robert contested the Friday sessions with a modified aero package. Two additional winglets mounted in front of the cockpit are supposed to help the BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers on their way to delivering in fine style at the Hockenheimring.

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