By BMW Sauber F1 Team
June 6 2008

The BMW Sauber F1 Team has already lined up twice at the Canadian Grand Prix. We'd like to refresh your memory of the events of 2006 and 2007. . 2006 Canadian Grand Prix.

Even before a wheel turned on the Ile de Notre Dame in Montreal, Jacques Villeneuve was already being celebrated by his compatriots: at the presentation of his first single and at the Pit Lane Park in the bustling city centre. At the halfway point in the season, the BMW Sauber F1 Team picked up points for the fifth time in succession, and for the seventh time in the team's nine Grands Prix to date. Nick Heidfeld came seventh, despite starting from a disappointing 13th place on the grid. The qualifying times were so close that Nick missed out on the top-ten by just seven hundredths of a second, while Villeneuve qualified in 11th place, just 18 thousandths of a second outside the top-ten.

Nick was aided by a good start and courageous overtaking manoeuvres on the first lap. Jacques also made an excellent start and for a long time lay ahead of his team-mate. However, problems during a pit stop led to a change in the order. Rejoining the race on an extremely dirty track in eighth place, Villeneuve skidded into a wall ten laps before the end and was forced to retire. Friday's test driver Robert Kubica once again set the fastest lap times in free practice.

2007 Canadian Grand Prix.

The race was an emotional rollercoaster for the BMW Sauber F1 Team: on the 27th lap, Robert suffered one of the most serious Formula One accidents in recent years. Soon, after the great news that he had escaped without any serious injury, Nick drove his way to second place, giving the young team its best individual result so far. The weekend had got off to an unsettled start with problems in free practice and qualifying. However, Nick managed to qualify in third place, while Robert lined up in eighth place on the grid. Once the race was underway, Nick immediately moved into second place at the start. Thereafter, the race was a turbulent one. The safety-car had to take to the track on four occasions, one of them as a result of Robert's crash.

A misunderstanding between Robert and Jarno Trulli when selecting their line lead to contact between the two cars. Robert tore his front wing off on the Toyota's front tyre and was then nothing but a passenger as the car crashed brutally into a wall. He and the wreck of the F1.07 were catapulted across the track, rolled several times before colliding against the barriers on the opposite side of the track. The safety measures on the F1.07 performed a miracle: the Pole walked away from the horrific accident with just a sprained foot and was released from hospital the following day.