By BMW Sauber F1 Team
November 1 2008

In the final practice session at Interlagos, the BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers completed their preparations for the season finale. Nick Heidfeld confirmed the BMW Sauber F1.08's competitiveness by finishing sixth on the time sheets - while Robert had to make do with 14th position. Conditions during the third practice session for the Brazilian Grand Prix were slightly better than those the BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers had to cope with during the two Friday sessions. Temperatures reaching 20° C, a little sunshine and no real threat of rain offered Nick and Robert the chance of successfully completing their preparations for the remainder of the weekend.

This time around, Nick wasn't the busier driver of the BMW Sauber F1 Team pairing but the quicker. The German completed a total of 19 laps and on his 17th, in the dying seconds of the session, he set a personal best time of 1:12.402 minutes to secure sixth position, just 0.261 seconds behind the quickest driver, Renault's Fernando Alonso.

Robert, however, had a somewhat more difficult time. Throughout the session, the Pole wasn't quite able to match the pace of his team-mate. He completed 22 laps and also went out in the closing stages to set a competitive lap time. However, despite improving and crossing the line in 1:12.971 minutes, he had to settle for finishing 14th.

"We are not yet quite where we want to be," admitted BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen. "Nick delivered, but when it comes to Robert's car we still have a problem we have to work on prior to the qualifying session."

In the qualifying session, beginning at 14:00hrs local time (16:00hrs GMT), Nick and Robert will once again give their very best in order to secure positions on the grid that will offer them the chance of ending the season on a high.