By BMW Sauber F1 Team
December 22 2008

After one of the most successful fight backs in the history of the BMW Sauber F1 Team, Nick Heidfeld finished fourth after starting his home race from twelfth on the grid. Setting the fastest lap of the race added to his sense of satisfaction. Robert Kubica, too, was able to add to his points' haul. After a gap year in 2007, the Hockenheimring celebrated its return as host of the German Grand Prix on 20 July. The BMW Sauber F1 Team looked forward to its home race - and certainly did not disappoint the fans. Initially, however, the team from Munich and Hinwil was forced to console itself with modest grid positions. Robert started from seventh, whilst Nick missed the Top Ten shoot-out after an outbraking manoeuvre, and was forced to settle for twelfth. BMW Sauber F1 Team's initial expectations therefore rested on Robert's shoulders.

The team's hopes for a strong overall result were fuelled immediately after the start when the 23-year-old fought past Fernando Alonso (Renault), Ferrari's Kimi Räikkönen and the Toyota of Jarno Trulli to move into fourth place. Nick's start was not quite as spectacular; the German did, however, manage to improve by one position to eleventh.

Both BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers had completed their first pit stops when the race took an unexpected turn after Toyota's Timo Glock slammed into a barrier at high speed on Lap 36, fortunately without injury. The Safety Car was deployed, which shuffled the field - and this played particularly into Nick's hands. He had driven a long first stint, and was thus able to run beyond the second pit stop windows planned by the majority of the field.

These drivers pitted around the 39-lap mark, elevating Nick to second place behind race leader Lewis Hamilton. When the McLaren driver peeled off into the pit lane on Lap 51 for his stop, Nick had nothing but clear air ahead of him, which he put to exceedingly good use by recording the race's fastest lap of 1:15,987 minutes.

Thanks to a superb strategy and the excellent performance of his BMW Sauber F1.08, after his second stop Nick found himself in a strong fourth place, which he then defended all the way to the finish of the race. Robert went on to cross the line in seventh, thus contributing to the overall satisfaction of the BMW Sauber F1 Team at its home event.