F109 Countdown: BMW

BMW:
2008 Results
Best Finish: 1st (Robert Kubica at the Canadian Grand Prix)
Points Scored: 135
Championship Position: 3rd
2009 Drivers: Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld

Of all the teams, I feel that BMW are the ones who have no excuses regarding their 2009 performance. The team very publically dropped development on last year’s car after they achieved all their goals, much to the annoyance of Kubica. By all accounts. This is the year that BMW prove that they have what it takes to regularly contest with the likes of Ferrari and McLaren.

They were first out of the traps to run their new challenger and at the forefront of the KERS technology race. When many teams were hoping for the KERS system to be delayed, it was BMW that forged ahead with the desire to use the system. I can’t blame them. They got the jump on everyone so why would they want to lose that development because nobody else was on the ball.

In Robert Kubica, they have a driver who is more than capable of winning world titles. I think whether that will be with BMW, we will learn this year. Like I said, there are no excuses for them this year. Given how vocal Kubica was towards the end of last year, he will expect to maintain the challenge over the course of the season.

Let us not forget, the Pole was still in contention for the title until the final rounds of the championship. No wonder he was left scratching his head as BMW basically gave up on his chance for the title. He is many people’s pick for the title. I would rate him in my top three. I do wonder whether, at this early stage in the career, he is just at that level to take it.

Nick Heidfeld came in for, what I would definitely label as unfair criticism last year. The German finished only fifteen points behind his much heralded team-mate. Yet alls we kept hearing was about how bad he was in comparison and that he might be on the chopping block. Compared to the other team-mates of championship contending drivers, he was the closest.

If the BMW is as good as it should be, I wouldn’t be surprised if the veteran finally takes a deserved victory. He is a driver who has earned his due over the years and not simply walked into a championship winning car as others around him have. If he can improve on his qualifying form, I foresee a great year for ‘Quick Nick’.