BMW Sauber F1 Team - Nürburgring Nordschleife

"I'll never forget today as long as I live"
Munich/Nürburgring, 28 April 2007. BMW has written another chapter
in motor sport history on the legendary Nordschleife at the
Nürburgring. Today, Saturday, an modern Formula 1 vehicle was
driven round the 20.8 kilometre race track for the first time in 31
years in front of a crowd numbering 45,000 BMW Sauber F1 Team driver
Nick Heidfeld was extremely enthusiastic after three laps in the F1.06:
"This drive was simply incredible. I thought it would be great to
drive on the Nordschleife before I started out. But it was even better
than I had expected. This racing track is the best in the world. I'd
really like to have emptied the tank. It was a very special moment when
I left the grand prix circuit in the direction of the Nordschleife. I
was really shaken up at the Bergwerk section and on the Döttinger
Höhe. I'll never forget today as long as I live. Another
particularly special experience has now joined the many fantastic
childhood memories and racing successes." BMW Motorsport Director
Mario Theissen said: "We wanted to give fans a special treat. And
I believe we have done this with the entire BMW motor sport programme.
The BMW M3 GTR that Olaf Manthey presented today was welcomed like an
old friend. The car is actually much too athletic for the museum.
Naturally, the high point was Nick's drive with the F1.06. We had
implored him to be careful. The day was a homage to the fans and to
this unique circuit in the world of racing. For once, the lap times
were a secondary consideration." Despite unusually hard
demonstration tyres and short transmission ratio, Heidfeld notched up a
top speed of 275 km/h on the long straight called the
"Döttinger Höhe". The second lap was his fastest lap
and took 8:34 minutes. A camera car took shots of the 29-year-old on
some sections of all three laps and Heidfeld slowed down for the photo
calls. The F1.06 was adjusted for maximum ground clearance to drive on
this uneven traditional circuit - four centimetres at the front axle,
eight centimetres at the rear axle. No other modifications were carried
out on the vehicle. One special measure was necessary for wireless
communication. Team Manager Beat Zehnder travelled with the camera
helicopter in order to secure the radio link over the entire distance
instead of sitting on the pit wall as usual. As far as BMW is
concerned, the Nürburgring is rather like a second home, not
simply because of numerous past successes - including 18 overall
victories at 24 hour races and a one-two Formula 1 win. BMW
Motorsport is also the partner for the VLN endurance championship at
the Nürburgring, with one of the races being held today
(Saturday). BMW Driver Training, BMW Ring Taxis, the BMW Performance
Centre and a permanent racing-car exhibition in the
"Erlebniswelt" leisure park are fixed institutions at the
Eifel circuit. In addition to the BMW Sauber F1 Team with Heidfeld and
test driver Sebastian Vettel and the BMW M3 GTR, the BMW works drivers
from the World Touring Car Championship (FIA WTCC) guaranteed lots of
exciting action , as well as talking to fans and signing autograph
books. Two-times world champion Andy Priaulx (GBR) and Jörg
Müller (DEU) also played taxi driver on the Nordschleife, as did
Augusto Farfus (BRA). The BMW motor-sport fleet was out in force on the
legendary circuit. There was Formula 1 and the BMW M3 GTR, the BMW 320si
WTCC to the BMW Z4 M Coupé. Even the smallest of all BMW racing
cars put in an appearance: In the morning, Heidfeld took the inspection
lap in the Formula BMW packing 140 hp.