As if back-to-back second places in Australia and Malaysia, a maiden fastest lap courtesy of
Nick Heidfeld in the latter and the squad's first pole position with
Robert Kubica in Bahrain weren't enough,
BMW Sauber will head into the European leg of the 2008
Formula 1 campaign in yet another unexpected position – atop the constructors' world championship standings.
Kubica and Heidfeld came home three-four in the desert kingdom, separated by just 3.5 seconds at the chequered flag and both comfortably within ten seconds of race-winner
Felipe Massa, the duo's late-race charge even putting the two scarlet machines under pressure and forcing them to have to raise their game. Despite Kubica failing to make the most of his advantage at the start as he bogged down and let Massa get by, the result confirmed the Munich and Hinwil-based outfit's status as
Ferrari's closest challengers in 2008 – with the promise of plenty more still to come.
“I am happy with the result,” the Pole enthused, after taking his second successive rostrum finish and moving up into equal third place in the drivers' title chase, equal on points with both McLaren-Mercedes aces. “This is my second consecutive podium and the team is leading the constructors' championship.
“Unfortunately I had massive wheelspin at the start and hit some debris in the first corner on the second lap. When I drove through the oil I was sure I had punctured my tyre as at that point I didn't have the information about the oil, but this was a great day for the team. I am now looking forward to Barcelona.”
As had been the case in Sepang a fortnight previously, Heidfeld provided a good deal of the race's entertainment, as he aggressively zipped past both
Jarno Trulli and
Heikki Kovalainen in the early laps before going on to chase his team-mate down. The experienced German set the second-fastest lap of the grand prix to boot, and now sits second in the points standings, just three adrift of new leader and defending world champion
Kimi Raikkonen.
