BMW Sauber F1.09 Kubica, Heidfeld & Theissen

BMW Sauber rolled out its 2009 car Tuesday, believing the new vehicle will deliver on the team's target of winning the Formula One championship.

Drivers Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld unveiled the F1.09 car at the Cheste Circuit before Kubica took it out for an installation lap. Several hundred people, including the team crew, saw a modified car that closely resembled several of this year's new class, sporting a stocky front and slim rear.

"When we started four years ago we said that we should be fighting for the championship this season," team principal Mario Theissen said. "All the targets have been met so there is no reason not to continue." Kubica finished third and Heidfeld sixth in the 2008 drivers' standings, while BMW Sauber was third in the constructors' championship in a season where it won its first race.

The 2009 modifications are expected to create greater downforce, double engine life and change aerodynamics to allow for more overtaking. BMW Sauber managing director Walter Riedl said the changes will have the biggest impact on F1 design in 30 years.

Kubica stayed cautious despite the promise that the modifications would lead to extra excitement on the track, especially with personal safety concerns over a new front wing that is wider than the wheels.

"We have to be very careful not only in the first corner but especially when you think you have overtaken the guy and close the line, now you can easily take off his wing and then this wing is quite huge and can go under the car," said Kubica, whose car launched into a violent somersault after such a situation at the Canadian Grand Prix in 2007. "It goes under the car and you have no control anymore."

The F1.09 is also fully compliant with the KERS energy recovery system, although Theissen couldn't guarantee that the German team would be using the hybrid technology by the season-opening Australian GP on March 29.

Both Kubica and Heidfeld expect a wide-open start to the season after F1 introduced dramatic cost-cutting measures on top of car modifications, although they both felt the edge still belonged to 2008 champion Lewis Hamilton of McLaren.

"Clearly it's not a comfortable situation, with everyone fighting and trying new situations without knowing if it's the right one," Theissen said of the push to develop the cars in time for Melbourne. "It's not comfortable but it's exciting."

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pic 1: BMW Sauber F1 Team BMW P86.9 Unveiling 2009
pic 2: Robert Kubica BMW Sauber F1 Team BMW P86.9 Unveiling 2009

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pic 1: Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber F1 Team BMW P86.9 Unveiling 2009
pic 2: Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber F1 Team BMW P86.9 Unveiling 2009

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pic 1: Robert Kubica BMW Sauber F1 Team BMW P86.9 Unveiling 2009
pic 2: Robert Kubica, Nick Heidfeld, Christian Klien,.. Mario Theissen, Willy Rampf BMW Sauber F1 Team BMW P86.9 Unveiling 2009

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pic 1: Robert Kubica BMW Sauber F1 Team BMW P86.9 Unveiling 2009
pic 2: Robert Kubica BMW Sauber F1 Team BMW P86.9 Unveiling 2009

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pic 1: Robert Kubica BMW Sauber F1 Team BMW P86.9 Unveiling 2009
pic 2: Robert Kubica BMW Sauber F1 Team BMW P86.9 Unveiling 2009