You always have a special attachment to your home race – in both good times and bad – and the BMW Sauber F1 Team is certainly looking forward to the German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring this coming weekend, the ninth round of the 2009 Formula One championship season.

Many chapters of success in BMW’s motor sport history have been written at the circuit in the Eifel mountains, which is also used to put series- production cars through the most rigorous of testing. Plus, the company has played its part in the extensive modifications carried out at the ‘Ring.  

“We feel a particular bond with the Nürburgring,” explained Mario Theissen. “Every series-produced BMW is tested on the Nordschleife circuit and BMW has celebrated some great successes in touring car racing here in the Eifel. The company also runs a Driver Training base here, as well as the BMW Lounge and the BMW Ring Taxi for the Nordschleife. Added to which, we are lending our name to the newly erected BMW M Power Tribüne grandstand on the start/finish straight.”

Going into the German Grand Prix, the team cannot be happy with the season so far. After three successful years, this recent period has been the first set-back for their team – and is one that Theissen is confident they will overcome.

“After all, this is the same team in Munich and Hinwil that has delivered continuous improvements since the team was founded,” he said. “We are all absolutely determined to start moving forwards again and I expect us to experience an upturn in form. It is certainly not easy to make up lost ground without the chance to do any testing, but that is what we’re aiming to do.”

As part of their fight to make up that ground, the Hinwil based squad will being a series of mechanical improvements to the Eifel mountains, as well as a further developed version of their double-decker diffuser.