Confident we can continue upward trend - Rampf

When the BMW Sauber F1 Team arrives at Silverstone, it will be greeted by a high-speed circuit, at which engine performance is not the only important characteristic: the many medium-quick and quick corners on the 5.141km track really put drivers and cars to the test.

"To be quick at Silverstone you need to have a car with a lot of downforce, but above all one with very good balance," explains Willy Rampf, Head of Engineering in the BMW Sauber F1 Team. "The track surface is pretty rough, which means that tyres come in for a good deal of punishment. Bridgestone is bringing the same two compounds to Silverstone as did such a good job in Istanbul."

"We used the double-decker diffuser for the first time in Turkey and took a step forward as a result. This was certainly pleasing, but we are still far from satisfied with the situation," says Rampf, adding that further modifications are planned for the BMW Sauber F1.09: "We will be running a further developed front wing at Silverstone with the aim of improving the balance of the car."

The team from Munich and Hinwil is looking to follow on from the performance in Istanbul. "I am confident we can continue our upward trend," says Rampf, who is particularly fond of the quicker passages at Silverstone: "Maggots-Becketts-Chapel is one of the best and most challenging combinations on the Formula One calendar."