From GMM
For Formula 1 teams struggling aerodynamically in 2009, the Circuit de Catalunya this weekend is unlikely to offer the right medicine.
After finishing fourth recently in Bahrain, McLaren's Lewis Hamilton admitted that the Barcelona curves "won't suit our car so well".
The same may also be true for struggling BMW-Sauber, despite the Swiss based team pinning its hopes on a major Spanish grand prix car upgrade.
"Barcelona is the track that most mercilessly uncovers aerodynamic weaknesses," German-language analyst and former triple world champion Niki Lauda told Sport Bild.
"I fear that BMW's problems will be even bigger there and that they will be even further behind," the Austrian added.
It is not certain that a 'double diffuser' solution will be ready to be added to the 2009 BMW-Sauber package for this weekend's race.
"Whether it will be there or not is not yet definite," team boss Mario Theissen is quoted as saying by Germany's Sport Bild. The magazine claims that designers did design a double diffuser for the single seater, but that computer simulations raised doubts about its effectiveness.
Niki Lauda believes an improvement even in the medium-term for the Hinwil based team is unlikely.
"Getting out of this sort of situation is extremely difficult," he said. "If you're at the back, you have to develop twice as quickly and twice as well as the teams that are at the front.
"McLaren and Ferrari have the same problem: needing to make two steps while the top teams make only one. If they can't do that as soon as possible, the season (for them) is over," Lauda added.
photo:BMW
For Formula 1 teams struggling aerodynamically in 2009, the Circuit de Catalunya this weekend is unlikely to offer the right medicine.
After finishing fourth recently in Bahrain, McLaren's Lewis Hamilton admitted that the Barcelona curves "won't suit our car so well".
The same may also be true for struggling BMW-Sauber, despite the Swiss based team pinning its hopes on a major Spanish grand prix car upgrade.
"Barcelona is the track that most mercilessly uncovers aerodynamic weaknesses," German-language analyst and former triple world champion Niki Lauda told Sport Bild.
"I fear that BMW's problems will be even bigger there and that they will be even further behind," the Austrian added.
It is not certain that a 'double diffuser' solution will be ready to be added to the 2009 BMW-Sauber package for this weekend's race.
"Whether it will be there or not is not yet definite," team boss Mario Theissen is quoted as saying by Germany's Sport Bild. The magazine claims that designers did design a double diffuser for the single seater, but that computer simulations raised doubts about its effectiveness.
Niki Lauda believes an improvement even in the medium-term for the Hinwil based team is unlikely.
"Getting out of this sort of situation is extremely difficult," he said. "If you're at the back, you have to develop twice as quickly and twice as well as the teams that are at the front.
"McLaren and Ferrari have the same problem: needing to make two steps while the top teams make only one. If they can't do that as soon as possible, the season (for them) is over," Lauda added.
photo:BMW