BMW SAUBER F1 TEAM - GP SPAIN - PREVIEW

Spanish Grand Prix, Barcelona.

12th - 14th May 2006
6th of 18 World Championship rounds

Preview.

Munich/Hinwil, 7th May 2006. This coming Sunday, 14th May 2006, Formula One
will be rolling onto the grid of the Circuit de Catalunya for the next World
Championship race - the sixth of 18. With such a tight schedule, teams will
have to do their packing and unpacking in record time. En route from the Eifel
to Barcelona, the team trucks and motorhomes will clock up a good 1,300
kilometres. That leaves no time for a breather, let alone any testing.

Nick Heidfeld:
"Every driver is very familiar with the circuit at Barcelona because so much
testing takes place there. That's mainly because the Circuit de Catalunya is a
very challenging track in terms of aerodynamics. That more or less sums up the
circuit: it is fast, and in its great high-speed corners you have to make sure
your aerodynamics do the job. In the meantime, the race has also taken on a
special status from a spectator point of view - due to Fernando Alonso's
success, of course. During the last test session I noticed they've even built
new stands and heard that it's a sell-out event. It looks like the Spanish GP
is going to be a very good race."

Jacques Villeneuve:
"The Circuit de Catalunya is a good circuit and one where I've been pretty
successful, having won three GPs there. And of course we all know the track
like the back of our hands because we do a lot of testing there. It has a
couple of exciting high-speed corners, but not too many overtaking
opportunities. There's quite a lot of understeer to contend with. But the race
track apart, Barcelona's a great city! It's a happening place where people like
to go out and the atmosphere is great. I love the lifestyle of the city. It's
sometimes a bit difficult to understand Catalan, but with a smattering of
Spanish you can get by."

Robert Kubica:
"This grand prix is a special one because of all the testing that takes place
here. For me, it's interesting to compare my personal performance on familiar
circuits and those that are new to me. I like the circuit in Barcelona with its
long, fast corners. In my opinion it's one of the best Formula One tracks -
it's challenging and great fun driving an F1 car there. I'm really looking
forward to the weekend. Unfortunately I've never raced in Barcelona. My first
experience there was my debut Formula One test last December. But since then
I've had eight or nine days of testing on the circuit."

Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director:
"In previous years, Spain often failed to attract a large number of fans. Then
in 2005 the organisers announced a sell-out crowd. It will be the same again
this year. The euphoria that Fernando Alonso has sparked off is quite palpable.
Spain is also a strong growth market for BMW and we welcome the burgeoning
interest in Formula One.

Drivers and engineers regard Barcelona as a known quantity. No other race track
sees so much testing, and the wealth of data for basic set-up is
correspondingly great. Nevertheless the race weekend throws up surprises time
and again. Conditions on the track change almost by the hour. Our aim is to get
both cars into the third qualifying session and to pick up a few points in the
race.

After the successful debut of the BMW Sauber F1 Team Pit Lane Park, the theme
park will make its second appearance in Barcelona. But rather than at the race
track, which is a long way out of town, it will be set up in the heart of
Barcelona - in the harbour at the end of the famous Las Ramblas boulevard."

Willy Rampf, Technical Director Chassis:
"Barcelona is known for its long, high-speed turns such as T3 or the two
right-handers before the start/finish straight, where the left front tyre takes
most of the strain. That is why aerodynamic efficiency and tyre performance are
crucial. The circuit used to be known as a bit of a tyre-wrecker, but it was
resurfaced at the end of 2004, which meant softer rubber could be used last
year. The track is very sensitive to fluctuating temperatures, which affects
grip levels and consequently lap times. As a result, you constantly have to
make adjustments. Another difficulty is that you can't ignore traction, as the
left-hander at the end of the back straight has been made even narrower."

BMW Sauber F1 Team Pit Lane Park:
Following its successful debut at the Nürburgring, the Pit Lane Park will be
make its second appearance in Barcelona. This time the complex won't be at the
race track but in the bustling centre of the city: at Barcelona's harbour at
the end of the famous Las Ramblas. The theme park once again offers:

- repeated demonstration runs by the Formula One car and a Formula BMW on the
Pit Lane Park track section,

- show cars on display in the pit lane garages,

- a photo opportunity wearing racing overalls,

- a wide range of technical exhibits,

- participation in an interactive Formula One quiz,

- lining up of teams to allow the public to test their skills in the Pit Shop
Challenge,

- driving in the race simulator,

- a BMW Sauber F1 Team merchandising shop,

- Speaker's Corner, where fans can put questions to drivers and F1 experts
several times over the weekend.

- The Pit Lane Park in Barcelona will be open to visitors free of charge from
Friday to Sunday evening, capacity permitting.

- A VIP or press card is required only for Saturday evening, when there will be
a party with a fashion show and a concert by the group Marlango with lead
singer Leonor Watling.

- There are plans to set up the Pit Lane Park in Silverstone, Montreal, Monza
and Shanghai.

History and background:

Since the official launch of Formula One in 1950, there have been 35 Spanish
Grands Prix. The first two GPs were held in Pedralbes, and subsequent venues
were Jarama (9), Montjuich (4) and Jerez (5). Since 1991, Formula One has
regularly been hosted by the Circuit de Catalunya, which is about half an
hour's drive north of the city of Barcelona. 2006 sees the 16th Spanish GP held
there.

Since a crowd of 115,900 spectators thronged the circuit last year on race
Sunday (around 300,000 over the entire GP weekend), modernisation work has been
carried out. New toilets and ticket booths have been built in the spectator
area, pedestrian bridges and walkways have been extended and more parking space
created. Stand N has been redesigned and fitted with seats, while Stands P and
V are completely new.

The city of Barcelona (population approx. 1.8 million) with its Mediterranean
port lies in the northeast of Spain. It is the economic and cultural hub of
Catalonia and is home to several universities and colleges as well as numerous
museums and cultural monuments. It counts among its most famous sons Art
Nouveau architect Antonio Gaudí (1852-1926), whose works include the still
unfinished Church of the Sagrada Familia.

Schedule for group interviews at the weekend:
Thursday:
13.30-13.50 - Nick Heidfeld - written press
13.50-14.00 - Nick Heidfeld - TV
14.00-14.10 - Jacques Villeneuve - TV
14.10-14.30 - Jacques Villeneuve - written press
14.00-14.10 - Robert Kubica - TV
14.10-14.30 - Robert Kubica - written press
15.30-16.00 - Mario Theissen - TV and written press

Friday:
16.15-16.25 - Nick Heidfeld - TV
16.25-16.45 - Nick Heidfeld - written press
16.15-16.35 - Jacques Villeneuve - written press
16.35-16.45 - Jacques Villeneuve - TV
16.15-16.35 - Robert Kubica - written press
16.35-16.45 - Robert Kubica - TV

Saturday:
16.30-16.40 - Nick Heidfeld - TV
16.40-17.00 - Nick Heidfeld - written press
16.30-16.50 - Jacques Villeneuve - written press
16.50-17.00 - Jacques Villeneuve -TV
17.30-18.00 - Mario Theissen - TV and written press

Sunday:
Approx. 30 minutes after the end of the race Heidfeld, Villeneuve, Theissen and
Willy Rampf will be on hand at the Team's motorhome.

Involvement in the FIA press conference means the relevant group interviews
will be cancelled on the respective day.

Latest footage at www.thenewsmarket.com
Latest photos at www.press.bmwgroup.com