BMW not worried about higher expectations

Nick Heidfeld and Jacques Villeneuve are now regularly in the points thank to an ever-improving F1.06, with Theissen saying that the target for this year is now to finish in the top five of the constructors' championship.

That achievement will increase pressure on the team to do even better in 2007 - a feat that will not be easy. But Theissen has said he is not afraid of the likely increased demands.

"It is just part of the game," he told autosport.com. "If you are successful  then expectations rise immediately, quicker than you can have success actually. But it is still better than not having success."

Theissen believes that the key to his team's steady progress this year is down to teamwork and everyone believing in each other.

"Well, it wasn't always smooth with our team either," said Theissen, who thinks the qualities of his team were shown in Monaco last month when BMW-Sauber had their most difficult weekend of the year so far.

"We had a hard time in Monaco, fighting electronic problems and being low down on the grid. And in Monaco we benefited from other cars having retired, but that is part of the game as well.

"You will always experience difficult weekends and in those situations you can see how strong a team really is. Ending up in Monaco with points finally was quite rewarding and very motivating for the people who had worked day and night to fix the electronic problems."