BMW Sauber hoping for rain on Sunday

Pole Robert Kubica will start tomorrow's race from seventh position, while teammate Nick Heidfeld qualified outside the top ten in 12th.

"Obviously we expected more from qualifying," said Theissen. "Both our drivers had not been happy with their cars in the free practice. In addition to this, we faced further incidents.

"In the first part of qualifying Robert got stuck behind a car. Nick spun off in the second part of qualifying which may have cost him Q3. From the given positions it will not be an easy race for us.

"The weather predictions are unstable. In our situation a wet race would certainly help."

Kubica was still pleased with his position after all the problems he has endured during practice this weekend.

"It is not easy for sure, and it could be better but looking at our pace I am already happy where I am" said Kubica, "especially since we had a few problems this weekend due to my mistake in first practice, to the problem in second practice and probably in third practice.

"So we did not do a lot of running this weekend, but qualifying was a bit better and a bit more lucky so here I am."

Heidfeld, meanwhile, admitted he had made a mistake on his second run, thus missing the cut to go into Q2.

"Of course position twelve is disappointing, especially since things were running well up to Q2," he said. "On my first run in Q2 I had some trouble in the last sector. It was then that the tyres started graining causing understeering. On my second run I messed it up on my own.

"I was a little late on the brakes before the hairpin, after the parabolika, the rear wheels locked massively and that was it. Now I will go fight for points in the race, that's the minimum target.

"As we are out of the top ten we can freely choose the fuel load for the start. We will work on a good strategy. Also overtaking is not impossible in Hockenheim."