BMW vow to maintain aggressive approach

Honda Racing and McLaren were believed to be the two main teams who led complaints about possible flexing of the rear wing of the BMW-Sauber car at the Canadian Grand Prix.

The focus on the design of the rear wing resulted in the FIA asking the team to make modifications after the United States Grand Prix, because it was felt that the design of the wing was not in the spirit of the regulations even though it was not illegal as such.

Rather than leave the team unhappy, the forced changes appear to have fired up BMW-Sauber even more in pushing for developments, and this weekend the team will run with radical nose wings and an airbox wing for the first time.

The devices were given pre-event approval by the FIA and were subsequently signed off in official scrutineering on Thursday.

Speaking to autosport.com, Theissen made it clear that his team would continue their hunt to find every possible advantage they could.

"I really like our competitors getting aware of us," he said. "Certainly everything we do should be according to the wording of the regulations, and if the FIA says it might be according to the wording but we think it is not in the spirit, we will accept that.

"But, at the same time, we will develop in other areas. F1 is about exploiting the potential, the framework of the rules and pushing the envelope. So we will always do that. I am confident that we will make some progress by doing this."

Theissen warned that BMW-Sauber's aggressive development programme would result in improvements coming onto the F1.06 at each race.

"We don't only make steps forward, because sometimes we are taken backwards by our competitors," he smiled. "We are on a constant path.

"There will be continuous improvement throughout the year. We will have new parts at every race, especially on the aero side, and so I certainly expect us to continue like we did so far."

Theissen said he did not expect the modifications to the rear wing making any difference to the competitiveness of his team.

"I don't expect that," he said. "We have to see it tomorrow, but I don't expect it."