BMW target F1 title with new car

Poland's Robert Kubica gave BMW-Sauber's new Formula One car its track debut on Tuesday as his team limbered up for a first serious assault on the championship.

Team boss Mario Theissen said the team had drawn up a four-year plan when they started out in 2006 and had met every target so far with points in the first season, a podium in 2007 and first race win in 2008.

"We stated that we wanted to fight for the championship from this year onwards," the German told reporters after the rollout on a bright and crisp morning at Valencia's Ricardo Tormo circuit.

"So far all the targets have been met so there is no reason why we should abandon the final and most difficult one. We want to fight for the championship with the big two or more teams."

The Munich carmaker led the constructors' championship for the first time last year, after the Bahrain race in April, and Kubica then brought them a first victory in Canada to also lead the drivers' standings briefly.

Kubica and German team mate Nick Heidfeld, the nearly-man of Formula One who has yet to win a race in 152 starts, also finished on the podium 11 times in 2008 with a one-two in Montreal. BMW-Sauber ended the season third.

"Last year we saw that by working together we can achieve good results," said Kubica, who was fourth overall.

"For the first half of the season we were title contenders...we will try to repeat the first half of the season and then finish it in a better way than last year."

Like all the latest generation Formula One cars, the BMW-Sauber F1.09's looks reflected the changed aerodynamic regulations with a huge front wing, slimmer rear and clean lines stripped of add-ons.

There is also more weight at the rear of the car due to the new KERS system, which recovers and stores energy generated under braking before transforming it into a short power boost for the driver.

BMW have been the strongest supporters of the non-mandatory technology criticised by several other teams, including champions Ferrari and Renault, as a waste of resources at a time of cost-cutting.