Speculation on the eve of the new season in Melbourne is that BMW Sauber sandbagged its way through the winter test period.
Correspondents in the Australian city for European publications including Blick, Bild and Auto Motor und Sport claim that the Hinwil built F1.08 could even be a match for Ferrari and McLaren this year.
The publications say Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica conducted nearly no winter testing alongside their key rivals with low levels of fuel on board. At Valencia for an exclusive session last month, meanwhile, it emerges that BMW Sauber released only partial lap-time data.
For instance, Auto Motor und Sport reveals that BMW's qualifying simulations at Valencia show that Heidfeld and Kubica logged several laps that were quicker than Heikki Kovalainen's best time set at the end of January.
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The Swiss newspaper Blick asked technical director Willy Rampf if BMW sandbagged and concealed in winter tests.
"No comment," he answered, before coyly stating "we will see" when asked if the F1.08 might be in the hunt for pole position on Saturday.
Team boss Mario Theissen, however, told reporters on Thursday that BMW's victory target might have to wait until later this year.
"If you ask me about that, I would say we are not there yet," he said
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