BMW working on slow 2008 car

(GMM) BMW-Sauber technical director Willy Rampf has played down the lack of early testing pace of the German team's new 2008 challenger.

The F1.08 has usually been slower in head-to-head comparisons with its predecessor at Valencia this week, and Nick Heidfeld expressed concern about the car's handling problems.

But in a BMW statement issued after the close of the Valencia test on Thursday, Rampf said: "We are at the start of a comprehensive development phase. We have analysed the data from the test drives so far and identified the potential areas concerned."

He added that the car will already be running in a modified form at the upcoming Barcelona test.

"Following that, we will be using new components in all the other tests up to the start of the season," Rampf said.

He added: "We have set ourselves an internal target which we aim to meet by Melbourne, and I am confident we will achieve that."