Lietuvos BMW Klubas

"Since the rollout in January, we have steadily caught up," he said. "In other words, the large lap time gap to the front is no longer there."

In fact, Heidfeld estimates the current deficit to the front runners at just two-tenths per lap, meaning that BMW should once again take the best-of-the-rest position behind Ferrari and McLaren.

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.

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.

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