Under pressure BMW Sauber driver Nick Heidfeld gave his chances of staying with the team for next year a further boost in Spa-Francorchamps after an impressive charge to the third step of the podium, courtesy of a well-timed switch to wet tyres.

BMW have explained that the KERS incident at Jerez testing last month, which saw a mechanic fall to the ground having received an electric shock from their new car, posed no real danger to either the mechanic or the driver, Christian Klien, despite the fact that high voltages were involved.

BMW Sauber’s Robert Kubica was another victim of the championship shake-up that the Hungaroring so callously through up today.

In growing signs that BMW Sauber are starting to fall out of touch in this year’s title race – perhaps as a result of focussing on next year’s car – both drivers suffered from a distinct lack of pace in today’s Hungarian Grand Prix, the cause of which BMW say they are investigating.