The BMW Sauber team enjoyed a successful start to the 2008 season with Nick Heidfeld finishing second in Melbourne, 5.4 seconds behind the McLaren of Lewis Hamilton. At the next race in Malaysia Robert Kubica finished second, 19.5 seconds behind Kimi Räikkönen and his Ferrari; Nick Heidfeld also took the fastest lap. At the Bahrain Grand Prix Kubica took pole, just 0.027 seconds ahead of Ferrari driver Felipe Massa. In the race, however, Kubica started badly and lost ground to Massa in the first corner and to Raikkonen early in the race as well. Kubica and Heidfeld finished behind both Ferraris, in 3rd and 4th places, respectively.