BMW-Sauber have had to revise their targets for the Formula One season now that their challenge for the championship looks little more than a disappearing dream.

"I would still love to fight for the championship but you have to be realistic," team boss Mario Theissen told reporters at the Spanish Grand Prix. "If you are not in a position to win a race, it doesn't make much sense to talk about the championship.

"But that in no way means that we are giving up on the season. We are pushing very hard and at the end of the season I want to be in a position to say it's been a disappointing start but then we have turned it around," he added.

Poland's Robert Kubica, who gave the team their first victory in Canada last year and was a championship contender until the closing stages of that season, has yet to score a point in four races so far this term. His best finish has been 13th.

German team mate Nick Heidfeld took a lucky second place in Malaysia in a race stopped early by heavy rain, but was awarded only half points.

Since Malaysia, neither driver has finished in the top 10.

BMW, third overall last year, were full of optimism when they launched their car in Valencia in January but that evaporated as it became apparent that others were more competitive.

The Munich manufacturer drew up a four-year plan when they started out in 2006 and until this season had met every target with points in their first season, a podium in 2007 and victory in 2008.

This year was to have seen their first serious bid for the championship.

"One thing is to win the race, which we saw might happen even being quite far back in the beginning of the season," said Kubica, who could have won in Australia had he not collided with Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel while fighting for second place.

"Another thing is to win championships. Last year after seven races we were leading the drivers' championship, we were coming to Barcelona as constructors' championship leaders," he added.

"This year is completely opposite. For the championship it will be difficult, it is already difficult now. First of all I think we have to concentrate on delivering more improvements for the future and then adapt our targets to the situation."

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