London, England - BMW exceeded its own expectations in its first Formula 1 season since buying Sauber.
The Swiss-based team ended the season fifth in the Constructor's championship, a point ahead of big-budget Toyota, while its former partner Williams was eighth. Sauber finished eighth in 2005.
Team boss Mario Theissen said: "We made it onto the podium twice in our first year and that wasn't necessarily to be expected.
"But far more important was the way we consistently improved our performance throughout the season, and that shows we are on the right track."
Germany's Nick Heidfeld and Poland's Robert Kubica, who replaced Canadian Jacques Villeneuve in August, have been confirmed as the team's 2007 line-up with German teenager Sebastian Vettel the reserve driver. - Reuters