May 19 (GMM) Peter Sauber has played down BMW-Sauber's chances of winning its first race on the streets of Monaco this Sunday.

The 64-year-old Swiss, who founded the Hinwil based team and is still a small shareholder and consultant, said he can sense a growing sense of optimism about the nimble F1.08's expected performance on the tight streets of the Principality.

"I have read that Niki Lauda thinks we can win there," he is quoted as saying by the Swiss newspaper Blick, "and that puts pressure on us.

"Robert Kubica also played his part by saying after the race in Istanbul that he will go well in Monte Carlo."

BMW-Sauber has had a competitive first third of the 2008 season, and even sits a couple of points ahead of McLaren-Mercedes for second place in the constructors' standings.

The team said its goal for this year is to win a race for the first time, but the recent Turkish grand prix was a slight glitch as Kubica struggled to keep up with the Ferraris and McLarens ahead of him.

"Of course, I am pleased when I feel that a new mood is developing," Sauber explained. "This is a prerequisite for improvement.

"But we must not allow the expectations to get out of hand."

Peter Sauber recalls Monaco last year, when Kubica and his teammate Nick Heidfeld finished a lap behind the flying McLarens.

He said: "We are doing well, with a lot of confidence, but also with an equal amount of respect for the task we face."