Nope. Do you guys think that the teamchefs always vote for the other option without a reason. I hope Sauber has the balls and goes with another driver.

Kubica was very fortunate that Lewis drove into Kimi and not him in Canada 2008.

Bullshit.

A total fabrication.

Provide proof, beyond that hackneyed old quote you've dredged up.

No need to bring that argument. You are fully aware both BMW drivers were competitive that race, and the winner was selected by the pitwall to protect 1-2 position

I think Nick's Honda option is quite interesting.

He did the right thing in stay at BMW though.

Hondas had been total duds in 2007 and 2008 and BMW appeared to be improving year on year.

Also, Nick would have probably had to take a massive paycut lke Jenson to stay.

There's something about these Mönchengladbach guys. Bad luck - or bad career choices - always follow them. It was the same with Heinz-Harald Frentzen. But at least he had a season where he managed to shine (1999).

Nick did pretty well in 2007 though, that was an excellent season.

Consistently the next quckest guy behind the Ferraris and McLarens.

Nothing to be sneezed at there.

Do you remember why Nick was in position to even win the race? He qualified 8th, gained a lot with the SC situation (as usual). Robert qualified 2nd and was 1st (alongside Kimi) while leaving the pits (and then we all know what happened). Who was more deserving to win that race, Robert or Nick?

I think it's also a problem for him now that there are so many German drivers. If there was just one or two his marketing value could be potentially higher - as a poster boy for the German market. But with six-seven German drivers on the grid (among them Schumacher and Vettel), I think it's a lot more difficult for him.

Anyway, I'd advise him to go to Renault now.

I think Kimi just got ahead... yup, even before Hammy hitting him in the rear... Kimi was slowly crawling ahead of Robert and I bet he would have been ahead going back on the track... Robert had stopped completely and Kimi looked more prepared to "jump" when the light goes green... but hey we can blame Lewis for taking that away from us! We never got to see that drag race and we know Lewis is the one to blame! Shame on you Lewis! Shame, on, you, Lewis!

Oh, and Nick.

Why don't YOU say something for a change. All these people blabber here about you but it's not leading anywhere. Nick please come here and say something nice. Like, which one of the F1 teams will employ you in 2010?

Nick says plenty on www.nickheidfeld.de

Perhaps a worthwhile read for those with a seemingly illogical hatred of Nick.

Which was recently voted best site by the German site Motorsport-magazin.com, ahead of the sites of Raikkonen, Alonso, Vettel, Massa and Rosberg.

I think that Nick lacks media coverage. It's basically having a good product but not having any money to market it. Who will hear about it? Who will want to buy it? Don't know who manages Nick but there is absolutely no noise about this driver where it seems like he needs it now. All his teammates have gotten jobs, his management can't rely on the fact that "Nick beat them all in equal machinery." Apparently that isn't enough in the paddock, all those guys he beat are now employed by top teams. Get this guy in some racing series, have him own somebody. MAKE NOISE!!! Or "Poor Nick" will end up slipping out of F1 quietly.

Nick doesn't have to make noise though.

A lot of fans like his style, and like what he says already.

And he delivers lots of points for a team.

Points equal cash, so I think a team would far rather have a quiet driver who brings hope the bacon than some flash harry who doesn't score anything.

Well, if he ends without a drive, or a sh*t drive, that would blow your theory about not having to make noise out of the window, wouldn't it?

I fully agree about the likability of his style, but we have to accept it might hinder his career.

If the teams would think along the lines of your last paragraph, we wouldn't wonder at this point in time if he will find a drive or not. Something doesn't add up, I'm afraid.

Ross offered Nick a job at the end of '08 according to Nick on his website. At the time, nobody blamed him for turning it down.

The comparison to Fisi is valid. He was awsome compared to teamates for several seasons.
The difference is, Fisi then GOT a top drive at Renault and disappointed. He got another top drive at Ferrari and disappointed again.
Heidfeld never got a top car like Fisi.

We can sit here and speculate whether he would implode the same way or not.

f1seb - you are correct in Nick's lack of hype. Because of this, he changed managers recently (2 years ago?). Not sure if this has worked.
But it goes a bit beyond PR. Even watching a race, the coverage of the "top" drivers is to the minutest detail. Every incident, every corner, every lap time.
Then at the end, when Nick is on the podium, he gets a "Where did he come from?"
He has pulled some amazing passes and demonstrated some remarkable racecraft, all missed by the coverage.
I'm not critical of the English media for covering Button and Hamilton to death.
I'm not critical of the German media for doing the same for Schumacher and Vettel and Rosberg. There are personalities in the background of the German media, guys like Keke, Berger and Lauda that have strong agendas of their own.
Who is left to promote Heidfeld if not the home media?
I guess it's up to us, his fans...

Doesn't he had an almost-top-car in 2008, and disappointed a little bit like Fisi? Correct me please if I'm wrong.

That's fair, thanks completely to qualifying.

Still, Nick was able to transcend his low starting position to get more podiums than he'd ever had in a season.

There's his problem.

Nick's job is to drive well with the given machinery. IMO he's done a good job in that regards.

His management's job is to negotiate with the companies that provide that machinery and sing Nick's praises at every opportunity - IMO they've failed.

Like it or not, F1 is a business and in this business (like any business) marketing your product is key. You could have the best widget ever made, but if no one knows about it, then it's useless. His management needs to be in front of every team boss reminding them at every (and any) opportunity about Nick's past successes. Who's Nick's manager? Who's Kimi's? Who's Alonso's (or was)? Massa's? Schumachers? all of them were "high profile"? Look at Pollock. Like him or not the guy was always in the press saying something, but you knew who he was and who he represented.

No no, because he would have got a top drive with McLaren or Mercedes, if it wasn't for the team's hiring Button and Schumacher.

Button is a race winning current world champion, so it makes sense for McLaren to take him over Nick.

Schumacher is Schumacher, so of course it is a no brainer to take him rather than have a Quickie.



As I said above, I think they do rate a driver who delivers as well as Nick rather than a PR darling who is a bit less reliable.

Nick's current problem is that he was gambling on getting either a McLaren seat or a Mercedes drive.

But two wildly unexpected things happen: Button changed teams and Schumacher came out of retirement.

Had Nick known these two moves would happen he'd have no doubt made greater efforts with other teams.

Sounds like speculation. Pretty much any unsigned driver had a chance to sign with Mercedes at that point unless there is something more concrete other than: "We had talks with Nick."

All thanks to SC or rain mess...




no offence ;)

Heidfeld GOT the top car at BMW in 2008 and disappointed.

Under what criteria did he disappoint? Besides, it wasn't a top car. Kubica would never had won at Canada if it hadn't been for the other front runners making stupid mistakes.

Rob, this is a sport - the one who makes less mistakes wins.

That doesn't make the 2008 BMW a top car.

Yup, lucking into a 1-2 does not a top car make. If that's the case the 1998 Jordan was a top car.

Even the 1999 Jordan, which was contending for wins most of the season, can't be considered a true top car. It was 1.5-tier at best, lucking into wins when either the conditions or the opposition were falling apart. The '08 BMW was essentially the '99 Jordan in competitiveness.

But it almost was a top car.
Under the criteria "I cannot warm up the tires to make a good Q lap" he disappointed.
He had sometimes problems to getting into Q2 when KUB (almost-rookie) made without problems to Q3, he has his chance in 2008 and he totaly screw it IMO
Consistency isn't the most admitted feature by team bosses, isn't it? I mean, Hamilton, Vettel or Massa are far, far worse in terms of consistency than Nick, yet, they are rated higher by almost everyone.

actully stat wise hamilton is rather alarming (or was, atleast)

12 career podiums including eight runner up spots, all down to luck?

Kubica had a similar problem in qualifying in 2007.

What does this tell us? That grooved tyres were really difficult to switch on in qualifying in the 2007 BMW if you had a aggressive style (Kubica) and difficult if you're style was smoother in 2008 (Nick).

I remeber that he impressed me in his F3000 days in late 90s. He would have blistering a carrer if he moved to states after F3000 instead joining Prost's outfit. He is clever and economical, he would know stretch the mileage and save tyres while being fast. Shame he finished in F1.

Where did you get it from? What qualifying problem Kubica had in 2007?

Kubica in 2007 was in Q3 every time!

Heidfeld in 2008 was OUT of Q3 six times!

Most of these podiums he got when he qualified badly but gained a lot of positions because of SC. Do you think it's fair that guys who did bad qualy have great chance to get a podium when somebody crashes? Did you like Piquet podium in Germany 2008? For me that was awful! Analyse those races and you will understand.

Thanks God it's all fixed with new rules!

Still I think Nick is very good driver and he would deliver top performance in winning car.

Heidfeld will end up in USF1. Im pretty sure. It his only option.

What about Renault or Sauber? I think he will likely go to one of those.

Aparrently they dont want him. Im sure hed rather one of those though.

I hope Renault will sign him. New bosses of Renault team said that they want bring the team back to the top. If so, then sign the best driver avalible - Nick Heidfeld.

Yes yes, every result Nick has ever achieved has been based on blind luck while Kubica's are based on divine talent.

Read it all before...

If Sauber or Renault don't want him then it can only be because of financial reasons because he is the best driver on the market right now. Maybe signing up as a reserve driver with Mercedes could be a good move for Nick.

Yes yes, keep up the bashing.

Nick is hopeless as you suggest.

Well Kubica is a big favourite of the pope

And like the Pope he appears to have quite fundamentalist followers.

The Kubica v Nick arguments have been thrashed to death in other forums.

It is so ****ing boring.

I thought this one was supposed to discuss Nick's prospects for 2010?

Instead it seems to have become the place for bored posters to bash, in the absence of any decent action in Lewis Hamilton or Fernando Alonso threads.

Pathetic.

The current pope is german. John paul II was polish.


So Vettel will win the WDC next year.

The Pope supports Ferrari doesn't he?

Schumacher and Alesi have met him, along with Montezemelo.

I think that was John Paul, Not Benedict. The current guy is german. But i think the popecar is made by ferrari.

Ferrari have kept tight with both Popes...







I'd love to know which Vatican cupboard is hiding that mint model Ferrari!

Ah ok. Thaks for that info. Interesting.

I can't remember exactly what the connection is between Ferrari and the Roman Catholic church.

I'm pretty sure Fisichella and Trulli have also met the pope.