Nick Heidfeld

Nick made his debut in F1 in the year 2000 for Prost Peugeot finishing his first season in the sport in 20th position scoring no points.

In 2001 he moved to Sauber and was joined in the team by rookie Kimi Raikkonen and scored a respectable 12 points finishing 8th in the WDC standings for the midfield team beating his rookie teammate. At the end of 2001 is was widely reported that Nick would replace retiring F1 legend Mika Hakkinen at Mclaren but he was left disappointed because it was infact his rookie teammate that landed the drive at Mclaren ahead of him.

So in the end he ended up spending another two seasons with Sauber paired with rookie Felipe Massa in 2002 scoring 7 points and in 2003 he was partner by fellow German Heniz-Harald Frentzen scoring 6 points.

In 2004 Nick swapped Sauber for Jordon and was partnered by both Pantano and Glock at the team scoring JUST 3 points.

In 2005 Heidfeld left Jordon and joined team Williams BMW partnering Austrailan Mark Webber after having a shoot out with Pizzonia for the second seat at Williams. Heidfeld went on to score 28 points that season for Williams. During that season he scored his first ever Pole Position and went on to claim 2 podiums.

In 2006 Heidfeld and BMW left Williams and took over the Sauber team. Heidfelds teammate to begin with that season was former World Champion Jacque Villeneuve, but after Villeneuve hurt himself at the German GP, he was replaced by rookie Robert Kubica. Heidfeld in 2006 scored 23 points.

In the seasons that followed Heidfeld stayed at BMW until their quit the sport back in 2009. In 2007 he scored 61 points, in 2008 he scored 81 points and in 2009 he scored 19 points.

In 2010 he joined Mercedes GP as a test and reserve driver but at the Singapore GP he was drafted in too replace Pedro De La Rosa at the Sauber team he partnered Kamui Kobayashi for the rest of the season scoring 6 points.

Now in 2011 Heidfeld is driver for the Renault Lotus team after former teammate Robert Kubica suffered a crash in a rally earlier in the year. He has currently scored 34 points so far and is partnered with former GP2 runner up Vitaly Petrov.

Heidfeld's Career has been very steady, but what has Heidfeld got/had missing in him to make top teams take notice of him?

 

[RayInTorontoCanada]

...driving ice cream trucks around NASCAR ovals ... and barrel rolling hatchbacks into trees.

Although funny, what does that have anything to do with Heidfeld?

 

[Mryzyz]

Heidfelds psychological mind games are what caused Kimis sudden loss of driving ability.

Kimi was the defending champion and leading the WDC until Heidfeld got inside his head, since then he has steadily broken down.

In two years Kimi will be in B&Q trying to milk the lawnmowers and shave the pottery, sad but true.

Can't say Heidfeld didn't though.

 

[FB]

Should I move Nick from the Drivers (Current) to Drivers (Past)?

 

[teabagyokel]

FB, I'd suggest doing what Stats F1 do, leave him as present until the end of the year. I suggest that Kubica remains present though.

 

[RayInTorontoCanada]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/93985

Boullier says Heidfeld didn't provide leadership and was slower than Vitaly (which we've said repeatedly only for others to say "but Heidfeld scored the same number of points as Petrov"...)

Anyway, Boullier says there was, as a result, a "negative loop" which needed to be "shaken"...that, when you're slower than Vitaly, it's hard to be seen as a leader.

Nothing new.

Only new thing is that he said Nick showed up in Renault gear...It was odd but likely because Nick didn't want to appear in breach of what he thinks is his contract situation.

...so, as long as Nick's "promoting" the team, Boullier's fine with Nick wearing the colours and being in the garage.

Amusing times.

 

[RasputinLives]

Boullier says Heidfeld didn't provide leadership and was slower than Vitaly (which we've said repeatedly only for others to say "but Heidfeld scored the same number of points as Petrov"...)

I wouldn't celebrate too much on that one Ray as the big elephant in the room Boullier didn't mention is that bringing in Senna for Heidfeld is all about the money money!

Oh and a little about giving a driver he manages a chance to get a seat next year

 

[Brogan]

With the news that Heidfeld has reached an "amicable agreement" with Renault which leaves Senna driving for them for the rest of the season, I suspect Nick may have driven his last race in F1.

 

[Jos the Boss]

Optimistic i shall say!

 

[RasputinLives]

Nick Heidfeld. Future Le Mans 24 hour winner!

 

[the_roadie]

Don't think Renault got this quite right somehow. OK, granted Nick's a "nearly-man" only brought in to fill a gap caused by Kubica's near-fatal crash in rallying but he's still 2pts ahead of their star-driver Petrov, and that may continue for another couple of races while Nick will be watching from the stands (unless he can blag a hospitality slot with some other team, and that'll set tongues wagging for sure).
Do Renault want to take a punt on the mercurial Petrov pulling in some big points every now and again, or do they want Heidfeld to pull in smaller but regular points? Now we have our answer.
Besides, I doubt KUB will return next season, never mind this one. Healing after surgery is one thing, complete rehabilitation to race-fitness is something else altogether.

 

[EvilWhippet]

I disagree that Petrov flashes of brillliance would puhim above Heidfeld.

They have the same highest finish this season and the second highest would've been Heidfeld's had it not been for Kamui "kamikaze" Kobayashi.

Heidfeld beats Petrov. Petrov has a Renault race seat.
Hulkenberg beats Grosjean. Grosjean linked with Renault race seat.
Chandock beat Bruno. Bruno had Renault race seat.
Heidfeld has no drive and Nico and Karun languish in testing positions further down the grid.
Talent!

 

[Cookinflatsix]

I disagree that Petrov flashes of brillliance would puhim above Heidfeld.

They have the same highest finish this season and the second highest would've been Heidfeld's had it not been for Kamui "kamikaze" Kobayashi.

The clue is that Petrov only has a couple years experience and bought his way in

To be comparing the two says it all

Quick Nick is done, apart from a starring part in a remake of Das Boot, I doubt we will be seeing much of him on Tv going forward

 

[racecub]

I think Vitali's race pace was quicker. Baring unusual events i think he was quite a bit quicker.In fact taking a drivers best laps from each race, Petrov had the biggest margin over his team-mate than the rest of the grid.

 

[EvilWhippet]

You don't get points for fastest laps. In terms of getting points the bearded one is the best driver available. The battle between he and Vitaly has ended and Heidfeld holds the two point victory.

 

[Il_leone]

As for Quick Nick as they say you make your own luck in F1 he's had 10 years and you'd think he ought to have got a decent drive(s) ..he did with BMW..its about making the most of your opportunities and the plain fact is he has not.. I still hold him indirectly responsible for holding back Kubica in 2008

Plenty of other talented drivers never make it to F1 because they don't have sponsorship or connection like Heidfeld did getting backed by Mercedes then BMW to get him drives and part of that is down to his nationality as well

I am not sure why Heidfeld thought he had a water tight contract for the whole season

A good team player but is sometimes known as Quiet Nick. Until his podium this year he only really shone under changeable conditions through sheer luck recently

 

[EvilWhippet]

Mmm, Heidfeld really held Kubica back when he beat him two of three seasons.

At first you say one makes their own luck.
At the end you say he only got decent results through luck.


Seems like your going back on your own words based on what suits your opinion...to me, at least.

 

[RayInTorontoCanada]

The main point in all this is that the Renault guys on the pit wall and in the garage had smiles on their faces right through Q2 and Q3 at Spa-Francorchamps and were bulled-up for the Grand Prix!

Senna's qualifying provided the team with a mental and emotional boost...and made them think about what was possible going forward.

He (/the line-up change/shakeup) helped put the hope back into a team which was on the wane having lost all early-to-mid season momemtum.

Let's face it, Heidfeld wasn't doing anything other than out-scoring a Number 2 pay driver by a measly 2 points.

Hope and Forward Momentum is worth much more than a measly 2 points for a 5th place team under no threat to losing that placing.

The team DID NOT WANT HIM. Period. End of Story.

Once your boss doesn't want you, you get whatever you're rightly due in terms of financial compenstation and accept the fact that you aren't wanted and drive on with the rest of your life.

Nick, Drive On, man!

 

[ExtremeNinja]

You don't get points for fastest laps. In terms of getting points the bearded one is the best driver available. The battle between he and Vitaly has ended and Heidfeld holds the two point victory.

Hmm. Imagine if Red Bull dropped Vettel mid-season last year when he was getting beaten by Mark Webber.

 

[RayInTorontoCanada]

Hmm. Imagine if Red Bull dropped Vettel mid-season last year when he was getting beaten by Mark Webber.

Exactly!

Or, after the first 4 races of 2010, McLaren declaring that Button was going to be their main title challenger.

Had Heidfeld out-scored a bona fide Number 1 driver by 2 points, it would be a different story...but given where Senna put that car at one of the most challenging circuits in F1, you have to say that neither Petrov nor Heidfeld got what was possible out of their car this year.

No one's accusing Vitaly of being a bonafide team leader and a future World Champion. And, on top of it, Heidfeld's had his 10 or 11 years of chances.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Exactly!

Or, after the first 4 races of 2010, McLaren declaring that Button was going to be their main title challenger.

Had Heidfeld out-scored a bona fide Number 1 driver by 2 points, it would be a different story...but given where Senna put that car at one of the most challenging circuits in F1, you have to say that neither Petrov nor Heidfeld got what was possible out of their car this year.

No one's accusing Vitaly of being a bonafide team leader and a future World Champion. And, on top of it, Heidfeld's had his 10 or 11 years of chances.

Let's not exaggerate. Spa quail was a mix up. I got a suntan and a wet look all in the space of spectating a single lap.

Edit - I may have exaggerated.