Nick Heidfeld

Nick Heidfeld

Name: Nick Heidfeld

Nationality: Germany

Related links

Drivers

• Nick Heidfeld

Also see

• F1 forum
• Live coverage
• Bet now with Sky Bet

Nick Heidfeld came to Formula One in 2000 with a reputation in junior categories that reminded many of fellow German Michael Schumacher.

The then 22-year-old was the reigning F3000 Champion, having risen steadily through karts, Formula Ford and F3.

He made his F1 debut with Prost, but could not have imagined how difficult his first season would turn out to be.

The AP03 was miserably unreliable, and to top it off Heidfeld struggled to fit in with the team after a series of disagreements with team-mate Jean Alesi.

A disastrous season saw Nick wondering where all the praise had gone, and the German was relieved to be snapped up by Sauber for 2001.

The Swiss outfit showed what sound engineering coupled with a very reliable engine and gearbox package can do. Nick grabbed his first podium in Brazil and ended the season seventh in the drivers' table with 12 points.

It had been assumed that, long-term, Heidfeld was being groomed for a switch to the big time with McLaren Mercedes.

However, despite generally enjoying the upper hand over new team-mate Kimi Raikkonen, it was the Finn who joined McLaren the following season.

Though the Sauber/Ferrari package was again quick at the start of 2002, the team's lack of testing and development meant that they gradually slipped to the back of the field.

To make matters worse for Heidfeld, rookie team-mate Felipe Massa often outqualified him.

His best finish was fourth in Barcelona and Nick finished the year in 10th place with seven points.

Heidfeld was teamed with fellow German Heinz-Harald Frentzen in 2003 but, once again, mediocre grid slots made scoring points none too easy.

The highlight came at Indianapolis - ironically the race weekend when Sauber announced they were parting with both drivers - where Heidfeld finished fifth.

Nick finished 14th in the Championship with six points and further evidence that his career was in reverse gear came with the announcement of a one-year contract with the struggling Jordan team.

Four years on from his debut and a hugely underperforming EJ13 must have made the German believe he was back at Prost, living a bad dream.

A seventh place at Monaco was his best finish of the season - a circuit where a driver can really be given the chance to shine in spite of his equipment.

Canada yielded yet another Championship point - his eighth-place finish albeit earned thanks to the disqualification of four cars that finished ahead of him.

Determined to leave Jordan after the Brazilian GP, Nick found himself without a team as the majority of the top seats were already filled.

However, a late opening was found at Williams after F1's Contract Recognition Board ruled that Jenson Button wasn't allowed to join the Grove team.

After two months of rigorous testing alongside Antonio Pizzonia in what effectively amounted to a 'shoot-out' for the vacant seat, Heidfeld found himself paired with Mark Webber at the season-opening Australian GP.

The team's new FW25 did not provide the results either Nick or the team wanted, although he did get the upper hand over Webber, bagging three podium finishes in the first seven races compared to the Australian's one.

When his Williams career was prematurely ended by a testing accident ahead of the Italian GP, Nick was the top Williams man in the drivers' standings.

Unfortunately the injury - as well as a subsequent one suffered while recovering from the first - ensured Nick didn't compete in the final five races of 2005.

However his performances, especially those at the start of the season, had already secured him a race seat for 2006 after BMW terminated their deal with Williams and instead bought out the Sauber outfit.

The season proved to be quite a successful one with Nick claiming BMW Sauber's maiden podium finish at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Another nine finishes in the points saw Heidfeld bag 23 points in total, elevating him to ninth place in the Drivers' Championship.

BMW Sauber came on leaps and bounds in 2007, and ultimately proved themselves to be the third best team on the F1 grid.

Two podium finishes and only three races outside the points helped him to fifth place in the Drivers' Championship, a remarkable improvement on the previous year's results.

The team's fortunes continued to improve in 2008, with Heidfeld bagging four podium finishes on his way to sixth place in the standings.

However, he struggled in comparison with team-mate Robert Kubica, who earned the team their first victory in Canada and remained a title contender for most of the season.

Nick remains with BMW Sauber in 2009 although, with Kubica tipped as a future World Champion, he may once again find himself overshadowed.