Nick Heidfeld confirmed as Mercedes GP reserve
Mercedes GP have announced that Nick Heidfeld will be their test and reserve driver in 2010. It was
The 32-year-old German Heidfeld has participated in every F1 season from his debut in 2000, and has amassed 219 career points, and 12 podiums, but unfortunately has never won a Grand Prix.
“I am very pleased to be joining the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Formula One Team. It’s the team which has attracted the most interest in the close season, not only because of the comeback of Michael Schumacher, but also because this season sees the return of the Silver Arrows cars as a Mercedes-Benz works team for the first time in over fifty years. Whilst I would of course have preferred a seat as an active driver, I am really proud to be part of the new Silver Arrows team. I have seen how committed everyone at the team is and I feel the same. I will be doing my very best to support Michael and Nico this year.”
Nick Heidfeld
Mercedes GP team principal Ross Brawn said:
“It’s a great pleasure for us to have signed a driver of the calibre and experience of Nick Heidfeld as our Reserve Race Driver and Test Driver for the 2010 season. Nick has over ten years of experience in Formula One working with established teams and he will be a great asset to MERCEDES GP PETRONAS. I am confident that his input into the development of our MGP W01 car will be invaluable. We look forward to welcoming Nick to MERCEDES GP PETRONAS and working closely with him.”
Ross Brawn
The head of Mercedes motorsport, Norbert Haug added:
“To sign Nick Heidfeld as Reserve Race Driver and Test Driver for MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Formula One Team means another re-enforcement for our team. We have known each other for many years and Nick was supported by our junior drivers programme from 1997. During his 10 years in Formula One, circumstances often made it difficult for him to achieve his breakthrough. However Nick is extremely capable, he will be an asset to our team and he will show this.”
Norbert Haug
Image (C) LAT
Nick Heidfeld as Mercedes test driver in 2010?
According to Motorsport-Total.com, 32-year-0ld Nick Heidfeld will be announced as Mercedes GP’s test driver when the 2010 car is launched on Monday in Stuttgart.
Heidfeld would complete an all-German lineup at the new Mercedes team, alongside race drivers Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg.
Motorsport-Total.com quoted Heidfeld’s manager Andre Theuerzeit as saying:
“Nick wants to concentrate fully on his job as a test driver and support the regular driver with his experience.”
Heidfeld has raced in F1 169 times starting in 2000, scoring 12 podiums but never winning a Grand Prix.
Heidfeld to Mercedes?
They may have already secured their two race drivers for next season in Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher, but German newspaper Bild is suggesting that Nick Heidfeld will slot into a test role with the team.
Heidfeld would complete the all Germanic line up while bringing great experience and back up to the team, where the fitness of the returning Michael Schumacher is far from assured.
However head of Mercedes motorsport Norbert Haug is dampening the speculation, saying:
‘There has only been basic contact with Nick, which is what I have had for several years.
‘We did talk to Nick about possibilities with Mercedes Grand Prix as well as McLaren-Mercedes.”
Heidfeld has driven for 10 years in F1, starting in 2000. He has driven for Prost, Sauber, Jordan, Williams and BMW Sauber. In this time he has amassed 219 points with 12 podiums, but he has never won a Grand Prix.
De la Rosa for Sauber in 2010?
According to the Swiss daily newspaper Blick, Sauber will confirm Pedro de la Rosa to drive alongside Kamui Kobayashi in 2010 for the new team.
The newspaper said that an announcement will be made soon, barring “an earthquake in Hinwil.”
The 38-year-old Spaniard has had two previous stints in an F1 race seat from 99-02 with Arrows and Jaguar and from 05-06 at McLaren, before become a full time test driver for McLaren. In his 72 races, he collected 29 points with just 1 podium, and 0 wins.
Last week team owner Peter Sauber was quoted as saying that “an experienced man” with “new knowledge for the team” has been signed to partner Kobayashi in 2010 – a bill perfectly fitted by de la Rosa.
Christian Klien and Nick Heidfeld are other drivers in the running for the seat.
Kobayashi at Sauber in 2010?
It has been reported that Kamui Kobayashi will drive for Sauber in 2010 after an impressive showing at the the end of the season.
Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat alleges that a deal has been made but that no confirmation will be made until both race seats have been filled.
Kobayashi had hoped for a race with Toyota, but the Japanese manufacturer have pulled out of the sport.
Giancarlo Fisichella, Nick Heidfeld and Pedro de la Rosa are believed to be on Sauber’s shortlist, and Peter Sauber has already expressed a desire for a blend of youth and experience behind the wheel.
It is also rumoured that Belgian driver Bertand Baguette (what a name!) will get the test and reserve driver role in Sauber, if you believe comments made by his manager. Baguette drove for BMW Sauber during the last day of the youngsters’ test in Jerez.
Turun Sanomat has also reported Malaysian oil company Petronas will maintain it’s backing of the Swiss team.
Kubica's earlier confirmation at Renault may have been premature
Robert Kubica’s management has asked for clarity of the Renault-Genii deal to assess the Pole’s position for 2010.
This could mean that Kubica is interested in shopping around if the deal isn’t to his liking. The clauses of his contract are unknown but with this deal there may be a loophole which allows him to leave.
If Kubica isn’t satisfied with Renault’s plans then he is fast running out of options. It’s early to call just where each team will be in terms of performance but the only team likely to be ahead of Renault and with a free seat is Mercedes GP.
Mercedes however, are allowing the Schumacher rumours to get very strong. There is still a lot to overcome to sign Michael as he hasn’t yet asked to be released by Ferrari but these rumours just refuse to go away.
Also waiting in the wings for the seat is Robert’s former BMW-Sauber teammate Nick Heidfeld. Heidfeld has beaten Kubica in 2007 and 2009 but for whatever reason it is Kubica who is the more highly rated. Mercedes seem to want two German drivers but if he does come on the market he will be hard to resist.
The new teams would be a big step down but ideally it would only be for a year. Massa’s and Webber’s contracts are up at the end of next season so he could fight for one of those seats (he is friends with Alonso and was approached by the Italian squad to stand in for Felipe Massa after his accident so Kubica could work well at Ferrari).
However, if only a year-long deal is wanted then Robert would be wise to stay where he is. Renault has a good team of people; they know how to win despite the slump of recent years and would greatly benefit from having him as team leader.
Kubica’s management has said they will at least need a few days to consider what has happened but with the silly season jigsaw beginning to slip into place they could run out of time.
Schumacher – he will, won't he?
It’s the one question on everyone’s lips – will Michael Schumacher return in 2010 with Mercedes?
And while there has been no official announcement, the rumours just won’t go away.
Does Schumacher want to race in 2010? The answer has got to be a solid yes.
The seven-times champion was gutted not to be able to fill in for Massa last year, and his passion for racing is obviously burning as bright as ever. A simple no would have put an end to all the rumours, but as there has been none, he must want to return.
In fact, all his quotes point to a willingness to get back behind an F1 car. With comments like:
“Who knows? Anything can happen.”
and earlier this year he said:
“From now to the end of the year, my neck injury will be healed to the point where I could drive again. I have nothing to prove to anyone, not even myself. I still slightly regret having retired three years ago but there’s no reason whatsoever for me to definitively announce that I will not come back.”
The major stumbling block seems to be his ties to Ferrari and their sponsors. But Ferrari appear to have now cleared the way for Schumacher to join the Mercedes F1 team.
Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo said Schumacher’s role was “not binding”. He added:
“If he takes another road our agreement will no longer be valid. You can’t work with a competitor and with us at the same time. I still haven’t spoken to him about it. He is only a dear friend, not a team member. He is a consultant for our road cars.”
Mercedes are wanting to create a German superteam, and with Rosberg already in place, there’s only one seat to fill.
Before the Schumacher rumours started, Nick Heidfeld was tipped for the seat after BMW announced they were leaving F1, before selling the team back to Peter Sauber.
And it seems Heidfeld had pinned his hopes on a drive with The Silver Arrows, and he’s admitted to turning down other deals. He said:
“I have already turned down concrete opportunities and we are continuing to give other possibilities a lesser priority.”
It’s been a frustrating time for Heidfeld, who after learning BMW were leaving the sport must have been buoyed by the news on Mercedes. And now he’s hoping Schumacher will decide to stay on the sidelines. He said:
“I am not shy of my opinion about the speculation surrounding Michael’s possible comeback.
However, there is still a spare seat at Renault, which would see Heidfeld back with Robert Kubica if that move came off.
And it’s been a bad day for Mercedes, however, after a row over 90m euros in sponsorship money has developed with German consumer products firm Henkel.
It is understood that the team, then Brawn GP, believed it had a deal with the company earlier this year. However, Henkel now claims that the contract was put together by an ex-member of staff who was acting without the company’s authorisation. Henkel filed a law suit over the issue in November.
And so back to Schumacher, although I’m not going to put my neck on the line, he will be back, won’t he?
Sauber want youth and experience
The returning Swiss Sauber team want an experienced head and a young rookie to lead their title charge in 2010.
The team, who will be filling the slot vacated by Toyota have yet to sign any drivers, and there’s a lot of talent still seeking seats for next year. On the driver issue, boss Peter Sauber said:
“In the past weeks, many drivers have asked about us, but we couldn’t really negotiate when we didn’t have an entry. Now it’s different.
“I wouldn’t like to give any names, except to say that I assume we will have an experienced driver and a driver of the new generation.
“We have often had that mixture in the past and it worked well.”
It will be interesting to see if Sauber opt for one of their former drivers, with Nick Heidfeld, Giancarlo Fisichella and Jacques Villeneuve all still looking to secure a slot on the grid.
Is Fisi after a Sauber seat?
Giancarlo Fisichella is not ruling out a return to racing – judging by his latest comments on the vacant seat at Sauber.
Fisi raced for the Swiss team alongside Ferrari’s Felipe Massa in 2004, and although he is contracted as Ferrari’s test driver for the 2010 season, the close ties between Ferrari and the Sauber team – powered by a Ferrari engine – may help his secure a drive.
Fisichella has said:
“First of all I’m happy that they (Sauber) can participate in the championship and I would like to be able to collaborate with a team I know – and I got on very well with them: together with Ferrari we’ll see if that will be possible.”
The return of Sauber to F1 could also be good news for former driver Nick Heidfeld, who has yet to be signed for next season.
Heidfeld raced for Peter Sauber’s team from 2001 to 2003 (alongside Kimi Raikkonen, Felipe Massa and Heinz-Harald Frentzen) and could make a return, although he could go to the Mercedes Grand Prix team alongside Nico Rosberg, as the German outfit are reportedly keen on an all-German line-up.
Speaking earlier in the week, Heidfeld said:
“I am in promising talks with several teams … and confident of driving for a competitive racing team next season.”
We’ll just have to wait and see.
Rosberg signs for Mercedes.
Mercedes have today announced one half of their line up for the 2010 season – Nico Rosberg.
The 24-year-old German Rosberg, previously at Williams is the son of former F1 world champion Keke Rosberg. Nico has never won a race in his 70 Grand Prix starts, and has only ever scored 2 podiums, but he is a consistent points scorer with 75.5 career points. Mercedes could clearly see his potential – Team principal Ross Brawn said;
“We are delighted to welcome Nico Rosberg to our Mercedes team and are very much looking forward to working with him. Nico is a great talent, and with four years of experience in Formula 1, is a driver who will be able to make a valuable contribution to our team right from the outset. I had the pleasure of working with his father Keke during his Formula One career and it is great to see Nico following in his footsteps. 2009 was Nico’s best season in Formula 1 to date and we look forward to seeing his development continue with us at Mercedes next year.”
And Rosberg said;
“I am really happy to be a part of the Silver Arrows re-launch in 2010 as a driver for Mercedes. No other brand in Formula 1 can look back on such a long and successful tradition in motor racing. I am very proud that I will now drive for the new Mercedes team and work with Ross Brawn. I am more motivated than ever and can hardly wait to start testing with the new Silver Arrow and for the first race of the new season at Bahrain on 14 March 2010.”
Who will join Rosberg at Mercedes is still up for speculation, although it seems whoever joins the team will be German, with Mercedes wanting an all German ’super team’. Michael Schumacher or Nick Heidfeld seem likely candidates.