It is a well-known fact that Nick Heidfeld will now be deputising for the injured Robert Kubica in the Renault for the foreseeable future. Having impressed the Renault hierarchy it seemed like a natural choice, and once again it gives Heidfeld a chance to show what he can do in an F1 car. But it isn’t the first time that ‘Quick Nick’ has found himself securing a drive while being a free agent. Here I look at the other times when Nick has came out of the dark and back into the F1 spotlight.
Jordan – 2004
Nick’s first F1 comeback was back in 2004. Having been with Sauber for 3 years, his final year was a disappointment, and he found himself axed by the team in favour of Giancarlo Fisichella. With the rest of the top seats taken, Nick found himself out the outside looking in on F1. But then came a lifeline in the shape of Jordan. They were no longer the force they were back in the late 90’s, but had regrouped, and received extra funding through pay driver Giorgio Pantano. They needed an experienced driver to fill the other seat, and Heidfeld needed a drive in F1. They came to an agreement, and over the course of the season Nick appeared to outdrive his car. Although he only scored 3 points, this was more down to the poor car rather than poor driving. Nick had put himself back on the map, but once again found himself without a drive when Jordan announced they needed two pay drivers for 2005. But once again, Nick was thrown a lifeline..........
Williams – 2005
Former world champion team Williams were looking for a partner for Mark Webber after losing both Juan Pablo Montoya and Ralf Schumacher at the end of 2004. They had the chance to promote test driver Antonio Pizzonia to the seat, and for the majority of the close season this looked like the most likely outcome. But then they announced they would test Nick Heidfeld for the second seat, and he impressed the team so much that they set up a shootout between the pair to decide Webber’s team-mate. Then, at the launch of their 2005 car, Williams announced that Nick Heidfeld would be their second driver for 2005.
In a season where Webber was expected to dominate, Heidfeld often matched and beat his team-mate. He scored a well-earned second place at Monaco, and followed this up with his first-ever pole position at the next race at Nurburgring, a race in which he also finished second. His season finished early after a testing accident before the Italian GP, forcing him to miss the rest of the season. However, he done enough to impress engine suppliers BMW, who signed him up for their own works team for 2006.
Sauber – 2010
Having spent 4 years with BMW, he found himself out of a job when the marquee pulled out of the sport at the end of 2009. Nick found himself signed up as Mercedes test driver for the return of their works team, being the team’s reserve driver behind Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg. But with the ban on in-season testing, Nick’s job was reduced to a spectator and consultancy role. In August 2010 he accepted the role of Pirelli test driver to help test the tyre company’s new tyres for F1 in 2011. While this got Nick driving an F1 car again, he wanted to race, and then an unexpected turn gave Nick yet another chance to show what he can do in F1......
Having been out-raced by his team-mate Kobayashi, Sauber decided to terminate the contract of F1 returnee Pedro De La Rosa early, leaving them with a seat to fill for the final 5 races of the season. They turned to Nick, who returned for his third stint with the team. In his short stint with the team, Nick managed to score the same amount of points in 5 races (6) that Pedro De La Rosa managed to score in the previous 14. Although Nick knew that the deal was only until the end of the season, he was hoping to stay on for 2011. However, with Kobayashi tied to the team for a few years, and Telemex investing in the team and insisting on a Mexican driver, his hopes were dashed. Nick was once again without a drive in F1.
Renault – 2011
And so we come to his latest comeback appearance. Having had competition from Bruno Senna for the temporarily-vacant Renault drive, the team went for the more experienced Heidfeld after he impressed them during his first test with the team. The team has said he has already shown that he can lead the team. But can the Comeback Kid once again show that he is deserving of another more permanent chance in F1? His debut with the team at OZ was not what anyone expected. He qualified 18th and finished 12th, while teamate Petrov qulaified 6th and finished on the podium in 3rd place.
That's quite a lot to put up in a resume. In 1997, Heidfeld won the German F3 Championship for Bertram Schäfer Racing, with support from McLaren/West, including a win at the Monaco Grand Prix Formula Three support race. In 1998, he won three races and was runner-up in the International Formula 3000 championship, with the West Competition team. At the final race of the season he was demoted to the back of the grid from pole position, after his team used non-compliant fuel.
Posted by: APR Spoiler | July 24, 2011 at 08:46 PM
With his driving caliber, this man has still a lot to accomplish in F-1. He has really made a lot of it in his career.
Posted by: air ride kits | November 21, 2011 at 06:21 PM