FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

[darwin dali]

F1live:
It is not far-fetched to aim for the drivers' world championship this year, BMW Sauber driver Nick Heidfeld insists.

The 31-year-old struggled for most of 2008 alongside team-mate Robert Kubica, and despite approaching his tenth season on the grid is yet to record a single race win.

But Heidfeld is refusing to limit his target for the forthcoming season to finally breaking his 153-Grand Prix victory drought.

"I don't constantly think about clinching my maiden win," the German said, insisting his only real chance of race victory was when he finished second to Kubica in Canada last year.

"After all, it's my goal to win the title and not just a race," he added.

Heidfeld said he is convinced that if the car is a winner, "I can make it."

Team boss Mario Theissen admitted last month that BMW's final target - to fight for the titles in 2009 - is set to be the "most difficult" since the German marque bought Sauber three seasons ago.

But Heidfeld said BMW's 'major improvements' of 2008 means the team this year "won't have to make such a big step forward" in order to challenge McLaren and Ferrari.




NH or rather RK?

[Rivelution]

Hell yea Heidfeld. Thats the way to think before you go into the season, maybe he can pull a Massa? That would be awesome if Heidfeld faught for the title, I think I'd be happier to see him win the title over Kubica.

[digitaleye]

For Heidfeld? Wins , yes possibly but champion? No. Heidfeld seems too me to be in the mold of a Berger or a Patrese, maybe even a Boutsen. Good enough to keep a seat maybe even get another one but not really championship material.

[Jabberwocky]

I always said that about Massa, then look what he did last year

[EwanM]

I've always felt Heidfeld has had a mixture of over achieving and under achieving in terms of F1. In poorer equipment he was pretty solid, but he hasn't been able to repeat his F3000 glory days.
Could he be champion? If the car is good then why not?
Is Kubica better? Personally i think so, but I've been wrong on so many occasions.

[Hanwombat]

Go for it Nick

[Gaz]

Nicks alot better in the wet or seams on average to be.

RK was better overall but we will see, new car new season could all change.

Personally though unless Mclaren and Ferrari are rubbish i think no.

[texasmr2]

I hope Nick gets his first win this year but I still think that Robert is quicker. Either way I hope BMW can battle for the WCC this season.

[McLaren Fan]

I think Heidfeld would have been a great driver in the 1980s. He doesn't have the outright speed of say, Kubica, but his driving style is smooth, he is very clever and clued up to what's going on during the race. For these skills to pay off, you need to have chaotic or wet races, no refuelling and for cars to be much less reliable than they are now. As races aren't usually too chaotic and are dry and because we don't see too many Formula One cars breaking down, a guy like Kubica's raw speed tends to pay off much more of the time.

[7UpJordan]

I think it could depend on whether BMW have developed the car for Heidfeld's style or Kubica's style. The 2007 car suited Heidfeld better whilst the 2008 car suited Kubica. Or have they finally been able to make ends meet and make a car which both drivers like?

[Denthúl]

I think Heidfeld would have been a great driver in the 1980s. He doesn't have the outright speed of say, Kubica, but his driving style is smooth, he is very clever and clued up to what's going on during the race. For these skills to pay off, you need to have chaotic or wet races, no refuelling and for cars to be much less reliable than they are now. As races aren't usually too chaotic and are dry and because we don't see too many Formula One cars breaking down, a guy like Kubica's raw speed tends to pay off much more of the time.

I think Heidfeld is pretty quick as it is. Had he not struggled with tyres this year, then there would have been practically no difference between him and Kubica in the final standings.

[cap-dude]

People are forgetting how 2007 ended. Heidfeld was 22 points ahead of Kubica. So really, its hard to say. Heidfeld could just as easily be back on top this year.

Personally, I say they're 2 evenly matched drivers. Heidfeld is calm and consistent. The guy doesn't fault, and his race pace is brilliant. Still, he struggled with quali a lot this year. Kubica has brilliant our-right pace. Again, the guy makes very few mistakes, though sometimes he doesn't get the best out of the race.

It'll be interesting to watch both of them this year. Especially if the car is capable of winning races outright. Though I will say this. Heidfeld needs to be make sure he can put the car on pole posistion, if he wants a shot at the title.

[darwin dali]

I think Heidfeld would have been a great driver in the 1980s. He doesn't have the outright speed of say, Kubica, but his driving style is smooth, he is very clever and clued up to what's going on during the race. For these skills to pay off, you need to have chaotic or wet races, no refuelling and for cars to be much less reliable than they are now. As races aren't usually too chaotic and are dry and because we don't see too many Formula One cars breaking down, a guy like Kubica's raw speed tends to pay off much more of the time.

I agree on some of this. However, I seem to remember quite a few wet races last year. Anybody has a list?

[McLaren Fan]

There were a lot of wet races last season, and that was on the back of my mind when typing what I did, but unless the world's weather has taken a turn for the worse fairly suddenly, last year could be a freak year.

[7UpJordan]

There were a lot of wet races last season, and that was on the back of my mind when typing what I did, but unless the world's weather has taken a turn for the worse fairly suddenly, last year could be a freak year.

In that case 1986 and 1987 could be considered freak years too, not a single wet race. Infact there was a "drought" between the 1985 Portuguese Grand Prix and the 1988 British Grand Prix!