Nick Heidfeld believes that he will remain in Formula One next season despite his options being limited with the surprise return of Michael Schumacher.
Heidfeld had been tipped to join the Mercedes GP team alongside Nico Rosberg, but lost out after Ross Brawn convinced Schumacher to come out of retirement.
Although Heidfeld believes that such a move damaged his chances of racing in 2010, he is not bitter about the situation.
“Of course over the holidays my current job situation did not let go of me, even after Michael Schumacher’s decision was published just before Christmas,” he said. “This is certainly a great thing for Formula 1 and I wish good luck to Michael and Mercedes.
“This decision affects me directly because it means there is a relevant less space for next year. I am not naive when I say, especially after the past few weeks, a lot of unexpected things can happen in Formula 1.”
The German says he will not focus on securing the best long-term deal for his future, with drives at Renault and Sauber among the most notable remaining.
“Now we have to look forward and focus on the best long-term option for my future in Formula 1. I will continue to train hard, conduct talks with the appropriate people and to challenge my chance with all my might,” he said.
“I hope in the coming weeks to be able to announce something concrete about my future plans.”
