Your View: As Toro Rosso, Sauber seats fill, will Heidfeld drive in 2010?
January 18, 2010 by SJ Skid
Filed under Prime & Option, SJ Skid
The shuffling of the last Formula 1 seats is beginning, and so far it still looks like Nick Heidfeld is on the outside looking in.
Keith over at F1Fanatic wraps together a couple of items in one neat package. The big news, via 422race.com [an Italian site], is that Toro Rosso will be keeping Jaime Alguersuari.
The big “rumor” is Ferrari third driver Giancarlo Fisichella being tied to the second Sauber seat.
Am I right that with those seats taken, we’re down to Campos’ second seat and the two USF1 spots?
So: Will Quick Nick be on the grid come Bahrain?
I will be suprised if he is not on the grid but maybe he is one German driver too many…
Sadly, looks like Nick will not be on the grid at this point. His best option is for the reserve role at Mercedes and somehow Michael ends up not lasting the whole season for whatever reason. Hey, maybe you can give NASCAR a try as well! LOL
have they already decided on the second renault seat? i fear i missed something… =S
I certainly hope NIck will be on the grid, but it is starting to look unlikely. IMHO, he has always done a very workmanlike job with less-than-best equipment. He doesn’t have star quality, which could be a negative for some teams, I suppose, but then he isn’t a big-time complainer either. He just gets the job done. I am surprised that Sauber hasn’t snapped him up. Failing that, I would think one of the new teams could benefit a lot from his experience, and his steady reliability. USF1GPEXYZ, are you listening?
AMEN!
Nick is far too boring for my beloved Renault.
I would think that Nick would be a great fit for USF1. Experience, reliability and from what I understand, good driver feedback. One would think that would be huge for a new team. But maybe PW is smarter than us! I, too, am surprised that Sauber never grabbed him.
nick and usf1,i would not say it’s not possible,would be a great pickup for usf1,to go along with the young paying driver,nick would be a good one to help develop the car
This is not really a factor but as you all know my affection for Nick, it must be difficult to anticipate the issue of just who will be on the grid in 2010. If rumors are correct, perhaps one of these teams won’t make it and how would you, as a driver, know which one to go after?
Noddy: Nick is less boring than Kubica…have you seen Nick party? Ask Hallam. :)
Anyway, I think a grid without Nick would be a missed opportunity but many teams, including Sauber, are tight on cash and paying a driver may not be an option.
As NC knows i’m not a Nick fan but i admit he would do the best option for Sauber, for his reliability and huge experience with the team. But it seems Sauber needs a payng driver so nor Nick nor Fisi are an option, i’ve read they’ll hire Petrov or Maldonado who have huge sponsors..
For Nick the best option could be the third mercedes driver, nobody knows how Michael wold do, maybe if he isnt competitive he could have a neck problem again.. ;) or if Michael arrives and beat everybodi again could be satisfayed after i year only! usf1 or campos arn’t a serious option for a driver like nick, i don’t think he would like to restart in a uncertain situation.. and renault seems at the end will hire Ho Ping Tung..
Guess we were all wrong… de la Rosa got the Sauber seat!!
yes, we forgot him.. quite a surprise but i’ve read he too has a good bag of sponsor for sauber.. aniway i don’t expect him to shine..
This is unbelievable! Now Fake Renault is is ONLY racing option in my opinion. What little of an option it is.
yep,shuey coming back really threw a wrench in nick h’s drive possibilties
Does anyone keep a list or chart of sorts to track all the action and rumour? Does anyone make odds on who will sit where?
I think we should have a charity pool on the outcomes of silly season each year. Maybe we could do some good while having some fun.
What fun any volunteers?
It looks like quick Nick will end up quite solw next year if he gets a seat.
Development wise, it doesn’t make sense for Renault to have him on board. We all saw what happened when BMW Sauber tried to develop the car to suit his driving style. Bobby K was no longer as competitve as he was.
This now leaves him with either Campos Meta or USF1. Whatever happens, the dream of shining in a Silver Arrow is long gone. What a shame.