Nick Heidfeld ... another talent that didnt get to shine.

[Draven]

Title sounds dramatic I know but I've been thinking about this for a while.

Big Heidfeld fan in F3000 thought he would do really well in F1, and now it's looking grim with so few seats in F1.

I was an even bigger Zonta fan before he got to F1 (watched F300 and GT racing as much as F1). Didnt work out for him though.

The list goes on of drivers that have talent, get seats and then they are out again before long (or are relegated to testing roles, Like De la Rossa)

Then there was Salo lots of promise just needed a chance , got the chance with ferrari and proved himself. Still that was it for him.

So do you think that he can do the impossible and get a good drive next year?

[Bononi]

If you look at the past you'll see that this happens to the vast marjority of drivers. You have to be real class to become a champion in F1.

[climb]

Draven, if you just stopped supporting promising young drivers, maybe they would be luckier!

[Mr V]

Originally posted by Draven

So do you think that he can do the impossible and get a good drive next year?

In a word..... NO!

He didn't do enough against rookie team-mates Kimi and Felipe, and lost out to Heinz-Harold who subsequently retired.

I can honestly see Heidfeld out of F1 next year if Eddie (Jordan) needs another driver in his place, because the big boys won't be looking at him.

I don't want this to seem like a critism, but if he wants to get noticed, is to get some sort of personality, do something that gets picked up by the media, keep him in the spotlight a bit, otherwise he will carry on being a "forgotten" man.

[Kicking-back]

Nick Heidfeld is good but not good enough, I'm afraid.

[Draven]

Originally posted by Kicking-back
Nick Heidfeld is good but not good enough, I'm afraid.

Ok maybe so far thats a far assesment.
But allot of poeple said the same sort of things about Mika Salo and he proved given a better car he could impress.
(Not saying his stint in the ferrari was the most amazing thing ever)

[Kicking-back]

Mika Salo was a driver who people often said deserved a chance in a good car.

He got the chance, did a solid job but nothing special.

The drivers who really are a cut above gravitate towards the best teams.

[Draven]

Originally posted by Kicking-back
Mika Salo was a driver who people often said deserved a chance in a good car.

He got the chance, did a solid job but nothing special.

The drivers who really are a cut above gravitate towards the best teams.

Explain Coulthard and Ralf!
I dont think the drivers who are a cut above gravitate towards the top teams with out sponsors, star power or smart management as well as great skill anymore.

Some do but there are lots of deserving people who dont get the chance because of politics.

[Red]

Both Coulthard and Ralf did/do a very good job. Ok, they didn't win countless championships, but who are we to say that Diniz, Red or Draven (or whatever other driver ) would rock the world if only they were in their shoes? Besides, other than Michael Schumacher and Mika Hakkinen not many others won championships in past decade.

You don't really believe the theory that McLaren/Williams (or Ferrari and Renault) actually pay attention to some second hand sponsors more than to results on track? Puhlease!

[Kicking-back]

Bang on red.

McLaren, Williams, Ferrari and Renault all have the best balance of drivers reallistically available to them.

Part of being a great, rather than good, driver, is getting yourself into a car where you can deliver results.

[Draven]

Originally posted by Red
You don't really believe the theory that McLaren/Williams (or Ferrari and Renault) actually pay attention to some second hand sponsors more than to results on track? Puhlease!

Not for a second, I'm not soft in the head.
I'm suggesting that it's a combination of things that get drivers seats. And not all those things are on track virtues.

Maybe I should have said partners rather than sponsors.
With Car manufacturers, rumor is that nationality of a driver can somtimes help too. (BMW/Renault German/French).
Dont think thats everbeen said by any team officaly though.

[Red]

You don't need partners that deliberately damage their own image and yours, by forcing you to use some useless driver. Both you and your partner want results. So you both hire the best driver available and worth his money. It's as simple as that.

PS: Ok, I can agree the logic behind BMW/Schumacher theory, though I still don't understand why would they pay him those money, and for that long time (aside from Frank being a newbie in F1 business, but frankly I suspect that it's not the case) but who the... pay for Coulthard seat? Almost 10 years in a row too? And why? Sorry, but this is utter bull. Each driver gets precisely the seat that he deserves, and each team gets precisely the driver they deserve. You can fool someone once, but if they fool you 5 years in a row you're idiot (or BAR )

[Draven]

I think I might have anoyed you with the Coulthard/Ralf jibe.

[Red]

hrug: I'm not particularily a fan of neither of them, however give credit where credit is due. That constant bashing against both of them becomes kinda boring.

Cheers!

[Draven]

Originally posted by Red
You don't need partners that deliberately damage their own image and yours, by forcing you to use some useless driver.

Who said useless driver?

Originally posted by Red
Each driver gets precisely the seat that he deserves, and each team gets precisely the driver they deserve.

Hmmmmm dont know about that 100% of the time.

All credit to both Ralf and David great drivers but I'm .... actually I'll leave it at that.

Back to the topic , Nick H, well things aren't looking good.

To Frank the newbie