Nick Heidfeld had admitted that he was swamped by mixed emotions after helping the
BMW Sauber team takes its first-ever 1-2 result in
Formula One, happy to have seen the team rise to the top of the pile, but frustrated by having to, once again, settle for second place.
Mirroring the result he took at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in 2007, the diminutive German crossed the line as runner-up in the Canadian Grand Prix but where, last year, he was delighted to have been second best to
Lewis Hamilton and
McLaren, Sunday's result behind team-mate
Robert Kubica was harder to swallow.
"I wouldn't call it frustration, because I am also looking to the situation I was in in the last couple of races, struggling a bit, and, therefore, second place is not the worst you can achieve starting from eighth, especially looking at the pace I had in the first stint," he stressed, trying to talk himself round.
"After passing Barrichello, I think I was the quickest in the field but, then, on the option tyre, it was very difficult with a car that was full of fuel. We decided to do [that] because we had the chance to go to the end from this moment.
"When the safety car came out, I saw all the cars in front of me pitting and I was [going] pretty long and saved some fuel. Due to that, I was able to convert to a one-stop [strategy]. I think, at this point, it was probably the right decision. Actually, I suggested it and asked if it was possible but, in hindsight, I don't think it would have changed too much if we had gone to a two-stop because I came out in front of Robert anyway.
"Obviously, I'm happy for Robert as he did a great job today. He deserves the win, but what racing driver would I be, driving in the same team, and being so close to my first victory, not to be a bit disappointed?"
With the lighter fuelled Kubica, as well as a feisty
Fernando Alonso, in his mirrors, Heidfeld had to defend his 'virtual' lead hard, but soon realised that he was potentially harming the team's chances of a good result.
