Diario AS speculates that Theissen's comments could be interpreted as an attempt to 'lower the price' of hiring Alonso in 2009. The 26-year-old is thought to currently be on a retainer of some $15 million a year at
Renault.
Heidfeld, for his part, has dismissed any suggestions he has been relegated to the role of ‘number two' driver at BMW in the light of Kubica's scintillating performances this season and his own poor form, insisting: “The numbers in the race are still very good.”
The man from Mönchengladbach underlined that he is beginning to get to grips with
BMW's
F1.08, though he did acknowledge there was still some way to go, as Magny-Cours has evinced, though only a scant six hundredths of a second separated him from Kubica in Q2 – the difference between making it through to Q3 or not.
“The last race was not bad,” Heidfeld reflected in an interview with
Sport Bild. “My problem is that I cannot bring the car far enough forwards in qualifying, but the situation has not in itself changed anything. There has not been and there still is no number one or number two status.
“Robert is driving a strong season, but it pays to have two strong drivers, in case one has problems and also so that your team-mate has a high benchmark.”
Red Bull Racing, meanwhile, has also elected not to make any comment on a potential driver pairing for 2009, even though the common paddock consensus has
David Coulthard stepping down and rising
Scuderia Toro Rosso star
Sebastian Vettel being promoted into the senior Red Bull outfit to partner
Mark Webber.
“I would not like to say much about it at the moment,” team principal Christian Horner stressed when speaking to newspaper
Kleinen Zeitung. “The decision, however, could be made in the summer.”
