The most troubling aspect for Heidfeld this year has been in adapting his driving to suit
Bridgestone's new Potenza tyres, with his smooth style not warming the rubber up as quickly as does the more aggressive manner of Kubica, with the disparity in the pair's qualifying performances – when in 2007 Heidfeld had comfortably led the way on that score, twelve-four – the result.
“Yes, they are,” he responded, when asked if his difficulties have been tyre-related. “That's what I believe, and we've been working on it. Magny-Cours I think was the first step forward, but obviously one race is not enough to be sure and to understand 100 per cent what's going on. I'm looking forward to the next couple of races, and hoping it will get better still.”
As to his hopes for the British Grand Prix at
Silverstone, the 31-year-old was circumspect, acknowledging that last week's test around the Northants circuit had been a successful one, but insisting that
Ferrari and McLaren-Mercedes remain ahead, even if he is positive that
BMW has now got to the bottom of its Magny-Cours malaise.
“[The one-two in Canada] was a great boost,” he acknowledged, “but at the same time it also creates a bit of pressure. I think most people in our team are realistic enough to know that we cannot simply win each race from then on, but as much as Canada was a boost, Magny-Cours was a bit of a wake-up call. It wasn't like people in the team were sleeping, but that was not what we had expected.
“We knew it would be more difficult for us there, but it was really a tough weekend. The first difficult thing is that if you struggle at Magny-Cours, I think you pay a higher price than at most other circuits, because the lap times are always very close together; if you lose a bit of time there, you have to pay for it. We just didn't have the speed there, but I hope Magny-Cours will stay our weakest race of the season.
