The under-fire
Nick Heidfeld has admitted that he is feeling the pressure to perform in
Formula 1 at the moment, as he finds himself with an increasing fight on his hands to retain his drive at BMW-Sauber next year.
The experienced German has endured an up-and-down campaign in the top flight in 2008, struggling most notably in qualifying, an area in which he trails in-form team-mate
Robert Kubica eleven-one and where he has four times in twelve races failed even to make the top ten in what is widely acknowledged as being the third-quickest car on the grid.
In the wake of the European Grand Prix in Valencia two weeks ago – a race in which Kubica finished up on the podium whilst Heidfeld toiled around to just ninth place at the chequered flag, more than ten seconds outside of the points – an unimpressed
BMW Motorsport Director Dr Mario Theissen urged ‘we plan to see both cars finish solidly in the points', quotes German publication
Focus, with the Munich and Hinwil-based outfit's technical director Willy Rampf adding: "His pace was simply too slow."
"Yes,” Heidfeld replied, when asked ahead of this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps whether he is feeling the pressure, “but I put myself under pressure more than anybody else could do from the outside. It's pretty clear; if one car finishes on the podium and I finish ninth, nobody needs to tell me anything.
“It's all about understanding the problems and then changing some things and trying to go quicker. I was in a similar situation a while ago this year; I thought I had put that behind me, and then I was a bit surprised to run into a similar sort of problem again in Valencia. I knew roughly where to search and I think I've made steps forward, but we will find out in the next couple of races.
