Nick Heidfeld was a happy man after qualifying fifth for this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, as the German bids to convince his employers BMW-Sauber to retain him for the 2009
Formula 1 World Championship campaign.
The performance marks only the second time this season that Heidfeld has got the better of team-mate
Robert Kubica on a Saturday afternoon and – given his currently precarious situation at the Munich and Hinwil-based outfit on the back of a string of less-than stand-out showings – it could not have come at a better time.
What's more, the 31-year-old has generally held the upper hand over Kubica all weekend in Belgium so far, and having set himself up in perfect shape by leading the way in final free practice in the morning, not once did he look like being in any danger during the hour-long qualifying session as he went on to match his finest grid position of the year.
“I'm happy with the result,” the man from Mönchengladbach affirmed, “and for me the weekend has gone well so far. It wasn't bad on Friday, this morning I was quickest and fifth was the best possible result in qualifying. For me it is very important to know the work we have done has paid off.
“A couple of weeks ago we found solutions to some problems, and for me this meant an improvement, but then came the race in Valencia which was surprisingly bad. Then at last week's Monza test we were able to learn something more.
“I have the feeling we are a little closer to
McLaren and
Ferrari here. However, I think in the race it will be very difficult for us to keep up with their pace. Tomorrow the weather conditions will be an important factor, and a good start for me will be crucial. I will start from the clean side of the track.”
The same could not be said in any way, however, for Kubica, who has lagged behind his team-mate from the word ‘go' around Spa, and only hoisted himself above
Scuderia Toro Rosso's Sébastien Bourdais with a last-ditch effort to salvage eighth place on the starting grid for the grand prix, more than four tenths of a second away from Heidfeld.
