The Lotus Renault team has admitted that its radical front-facing exhaust is to blame for Sunday's poor result in Singapore - and others during the season.
Nick Heidfeld tried out a new, more conventionally rearward-facing exhaust on Lotus Renault GP's struggling R31 during Friday practice at the N?rburgring - but the signs are it is not ready to be used just yet...
Nick Heidfeld: I'm pretty pleased with my race performances this season and I think given the conditions and situations at various races we have put in our best efforts.
Nick Heidfeld: The first three races gave us a good picture of our strengths and weaknesses, and with the break we've just had we've been able to analyse where we can improve further.
Nick Heidfeld dedicates his Malaysian Grand Prix podium for Lotus Renault GP last weekend to injured former team-mate Robert Kubica - as the Pole continues to progress well
Lotus Renault GP team-mates Nick Heidfeld and Vitaly Petrov suffered identical suspension failures during opening practice for this weekend's Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang - although with very different results...
He is the man with the most runner-up finishes to his name without ever winning a grand prix, but with Lotus Renault GP in F1 2011, Nick Heidfeld has a golden opportunity to rectify that unenviable statistic. The question is, will he..?
Mark Webber lowers the F1 2011 pre-season benchmark around Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya, lapping more than two seconds clear of anybody else for Red Bull Racing as Davide Valsecchi beaches his Team Lotus machine
A source close to Crash.net has revealed that injured Lotus Renault GP star Robert Kubica has named the driver he would like to see stand in for him at the Enstone-based outfit in F1 2011
If Nick Heidfeld was all-but a shoo-in to take his former team-mate Robert Kubica's place at Lotus Renault GP in F1 2011 before his Jerez try-out, then the German now looks to be a dead-cert