Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
“I love this circuit: it’s in this incredible natural arena that is just amazing to race on. And it’s anti-clockwise too - so it presents an additional challenge to the drivers… Everybody’s always happy to finish the season in Brazil - there’s a real party atmosphere in Sao Paulo on the Sunday night and it’s a perfect place to end such a great season.”
Felipe Massa (Ferrari)
“I really like to race at home and I think I race better at home. Do I need to say I’m very motivated? I love this track, I grew up here and I know all its little tricks and secrets.”
Don’t let the clean-shaven appearance fool you, the chap enjoying an Oktoberfest beverage in the picture above is F1’s very own scruffbag Nick Heidfeld. The lady with whom he is clinking glasses is wife Patricia Papen - unlike some (Cora Schumacher), she rocks the natural look and tends to keep out of the limelight.
We’re not surprised that Quick Nick hasn’t yet figured out how to use his BMW Sauber’s steering wheel - check out how many dials, switches and buttons are on it. Damn, that looks complicated.
Most drivers seem to be rooting for anyone but Lewis Hamilton to win the title this season, but at least not all of them think Lewis was fairly treated in Japan last weekend. Nick Heidfeld believes Hamilton’s drive-through penalty, handed out after the McLaren driver supposedly ran Kimi Raikkonen off the track on the opening lap, was unfair:
“In the last race I think penalties were not justified,” Heidfeld told Autosport.“I did not see the race in full, I only saw the highlights quickly afterwards, but the one on the start with Hamilton was for me not worth a penalty at all. It is just racing. What did he do (wrong)?”
What Lewis, Felipe and co. really think about Japan
Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) “I love Japan… The Japanese fans are some of my favourite in the world: so passionate, but really polite, charming and respectful. As for the race, one of the questions I get asked most is whether I prefer to drive in the rain: my answer is always the same, I’ll race in the wet or dry, I don’t mind. But it’s always easier for us drivers to race in the dry; I’d always prefer a dry race.”
Heikki Kovalainen (McLaren) “There is no single corner at Fuji that particularly contributes to your laptime. It’s relatively easy to understand the corners, and it’s not a particularly tricky circuit. So it’s a place where you can’t afford to make any mistakes - you have to be absolutely precise and extract the maximum from your car to be fast.”
BMW Sauber resists Spanish star, sticks with Kubica & Heidfeld
The chances of Fernando Alonso staying at Renault next season now look nailed-on, after BMW today announced its decision to retain Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld for 2009. With no seat at BMW, McLaren or Ferrari to tempt him, and on the back of a fine win at Singapore, Alonso knows he is best-off sticking with Flavio Briatore and co. for one more season, before he - almost certainly - moves to Ferrari in 2010.
German needs a good performance in Belgium to save his career
BMW technical boss Willy Rampf clearly wasn’t impressed with Nick Heidfeld’s sluggish drive at Valencia a couple of weeks ago. The German qualified in eighth but ended up out of the points, in ninth. “His pace was simply too slow,” Rampf said, not making any effort to honey his words.
Robert Kubica’s seat is assured for 2009 - indeed, BMW may struggle to keep the Pole if he continues to impress - but Heidfeld’s is in serious danger. If Heidfeld doesn’t score any points at Spa this weekend, his fate may be sealed.
