Yeah baby............Heidfeld Wins Williams Seat !

YEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!!

 

Great news !! he has really earned this drive, at last he gets to show what he can do.

 

Pics of Heidfeld and Webber and their new toy (FW27) at http://www.sutton-images.com/

 

YES! Well earned by quick-Nick. That should make for an interesting duo next year. Funny how he was meant to be a McLaren driver, and now ends up at Williams.

 

Not totally sure on this (I might confuse Nick with Frentzen), but doesn't he still hold to this date the hill climb record for Goodwood? Done in a Mc Laren F1 and he was allowed to actually go flat out.

 

Isn't it shocking to see when they unleash the F1 cars amongst those hay bails? Great stuff. I'm not sure either, but if it was recent I'd tend to think it was Nick and not HHF.

Again, I'm really excited for NH. He is a F3 Champ who almost became a never-was a la David Hobbs' "plateau theory." This is a key break for his career, I really hope he can capitalize on it.

 

I found a reference:
http://www.classicdriver.com/uk/magazine/3700.asp?id=11525

So Quick Nick was (and probably still is) the official record holder. He might remain that forever cause yeah, it is scary if you let a F1 go flat out up the hill with only hay in between the wheels and the spectators.

When I saw his car at Goodwood I was actually more amazed about the fact, that it was a Mc Laren.

At any rate, I hope the 2005 Williams goes like crazy so we will finally know the net worth of either driver.

 

It will be interesting to see how he does in a good ride. It didn't look like he was going to get the chance before.

 

With Williams Heidfeld now has a chance to get even with Kimi after he beat him for the McLaren drive some years ago

 

Yes!!
Quick Nick has the jod!
Watch out Webber.

 

Poor Pizzonia...
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As much as I'm happy for Nick I feel somewhat for Pizzaboy. The difference to Nick wasn't that big and having seen Frank in the past I bet Nick will continue to feel the pressure. A reversal of fortune is never out of the question.

 

This is actually great for Webber. Webber really wanted Button in the team as he wants a strong team and too be pushed.

He will beat Nick and hopefully Nick will perform really well this year and thus make Webber lift his game.

Webber is an Aussie battler and loves a challenge ... and thus needs to be pushed. Great choice Williams on both drivers, and I wish Nick the best of luck also.

Pete
ps: 100% gunning for Webber this year ... Ferrari and MS does not need my support anymore, and for the sake of competition, I hope Williams (and McLaren and others) make a cracker of a car this year!

 

I picture these two as good teammates. While both are out to prove something, there doesn't seem to be that immature axe to grind as with past Williams teammates.

 

Excellent point!, and I agree.

Pete

 

I guess this is as good a time as any to reiterate my "pick to click" for '05 is Webber. I stand by that. Carry on.

 

Ok Jack, you may use Webber twice for this year's F1 Fantasy League. I'll pick JPM twice instead...

 

This is excellent. Nick Heildfeld is an amazing driver. He got screwed from Mclaren and I am sure it affected his confidence. This is his time to show his real potential. Just take a look at his record compared to Mark Webber. Note his accomplishment as F3000 champion in his second year. He finished an impressive second place in the championship the first year, when Montoya won it. He was Montoya's rival.

Nick Heidfeld
Karting
1988 Karting, Club Kerpen-Mannheim
1990 Karting, Nordrhein-Westfalen DMV, 1°
1991 ADAC Junior Trophy, 3°
1992 Karting Junior, Germany, 5°
1993 Karting FA
1994 F. Ford 1600, Germany, 1°
1995 F. Ford 1800, Germany, 1° / F. Ford, Germany, 2°
1996 F3, Germany, 3°
1997 F3, Germany, 1°
1998 F3000, 2°
1999 F3000, 1° / F1 (McLaren), test driver
2000 F1 (Prost GP), 0 point
2001 F1 (Sauber), 8°, 12 points
2002 F1 (Sauber), 10°, 7 points
2003 F1 (Sauber), 14°, 6 points


Mark Webber

Karting Junior, Australia
1992 Karting NSW & ACT, Australia, 1°
1993 King of Karting, Australia, 1° / Karting, Canberra Cup
1994 F. Ford, Australia
1995 F. Ford
1996 F. Ford Festival, 1°
1997 F3, England
1998 GT (Mercedes)
1999 GT (Mercedes)
2000 F3000, 3°
2001 F3000, 2° / F1 (Benetton), test driver
2002 F1 (Minardi), 16°, 2 points
2003 F1 (Jaguar), 10°, 17 points

 

While interesting, comparisons of lesser formulae do not always show if they have it or not. Obviously Nick clicked in F3000, but his F1 performances have mean mediocre ... and since 2001 he has been going backwards.

Webber on the other hand was good in F3000 and improving (and importantly a race winner not just a points getter ... as I am sure Nick was too) and since joining F1 he has improved EVERY year (I'm just going to check that 2004 was also an improvement ... EDIT: Only 7 points in 2004 thus that was a bad year, but I blame that on Jaguar pulling out).

That is why I rate Webber over many others, 'cause he is just getting better and better. Also Nick has never impressed in qualifying ...

Pete

 

For no good reason.

Actually Nick tied the record for number of wins in F3000, which Montoya had set the year before. Certainly not just a "points getter".

Nick hasn't really shown deprovement. Can you give a specific instance of that? Also, I'm not quite sure how you can say that he hasn't impressed in qualy. He's raced against teammates which decimate anyone Webber has raced against and he beat them.

Nick's teammates: Alesi, Kimi, Massa, Frentzen...
Webber's teammates: Yoong, Davidson, Pizzonia, Wilson, Klien...
I think you'll see a marked difference between the two rows...the first row contains "good" people. The second row seems "not so good".

I think your vision is clouded by Aussie blood.

 

What does that mean?

I did not say that Nick was just a points getter ... I said that I am sure Nick was a race winner too.

F1 points scored since he started in F1 ... going down every year since 2001.

Webber stuck a Jaguar on 2nd place on the grid ... twice I believe (EDIT: I'm wrong, only once). What is Nick's highest grid position ... is it < 10th?
EDIT: Checked http://www.formula1.com/insight/driver/16/4.html and 4th once is his highest grid spot.

Agree, and agree that he is an okay racer ... but that is not enough, he lacks sparkle, that something special that raw speed. Remember Webbers fight back last year (after a very poor start to the race) ... fantastic and super aggressive passing. Yep he cr@pped out, but team bosses would have loved that commitment and raw speed.

Agree, except for these comments:
- Alesi, passed his prime and overdue for retirement.
- Kimi, while Nick might have finished the year better than Kimi ... Kimi stood out and Nick didn't. Kimi has that something special, that raw speed. Nick has yet to demonstrate that. The fact that Kimi could in the same car ... is telling to me.
- Massa, well you all know what I think of Massa. My son (who is 3 years old) could currently drive better than Massa ... and crash less. He is a complete waste of space ... infact Yoong is better at keeping the car on the black stuff. EDIT: Sorry son for even comparing you to this driver ...
- Frentzen, a driver I do not rate, as he takes 10 laps or so to wake up and start driving. Read all the books, this has always been his problem ... and by then the race is over, and Nick has probably snuck passed and now Frentzen cannot get passed.

While I am actually not an Aussie ... there is some truth in this comment, and hence I will be passionately supporting our man this year. GO MARK!

Pete
ps: Important statistics from www.formula1.com:

Mark Webber:
Started in: 51 races
Points scored: 26
Seasons: 3

Remember his first year was in a Minardi, then he has been in the below par Jaguar.

Nick Heidfield:
Started in: 85 races
Points scored: 28 ... but he has achieved a podium once!
Seasons: 5

Driven Prost, Sauber and Jordan's. To be fair Jordans probably are below Jaguars ...

 

Nick Hiedfield is going to put an end to all this Mark Webber histeria that has been going on once and for all. Webber is not the driver that many people make to be. Yes of course Webber is a good classy racer, but certainly not World Champion material. Heidfield on the other hand is a performer. He can perform under pressure. The current testing battle with Pizzonia for a driver's seat certainly has proved it.

Webber is a professional but cant compete at the top. Heidfield is a consistent driver that given the right car can perform at the top.

 

Isn't this great ... F1 finally has something interesting to talk about!!!

I just cannot wait for this battle. Fnck Ferrari and MS ... long lost interest.

Pete

 

No! Actually there is nothing to talk about. Nick Hiedfield is going to send Webber back to driving school.

Michael Schumacher and Ferrari are going to win the World Championships.

And you are going to continue hating F1 and think that it is boring.