Heidfeld turns to Endurance
Having failed to secure a seat in Formula 1 in 2012, Nick Heidfeld has decided to change course. The German driver will race in Endurance for the Rebellion Racing team.
After being replaced by Bruno Senna in mid-2011, Nick Heidfeld was unable to find a seat in Formula 1. He therefore decided to turn to Endurance racing, or rather return to it as he had already competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which was in 1999, a year before he joined Prost Grand Prix.
«I am really looking forward to taking on this new challenge, and I am particularly happy that the first race at Sebring, which will be a new circuit for me, is only a few weeks away. Since I raced at Le Mans in 1999, I always knew I wanted to return to endurance racing, » Heidfeld shared in a statement published by Rebellion Racing.
The German driver has competed in 183 Grand Prix over the past 12 years, with his best results being second places – eight in total. Despite his experience, which could be beneficial to a Formula 1 team, there is likely little chance of seeing Quick Nick in Formula 1 again in the coming months or years given the intense competition at the moment.
Heidfeld will notably participate in the 12 Hours of Sebring, the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, and of course the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans, which will be its 80th edition in 2012.
Another former Formula 1 driver could join Heidfeld in Endurance racing; it’s Karun Chandhok, who would like to be a reserve driver for an F1 team while also being a full-time Endurance driver.
It is evident that without sufficient commercial support, it is not possible to secure a seat in Formula 1. Maybe I could maintain a position as a test and reserve driver in F1, but I need some form of racing. And with the testing restrictions in F1, the World Endurance Championship (WEC) seems to be the best option. It’s the highest level of competition after F1, recently stated Karun Chandhok to Reuters.
