Heidfeld signs a 3 year deal with BMW from 2006 (Confirmed)

[Ed]

BMW have announced that Nick Heidfeld will be driving for the team from 2006.

BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen said:

For us, a new era in Formula 1 will begin on 1 January 2006 when BMW takes over the team operated by Peter Sauber. We are very pleased that Nick will be with us in what will undoubtedly be a difficult initial phase. He is not simply a fast and courageous driver, he is also an analytical and meticulous worker. Nick already knows the two sites in Munich and Hinwil, and is familiar with everybody involved

Nick Heidfeld said:

I'm really looking forward to the future. As far as I'm concerned, this represents the fulfilment of a big dream. I have a great deal of respect for the work carried out in Hinwil from 2001 to 2003. And for nearly a year now, I've experienced at first hand the commitment and resources BMW puts into its Formula 1 project. Naturally, I'm not expecting a miracle during the first season after a new start in 2006. But I'm confident that the new team will be successful over the long term

The BMW statement indicated that Heidfeld will fill the first seat hinting that the second seat may not go to Jacques Villeneuve who is already contracted to Sauber for next year but could be paid out of his contract by BMW.

Full BMW Statement

[danilen1]

interesting, if JV is paid out of his contract what does that mean? does he have to leave? I'd expect it would be up to him whether or not he wants to leave, and i very much doubt he would, unless he's offered a drive elsewhere...

[JayVee]

Well they simply pay him out but put someone else in the BMW. He has been adamant though that he'll be driving in the BMW next year. I hope he stays.

[danilen1]

so if they paid him out, he would have to accept it and leave? I think I understand what you mean, they pay the rest of the existing contract, forcing him to leave... I doubt that will happen though, i think those sorts of things have clauses which could require tens of millions to have to be paid.

[JayVee]

Webber must be relieved by this annoucemnt

[Bundy]

Why?
MW has been quicker the NH all year. NH has had a few good races & MW some bad luck (some of it due to a lack of experience racing at the front). Even then NH was only 1 point in front of MW before the last race.

[rah]

Webber must be relieved by this annoucemnt

Bollocks

[Julian Mayo]

Webber must be relieved by this annoucemnt

Codswallop.
Most F1 drivers want and or need a competitive team-mate (except Schuey, of course).Amongst others, Mark Webber is on record as stating this fact...." as a requirement for any team to gather sufficient data input from two competitive drivers" would be fairly close to his words, I believe.
JV I do wish you would stop trying to cast me as a "one-eyed Webber fan". I have enormous respect for every driver who has the ability to gain a seat in F1. If anything I do on occasion feel compelled to got to bat for Mark because I have personally witnessed what he has done on the race track against very able competitors, but primarily because of those two idiots on the so-called television commentery. I am also unashamedly patriotic, and if more of us were so inclined we might have, and had, other Australians in F1.

[rah]

Nice one mate.

[Julian Mayo]

Nice one mate.

ahh, there will be one or two who disagree

[JayVee]

Webber must be relieved by this annoucemnt

Bollocks

Maybe but it did the trick

[JayVee]

Webber must be relieved by this annoucemnt

Codswallop.
Most F1 drivers want and or need a competitive team-mate (except Schuey, of course).Amongst others, Mark Webber is on record as stating this fact...." as a requirement for any team to gather sufficient data input from two competitive drivers" would be fairly close to his words, I believe.
JV I do wish you would stop trying to cast me as a "one-eyed Webber fan". I have enormous respect for every driver who has the ability to gain a seat in F1. If anything I do on occasion feel compelled to got to bat for Mark because I have personally witnessed what he has done on the race track against very able competitors, but primarily because of those two idiots on the so-called television commentery. I am also unashamedly patriotic, and if more of us were so inclined we might have, and had, other Australians in F1.

Good to see a reasonable response Julian. That was the aim!

However, you are a one-eyed Webber fan as I have yet to see a post by you critisising Webber. You will always blame someone or something for a poor performance by Webber.
I think all the Aussies here support Webber in their own ways but that doesn't mean we aren't allowed to critisise him. In fact raising the expectation so high means dissapointement in the end.
When you look at the championship and find that Webber is only 1 point ahead of Heidfeld even though Hiedfeld missed 2 races, you can't say that is impressive and you can't say that it is the car's fault or BMW's fault or another driver's fault. Webber has to cop some of the blame and learn from the experience because if he doesn't he'll never make it to the very top.

[Julian Mayo]

Yes Dear

[RE30B#16]

I think it is very smart of Heidfeld to leave Williams which is looking for an engine to use. I expect BMW will go after a young comer like Christian Klien who must feel like a stepchild at Red Bull even though they wisely announced he will drive out the rest of the year.

Pizzonia will most certainly take over at Williams, and I don't think there is a team that feels like dealing with JV at this point. Alez Wurz and Pedro delaRosa deserve full time drives before JV should take up another seat somewhere.

I heard a rumor that Ferrari was hiring Felipe Massa to replace Ruben Barichello. Is that true?

Chris
Alonso wins!

[Ed]

I heard a rumor that Ferrari was hiring Felipe Massa to replace Ruben Barichello. Is that true?

Yes it is true. Check out this thread here

You can check the lastest on the 2006 Team and Driver lineup here