Nick Heidfeld: Biography
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Learn a bit more about Nick
Nick Heidfeld was born in May 10th, 1977, in the city of Mönchengladbach, which is located in Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. Nick is the second child of Wolfgang and Angelika Heidfeld. In 1982, Nick and his brothers got their first motorbikes under the Christmas tree, and even though Nick tried it, He gave up for about a year after some hard falls. His brothers and his father used to go karting and he was also interested in it, but his family was afraid because he was 'too small'. One day, Nick was watching his father and he finally invited the kid for a ride, in which Nick should follow him so he could know the ideal lap. After a lap, Nick thought his father was 'just too slow' and overtook him, proving his talent for the first time. In 1988, Nick was already driving karts 'professionally', so in 1994, he moved into the German Formula Ford series, and gained widespread attention by winning 8 of the 9 races to take out the title. In 1995, he won the German International Formula Ford 1800 Championship, and came second in the Zetec Cup. This led to a drive in the German International Formula 3 championship for 1996, where he finished third after taking 3 wins. The following year, Heidfeld won the German F3 Championship, including a win at the prestigious Monaco event. In 1998, he won three races and was runner-up in the European Formula 3000 Championship with the West Junior Team, failing to win the title because he lost his pole position at the final race due to a team error. During that season, he was also the official test driver for the McLaren-Mercedes Formula One team. In 1999, he won the International Formula 3000 Championship.
Having impressed with his final season of Formula 3000, Heidfeld was signed as a race driver for the Prost Grand Prix F1 team for the 2000 season, alongside Jean Alesi. Heidfeld struggled with his new car. he suffered a string of retirements and came to blows with team mate Jean Alesi on more than one occasion. He departed Prost at the end of that season. Shortly after he signed a three-year contract with Sauber for 2001, partnered with rookie driver Kimi Räikkönen. After the announcement of Mika Häkkinen's retirement, many thought that Heidfeld would replace him in the McLaren team, as he had outperformed Räikkönen over the year, including a podium position in the Brazilian Grand Prix. However, the seat went to Räikkönen, and Heidfeld stayed with Sauber for 2002 and 2003. At the end of 2003, Heidfeld was dumped from the team and looked to be without a race seat for the 2004 season. However, after a number of successful tests, it was announced that Heidfeld would race with the Jordan Grand Prix team, alongside rookie Giorgio Pantano. Heidfeld was impressive in a mediocre car, but was not signed for another team in 2005. During the winter, Heidfeld has tested with WilliamsF1, in a 'shootout' with Antônio Pizzonia for the second race seat. At the Williams launch on January 31, it was announced that Heidfeld would be a race driver for the team in 2005.
At the seventh race of the 2005 season at the Nurburgring circuit, his home grand prix, Heidfeld took his first ever pole position. He also achieved his best position to-date (2nd) with Williams in Monaco, which he equalled at the Nurburgring. Heidfeld missed the Italian and Belgian Grands Prix due to injuries suffered in a testing accident. Scheduled to come back for Brazil , he was injured again when hit by a motorbike when out cycling, and therefore forced to sit out the rest of the season.
Nick was quite excited about 2006 season, and he was right. BMW proved itself as a great team, and got two podiuns on their first season. So far for Nick, the 2006 season has been better than expected. Nick was much better than his teammate Jacques Villeneuve, and when this was replaced by the rookie Robert Kubica, Nick was still much better. He's got a third place in podium at hungaroring, something not even BMW could expect, and has been doing a great job in every qualifying session.
2007 was the year of BMW Sauber. The team had a consistent start in the season, and Nick got 4th places in the first four races. The first podium of the place also belongs to him, who was second in Canadian Grand Prix, after a brilliant race.
Two years after the birth of his first baby, Juni (03.07.2005), Nick had his second kid, this time a boy named Joda, who was born in 21st July, 2007, in the middle of the European Grand Prix weekend.
Nick Heidfeld was born in May 10th, 1977, in the city of Mönchengladbach, which is located in Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. Nick is the second child of Wolfgang and Angelika Heidfeld. In 1982, Nick and his brothers got their first motorbikes under the Christmas tree, and even though Nick tried it, He gave up for about a year after some hard falls. His brothers and his father used to go karting and he was also interested in it, but his family was afraid because he was 'too small'. One day, Nick was watching his father and he finally invited the kid for a ride, in which Nick should follow him so he could know the ideal lap. After a lap, Nick thought his father was 'just too slow' and overtook him, proving his talent for the first time. In 1988, Nick was already driving karts 'professionally', so in 1994, he moved into the German Formula Ford series, and gained widespread attention by winning 8 of the 9 races to take out the title. In 1995, he won the German International Formula Ford 1800 Championship, and came second in the Zetec Cup. This led to a drive in the German International Formula 3 championship for 1996, where he finished third after taking 3 wins. The following year, Heidfeld won the German F3 Championship, including a win at the prestigious Monaco event. In 1998, he won three races and was runner-up in the European Formula 3000 Championship with the West Junior Team, failing to win the title because he lost his pole position at the final race due to a team error. During that season, he was also the official test driver for the McLaren-Mercedes Formula One team. In 1999, he won the International Formula 3000 Championship.
Having impressed with his final season of Formula 3000, Heidfeld was signed as a race driver for the Prost Grand Prix F1 team for the 2000 season, alongside Jean Alesi. Heidfeld struggled with his new car. he suffered a string of retirements and came to blows with team mate Jean Alesi on more than one occasion. He departed Prost at the end of that season. Shortly after he signed a three-year contract with Sauber for 2001, partnered with rookie driver Kimi Räikkönen. After the announcement of Mika Häkkinen's retirement, many thought that Heidfeld would replace him in the McLaren team, as he had outperformed Räikkönen over the year, including a podium position in the Brazilian Grand Prix. However, the seat went to Räikkönen, and Heidfeld stayed with Sauber for 2002 and 2003. At the end of 2003, Heidfeld was dumped from the team and looked to be without a race seat for the 2004 season. However, after a number of successful tests, it was announced that Heidfeld would race with the Jordan Grand Prix team, alongside rookie Giorgio Pantano. Heidfeld was impressive in a mediocre car, but was not signed for another team in 2005. During the winter, Heidfeld has tested with WilliamsF1, in a 'shootout' with Antônio Pizzonia for the second race seat. At the Williams launch on January 31, it was announced that Heidfeld would be a race driver for the team in 2005.
At the seventh race of the 2005 season at the Nurburgring circuit, his home grand prix, Heidfeld took his first ever pole position. He also achieved his best position to-date (2nd) with Williams in Monaco, which he equalled at the Nurburgring. Heidfeld missed the Italian and Belgian Grands Prix due to injuries suffered in a testing accident. Scheduled to come back for Brazil , he was injured again when hit by a motorbike when out cycling, and therefore forced to sit out the rest of the season.
Nick was quite excited about 2006 season, and he was right. BMW proved itself as a great team, and got two podiuns on their first season. So far for Nick, the 2006 season has been better than expected. Nick was much better than his teammate Jacques Villeneuve, and when this was replaced by the rookie Robert Kubica, Nick was still much better. He's got a third place in podium at hungaroring, something not even BMW could expect, and has been doing a great job in every qualifying session.