My memories of Indy are very varied - Heidfeld

Back in 1909, the 'Indianapolis Motor Speedway' was built as 2.5-mile oval, with the modifications necessary for the Formula One races having been added far later. BMW Sauber F1 Team driver Nick Heidfeld describes the characteristics of the US GP's venue and remembers two of his most spectacular races contested on the 'Brickyard'.

"I like it when race tracks have a distinctive character and that's definitely the case with Indianapolis," Heidfeld says. "The Speedway is an icon of American motor racing and the high-banked turn is something special for Formula One, although it isn't exactly challenging for the drivers to drive flat out on a straight. It's far more difficult to get the car's set-up just right. You have to find the right compromise for being as fast as possible along the almost two-kilometre full-throttle stretch and having enough downforce for the many corners in the twisty infield at the same time."

This weekend, Formula One is going to hold its US Grand Prix at the 'Indianapolis Motor Speedway' for the eighth consecutive time. Yet, the pinnacle of motor racing uses only a part of the oval, with the rest of the lap being contested on the winding infield section that was specially designed for the first appearance of modern Formula One, back in 2000.

"My memories of Indy are very varied," recalls Nick. "In 2001, I managed to secure a sixth-placed finish there with Sauber, although I had lost my first, second and, most crucially, seventh gear. That was one of my best races. A less pleasant memory is the one of the accident in 2006. We had done well in qualifying but shortly after the start, I was involved in a collision and somersaulted for the first and, hopefully, last time in my career."