Time to take a breather

Magny-Cours is not a typical Formula One venue: Instead of the flair of a metropolis such as Indianapolis or Montreal, an idyllic rural surrounding awaits the BMW Sauber F1 Team in France. Nick Heidfeld, however, has no objection to the pinnacle of racing shifting into a lower gear.

The "Circuit de Nevers" has divided opinions ever since the Formula One debut of the 4.411-kilometre circuit in 1991. One the one hand, the track offers a diverse layout, which is particularly demanding on the drivers. On the other hand, the provincial French location has little to offer.

Nick Heidfeld accurately describes the love-hate relationship that many drivers feel towards Magny-Cours. "The circuit has a lot to offer - two tricky chicanes, a high-speed section and some slow corners," he says. "I'm looking forward to Magny-Cours because the track is demanding, I like the countryside around the circuit and you can eat very well in France. There's not a lot going on there and it gets its fair share of criticism as a result. But I like a bit of peace and quiet now and again. And I think the relative tranquillity will do the team good after the eventful time we've had."

Indeed: Recently, the BMW Sauber F1 Team has hardly had any time to catch its breath. First the uncertainty after Robert Kubica's accident in Canada, followed by the joy over Nick's second place. Only one week later, Sebastian Vettel became the youngest driver ever to collect a World Championship point in Formula One history.

When he analyses the performance level of the BMW Sauber F1.07, Nick is optimistic prior to the French GP. The 30-year-old comments: "Although we only picked up a single point in the USA, it's clear that we are still making progress. In terms of pure performance, our car was the second-best in Indianapolis. I could have qualified third and also finished third in the race."