
When Lotus Renault GP needed to find a replacement for the injured Robert Kubica, Nick Heidfeld was the the most solid option. The German with the nickname ‘Quick Nick’ didn’t take too long to show that he’s still sharp despite being without a regular race seat since the end of 2009 when BMW pulled out of F1.
At last Sunday’s Malaysian GP, Heidfeld managed to hold on to third place with Mark Webber hot on his heels, giving Lotus Renault their second podium finish in as many races (Petrov was third in Australia). After the event, Heidfeld has written an open letter to his former BMW Sauber teammate, who is undergoing rehabilitation now. Here’s the letter as it appeared on Heidfeld’s official website.
Dear Robert,
Have you seen that? I printed your logo on the front of my helmet, and the Polish flag on the side. I wanted you to see that and to let you know that I’m thinking of you. I wanted to show your fans that you are a part of Formula 1 and of this team. This 3rd place is also yours! During the race I had often been thinking of you. Crossing the finish line, happiness totally flooded my head. I know what you are thinking right now: “Lotus-Renault has built such a wonderful car this year. I want to get back as soon as possible and drive it!” You can do it, I wish you all the best for your rehabilitation. Get well soon!
Yours
Nick
Kubica is reported to be recovering well, and has surprised doctors by putting weight on his foot and clasping an object in his hand. Let’s hope for a continued speedy recovery for Robert!












Boullier, who did not want to comment on the Lotus name row with Team Lotus, was consistent. We previously carried this quote from him: “We want to win with this car. To win you need to be a regular podium finisher – and then you will win – and that is our target”. He also said that while we can’t look too much into the test sessions that the teams went through so far, this week’s test in Barcelona would be close to the car’s real performance. 








Robert Kubica, who is