SEPTEMBER 11, 2005

Heidfeld out of action!

As the Formula 1 teams were packing up at Spa on Sunday afternoon word came from Switzerland that Nick Heidfeld has injured his shoulder while riding a mountain bike in the town of Stafa in Switzerland. It seems that Nick was in collision with a motorcycle. According to a statement from Heidfeld's management Nick may not be fit to race in the weeks ahead, having torn the ligaments of his shoulder and suffered an injuries to his finger and cuts and grazes.

The timing of the whole incident is most bizarre given what is happening in the contractual negotiations between Williams and Heidfeld. There were rumours during the weekend that suggested that the team might be thinking of dropping Nick for the rest of the year because of his decision (yet to be made public) that he has signed for BMW for 2007 and 2008. This being the case, it is logical for Heidfeld to try to get out of his Williams arrangements for 2006 and then sign a three-year deal with BMW. The crux on the problem is the option date which is on September 15. If Williams takes up the option, Heidfeld's BMW future is in difficulties but at the same time the team is not quite sure whether or not it needs Heidfeld next year and that will not be known until there is resolution of the Jenson Button problem.

And into the middle of all this comes a second medical incident which looks like keeping Nick out of the car in Brazil.