Mar.21 (GMM) Nick Heidfeld is refusing to rule out the possibility of racing to his first grand prix victory in 2011.

After initially facing the prospect of a season on the sidelines, the formula one veteran is now at the wheel of the innovative R31 that originally was to be driven by injured regular Robert Kubica.

And given that 33-year-old Heidfeld has driven for grandee teams including Williams and BMW, amassing more than 170 races over more a decade, it is a significant piece of trivia that the quiet German is yet to win a single race.

"Naturally it would be beautiful," Heidfeld told Cologne publication Express when told that some pundits are predicting a Renault victory in 2011.

"It will happen if the car is good enough.

"The test phase was good for us, but we don't known whether it has been enough to win races," he added.

Teams including Williams, Sauber and Toro Rosso have also had impressive winters, but Fernando Alonso does not think there will be a range of surprise winners in 2011.

"The fight will be between Red Bull, McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari," he told Welt am Sonntag newspaper.

"We have new rules and tyres but I do not think we will have new winners, or a mix of teams that win or do big surprises on the grid.

"The races will have frequent pitstops and will probably be more spectacular, but at the end the names of the winners will be the same as in the previous year, as will the names of the teams in the midfield," the Spaniard predicted.

Latest F1 News - Mobile version

26 Feb: New Ferrari not quickest in field - Domenicali 26 Feb: Red Bull still best in 2013 - Tost 26 Feb: 2014 French grand prix 'possible' - Prost 26 Feb: Danica Patrick 'not interested' in F1 switch 26 Feb: Report - Gilles Simon working on F1 engine for Honda 26 Feb: Gutierrez plays down link to Carlos Slim 26 Feb: Caterham exhaust 'legal' insists van der Garde 26 Feb: McLaren replaces Mercedes-bound Lowe 25 Feb: 'Engine maps' trouble for Red Bull, Lotus - report 25 Feb: Mercedes-bound Lowe to miss 2013 opener - report 25 Feb: Mercedes 'in group of teams' behind Red Bull - Lauda 25 Feb: Gutierrez expects Hulkenberg to beat him early in 2013 25 Feb: New Ferrari 'much better' than 2012 - Massa 25 Feb: Teams 'will adapt' to new tyre situation - Gutierrez 25 Feb: Tight rules make today's F1 cars 'the same' - Forghieri 25 Feb: Williams removes controversial exhaust trick 25 Feb: Contract 'conflicts' cause of Marussia test snub - Razia 25 Feb: Lotus to fight Red Bull for title - Gutierrez 25 Feb: Marussia 'ahead of Caterham' - Chilton 25 Feb: Sutil will not stay in F1 as test driver The latest F1 News - Mobile Version