According to Germany's Auto Motor und Sport, it seems McLaren Mercedes now considers Nick Heidfeld as their potential test/reserve driver for the 2010 team. Present at Mercedes GP's car launch event at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh admitted his surprise over seeing the German veteran unsigned for the 2010 season.
“We think of Nick very highly, and are surprised that within the German media he is perhaps not so highly considered,” said the McLaren boss, who also admitted that Heidfeld was on the list of drivers desired by his team to partner Lewis Hamilton in 2010. In the meantime, however, the Jenson Button opportunity appeared and Heidfeld was no longer a solution.
With Pedro de la Rosa out to Sauber F1 Team for a racing seat in 2010, McLaren were forced to make a quick decision on who to replace the Spaniard for the Valencia testing. Since the preparations for the DTM season are still to begin, Paffett agreed to help out his former team, but it's unlikely that the British driver would commit to a reserve role with McLaren.
And that's because the former DTM champion will be staying with Mercedes' works team in the German series this year, so his schedule will make it impossible for him to attend all the F1 grands prix through 2010.
Heidfeld, on the other hand, is also regarded as a possibility for Mercedes GP in terms of their test/reserve position, with the Brackley based team yet to announce a racer for that role. The team was supposed to confirm the move on Monday, during their presentation event in Stuttgart, but the story is more likely to find its ending in the upcoming few days.
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