By Jamie Makin
May 30 2005

BMW will hold a board meeting tomorrow to discuss the situation regarding supplying engines to SAUBER and possibly purchasing the whole team. They will also discuss whether their status of their relationship with the Williams team. One thing that looks certain regardless of the outcome of that meeting is that German Nick Heidfeld will remain with one of the BMW powered teams. BMW were the ones responsible for pursuading Williams to consider Heidfeld for this season. After a lot of hesitation, they signed him to a one year deal.

Thus far Heidfeld has outperformed his highly-rated teammate, Mark Webber. Both BMW and Williams have sung praises to his help in developing the FW27. He scored his first pole at last weekend's European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring and has stood on the podium three times so far this season. But the implication at Williams is that Heidfeld will be the one to get the boot at year's end should BAR Honda's Jenson Button join the team.

The likely outcome for Heidfeld is to return to SAUBER next season assuming BMW at least supplies them engines. Heidfeld raced for SAUBER previously from 2001 through 2003 and considered by Peter Sauber again for this season before he signed Jacques Villeneuve. If Heidfeld returns to SAUBER, it is almost certain that Felipe Massa will be the one departing despite his strong performances this season. It is not clear where Massa could end up, although he has always been linked with Ferrari.