Thi𒉰s year is Nick Heidfeld's final chance to really make his mark in Formula 1 and stake his claim to an extended future at the very front of the sport - that is the view of former gran💖d prix ace-turned-expert commentator Hans-Joachim Stuck.

The experienced German - a man with more than 150 grand prix starts now under his belt - struggled to match𝓡 highly-rated young BMW-Sauber team-mate Robert Kubica for the majority of 2008, as he failed to adequately adapt his driving style to Bridgestone's new Potenza tyres to wring a decent qualifying lap out of them.

That all-too often left the man from M?nchengladbach down the grid and 🐟consequently at an instant disadvantage come race day, and though he only ultimately trailed Kubica by two positions and 15 points in the drivers' standings comeᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ the end of last season, the general feeling within the F1 paddock is that Heidfeld was lucky to hang onto his drive at the Munich and Hinwil-based outfit for a fourth consecutive campaign in the top flight.

However, despite his more encouraging end to 2008, the 31-year-old again languished in qualifying for the꧟ first race of 2009, the Austr🏅alian Grand Prix in Melbourne last weekend. Prior to the penalties meted out to Toyota duo Timo Glock and Jarno Trulli, he had placed only eleventh - a full seven spots behind Kubica - and after sustaining damage to his F1.09 in the first corner m?l?e, he went on to take the chequered flag a lowly tenth on the Sunday.

"If he is not really up there with Kubica this year, then it would surprise me a lot if he gets another contract," compatriot Stuck - a man who had close links with BMW throughout his career - told spox.com, hinting that should 'Quick Nick's' performances not start living up to his moniker a little more, then the elev🎃en-ti♛me podium-finisher 'could lose his seat'.