Heidfeld says row damaging Formula 1

"I think now it's starting to be in a phase where it damages F1," Heidfeld told reporters at Silverstone. "There are so many people I speak to who just don't like it.

"Up to a point it is understandable that there are different points of view, but I think if it continues for longer it will damage the sport."

He added: "Obviously I try to watch it. It's not easy because sometimes there is news every couple of hours. It's obviously very interesting but it's very difficult to know what's really going on - what's shown in the front and what's going on in the background.

"I think at the moment nobody really knows what's going to happen. For me, I don't really expect anything. I hope they will find a solution by tomorrow but I wouldn't be surprised by anything."

When asked if he would follow BMW into a breakaway championship or stay in a Formula 1 without major manufacturers, the German admitted it would not be an easy decision to make.

"Well, first of all I cannot tell you exactly what my contractual situation is," he said. "And secondly I would have to first of all look at exactly what was going to happen - which teams would participate in which series, and a couple of other things.

"This is not so easy to answer. As I already said at the last grand prix, the normal target of all the racing drivers is to be in the highest series with the best teams and the best drivers. So most likely wherever that is, if you can make a clear decision that's where I want to be."

Heidfeld suggested, however, that a new championship with the car makers would probably be the strongest one, and that he would like to be in it.

The BMW Sauber driver is optimistic that a solution to the current row can still be found.

"If you make it very dependent on the word 'F1', then yes," he said when asked if he was worried politicis ruining F1.

"But if you speak about the highest series rather than F1, then a bit less so, because if the manufacturers go into another series it could be very strong as well, even if it was not labelled F1.

"But my hope is still that they will find a solution by tomorrow. I have the feeling that there will not be another deadline, but who knows.

"Hopefully by tomorrow at least we will know what's going to happen, because what I find... let's say 'interesting'... is that so many more people I speak to now, just normal people that I meet, really are fed up with this.

"It's not only in Formula 1 that we want to have a result. It seems like nobody on the outside can stand it anymore. It's just too extreme."