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There was much to think about once the dust had settled at the end of the Australian Grand Prix, but one of the most impressive performances in a race where some drivers excelled and others flunked out was that of Nick Heidfeld.
From ninth on the grid, the German made a steady start, and then stunned the opposition by staying out as everyone else made their first pitstop. When he finally came in on lap 25 (four after winner Fernando Alonso), he dropped only to fourth, and in a normal race Juan Pablo Montoya's subsequent retirement should have put him on the podium.
In fact, like Honda, BMW-Sauber were among those suffering most with the tyre temperature issue, and Heidfeld lost ground badly at the restarts following the safety car periods. In the end, Toyota's Ralf Schumacher got ahead, and Nick had to settle for fourth, while sixth for teammate Jacques Villeneuve - on one-stop from near the back of the grid - was a useful bonus.
