BMW Sauber F1's Nick Heidfeld will compete at the German Grand Prix this weekend, the latest rouꦇnd in the 2009 FIA F1 World Championship, with a special helꦰmet design.

H꧙eidfeld, who has struggled this year with the woefully uncompetitive BMW Sauber F1.09, often opts for a 'make over' for his home race and this year's event at the Nurburgring won't be a♌ny exception.

Heidfeld will also be hoping that the series of mechanical improvements the te🎀am is taking to the event, as well as a further developed version of the double-decker diffuser, will allow him to challenge a bit further up the field.

Indeed while he has scored points this season, taking a second place finish at the rain-affected Malaysian GP and a seventh in Spain, that is as good as ꦅit has got ♒and last time out the British Grand Prix was disastrous - as he only qualified 15th and was only 15th in the race itself too.

Nick though🦩 is still looking forward to racing at home and says that it will give him a boost: "A lot of fans and fan club members traditionally come to my home race. That is something I really enjoy and it gives me an extra shot of motivation," he confirmed.

"I will also once again be lining up for my home race with a special helmet design. This year it has been created by a fan on my website, and he w🧜ill present me with the helmet be♎fore the start of practice on Friday.

"It goes without saying that our verdict on the season at the half-way point is anything but positive, especially when you compare our res💝ults so far with our aims going into the season.

"Of course I hope we 🃏will make improvement🔯s, and that's what everybody in the team is working to achieve."

Asked about the circuit itself, it is clea𒐪r Heidfeld is a fan of both the new Nurburgring and the legendary Nordschleife.

"I have many happy memories of the Nurburgring," he continued. "I went there a lot with my parents when I was a child and the 'Ring is only an hour away from my home tow🐟n of M?nchengladbach.

"In winter we went sledging on the Hohe Acht slopes, I learnt to ride a bicycle at the Nurburgring and this was also where I sat in 𝔉a kart for the first time - with a tyre and a blanket wedged behind my ꧟back so that I could reach the pedals.

"Since then I've competed in races at ♉the 'Rin💖g in Formula Ford, Formula 3 and Formula 3000 and celebrated many victories there.

"My bꦺest Nurburgring result in F1 was in 2005 when I took pole position and finished second in the race itself."

Meanwhile Robert Kubi𝔉ca is also hoping that the BMW Sauber F1 team can show some progress at the 'Ring - although unlike his team-mate, he doesn't actually like the 5.148 kilometre circuit very much.

"The Nurburgring is the team's home race. Even ♎though this season has not gone well for us so far, there will be a lot of BMW Sauber F1 Team fans there crossing the🧸ir fingers for us. This is just the right time to put in a strong performance and record a good result," added the Pole.

"However, I have to admit that the track itself is not one of my favourites. Having said that, it does have a big variety of corners and also opportunities to overtake. The best of these is in the first corner, ♈where you 🎉can take various different lines.

"So I expect we'll see more passing moves again at the Nurburgring and 𒀰hopefully enjoy an exciting race."