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Veteran driver Nick Heidfeld has said he hopes BMW Sauber's decision to continue pairing him with Robert Kubica for 2009 will lead to a shot at the title.

German Heidfeld has aspirations of winning the World Championship with the Munich-based outfit, but is also keen to bring the team success as he enters his third full season alongside Pole Kubica.

"I'm very pleased about this announcement and about the confidence that the team have shown in me," Heidfeld said.

"I've always said that I was happy to stay with BMW Sauber because we've managed to achieve what we set out to do at this stage - and I really hope that we will be battling it out for the title itself next year."

Despite racking up four second-place finishes this season and finishing in the points 10 times in 15 races, Heidfeld's position in the team had not been guaranteed due to fluctuating form, especially in qualifying.

Renault star Fernando Alonso and GP2 frontrunner Bruno Senna were among those tipped as potential partners for Kubica.

"There have been times this season when neither I nor the team could honestly say that we were satisfied with the way things were going, but we have always pulled together and come through," he added.

Heidfeld ranks second in the number of fastest laps this season and has impressed observers with his racecraft since finishing second to team-mate Kubica at the Canadian Grand Prix, racking up the third-highest points total in subsequent races.

"I am delighted that Nick will retain his seat with the BMW Sauber F1 team in 2009," his manager Andre Theuerzeit said.

"Nick has made a major and effective contribution to improving the team's performance over the past few years and, in the coming season, we intend to go one stage further towards achieving the ambitious targets we have set ourselves.

"The fact that Nick and BMW together are a 'well-oiled' and successful team has certainly been a major plus.

"This season has by no means been an easy one for Nick, and we have come in for some criticism at times. But, following the Canadian GP, Nick got down to some intensive work with the team to iron out the problems and his performance then improved.

"He engaged in some serious analysis and fought his way back into contention in a really impressive way.

"I am convinced that, as the season has progressed, Nick has got even stronger and the understanding he has with his engineers has become even deeper.

"Although it's too early to speculate about the impact any changes in the regulations may have, I think these are more likely to work to Nick's advantage.

"Next season, we can certainly expect great things from Nick and the BMW Sauber F1 team."

Crash.Net / Eurosport