Nick Heidfeld set to replace Pedro de la Rosa at Sauber

Nick Heidfeld set to replace Pedro de la Rosa at Sauber German veteran Nick Heidfeld is tipped to replace Spaniard Pedro de la Rosa at Sauber for the rest of the season.De la Rosa, 39, returned from a test role for the first time since 2006 to satisfy a desire to race again. But his season has not gone to plan and he has scored only six points to team-mate Kamui Kobayashi's 21. Kobayashi has already been signed for 2011. A Sauber spokesman said: "[Team principal] Peter Sauber is not making comments about drivers at this time."De la Rosa was unavailable for comment but he admitted to BBC Sport as long ago as June that he was looking at his options for next season.Heidfeld has driven for Sauber, in one of its guises, for a total of seven years and is expected to rejoin them for the remaining five races of the season, starting at the Singapore Grand Prix on 26 September. He raced for Sauber from 2001-3 and was at BMW Sauber, after the team were bought by the German car giant, throughout their existence in F1 from 2006-9. His best result is second place and he holds the record for scoring most points without a win. Heidfeld, 33, started this season as the test and reserve driver for Mercedes but left the team in August to become the test driver for tyre company Pirelli as it prepares to replace Bridgestone as F1's supplier in 2011. He has done two extensive tests for Pirelli, which is well advanced in designing its new F1 tyres, and it is understood he has now extricated himself from those commitments.