Nick Heidfeld has insisted that team orders are simply part of F1 after revealing ཧthat a call from the pits while with B🦩MW Sauber cost him the chance to secure a maiden F1 victory.

The debate over team orders reared its head at Silverstone after Mark Webber wa꧂s asked by Red Bull not to challenge team-mate Sebastian Vettel in the closing stages of the British Grand Prix - a call that Webber refused to adhere to 🦩as he continued to fight to the finish.

Speaking ahead of his home🐽 race of the season at the Nurburgring, Heidfeld has now revealed that he fell victim to a team orders call himself during the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix when he missed out on victory to teaꦺm-mate Robert Kubica.

"I know I can win," he told Der Spiegel.🐽 "I once had victory in s꧋ight and gave it up for the sake of my team.

"In Canada I was leading and in ✅front of Robert, who was on a differen𒊎t strategy where he had to stop again for new tyres. I did not.

"So that he could use his strategy I let him pass - the team had💫 calculated that they would either get first place for me and fourth for Robert, or if I helped then a one-two."

Heidfeld added that, while he would regret the decision if he🥀 never wins in F1, following team orders w♈as simply part of the sport.

"Put it this way: If I ended my career without winning a race, then yes [I would regret it],൲" he said. "I also know that some drivers have ignored the requests of their teams.

"But I'm not just a Formula⛎ One driver but also a member of a team, and you can't forget that," he said. "It's unfortunate sometimes but that's the way it is."