Raikkonen return could push Petrov to Lotus
The big news in F1 this week was team boss Eric Boullier's claim that 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen, who moved from Ferrari to rallying this year, has enquired about driving for Renault next season.
Renault was already looking at its options for 2011, given that Vitaly Lopez's presence has not resulted in an influx of Russian sponsors.
Also questionable has been the rookie's performances, where despite a run of better results at recent events, Petrov notably struggled at Monza last weekend.
"I doubt Monza is the place where he has done enough to justify his seat next year," Lopez, boss of Renault's Luxembourg based majority owners Genii Capital, is quoted by Press Association.
At the same time, he admits there are "a lot of drivers" knocking on the door for 2011, Lopez said.
"If we weren't to keep Vitaly, we've options, both people who are in formula one and people who left and would be happy to come back.
"When you are lucky enough to have a seat nobody wanted last year and everybody wants this year, you take your time," he added.
"But for now Vitaly is our second driver and we are trying to do everything we can to make sure he stays our second driver."
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| Largely unknown Petrov has opened more than few eyes in the F1 paddock |
09/14/10 (GMM) If Vitaly Petrov loses his Renault seat at the end of the season, he might still be on the 2011 formula one grid.
French commentator Jean-Louis Moncet, with a column in Auto Plus, writes that Monza and Singapore were earmarked as critical weekends for the Russian rookie.
He had a fairly poor weekend at Monza, but when speaking to reporters on Thursday, he insisted he will still be in the paddock in one year.
"I will be in F1 in 2011," said Petrov.
"Hopefully, when I come here next year I won't need to learn anything," he then said after finishing 13th at Monza.
Moncet said that if team boss Eric Boullier decides to replace Petrov, he may be offloaded to Lotus, who will almost certainly be powered by Renault engines next year.
Reports on Tuesday indicate that Kimi Raikkonen has approached Renault about driving alongside Robert Kubica in 2011.
"Would be brilliant," wrote Telegraph correspondent Tom Cary on Twitter. "F1 richer for his presence, although he says nothing."