F1 bosses play down d’Ambrosio axe reports

F1 bosses John Booth and Eric Boullier have played down reports Jerome d’Ambrosio is set to lose his race seat at Virgin.

Boullier, Renault team principal and also in charge of Belgian d’Ambrosio’s management outfit Gravity, said on Tuesday that Virgin is becoming "impatient" as the 25-year-old driver’s sponsors refuse to pay up.

But in response to the subsequent reports, Virgin’s British boss Booth told La Derniere Heure that d’Ambrosio is contracted through to the end of 2011.

"Since the beginning of the season Jerome has done a fantastic job and if his contract will be respected, there is no reason to replace him," he said.

At the same time, Boullier tempered his own claim that Virgin will "very clearly" replace d’Ambrosio if the current situation goes on.

"I did not want to drop a bomb, I just wanted to press the alarm," said the Frenchman.

"Jerome’s place at Virgin is guaranteed until the end of the season," he insisted.