Renault clarify Kubica situation

Eric Boullier took responsibility for the wording of the press release

By Franck Drui

26 November 2011 - 11:10
Renault clarify Kubica situation

After several days of claim and counter claim, Lotus-Renault team principal Eric Boullier has attempted to draw a line under his team’s future relationship with Robert Kubica.

On Wednesday a statement assumed to be jointly issued by Robert Kubica and the Renault team suggested the Pole would not be fit to start the 2012 season. On Thursday the story took a twist with Kubica’s manager Daniele Morelli said the statement misinterpreted the position, claiming that his charge had only said he could not be certain of being fit for the beginning of pre-season testing.

Further, Morelli pointed out that his client’s contract with Renault expires at the end of this year, and that the Enstone-based team had no future claim on Kubica’s services. Yesterday in the official FIA press conference, Boullier clarified his position.

“The situation is quite clear,” he said. “We have a contract with Robert until the end of this year, terminating this year. This is why we are using our channel for the communication with him and we agree with his manager, Daniele Morelli, to issue a press release before this week, which was entirely approved by both parties before being released. The choice of the wording is my responsibility and I think the message was clear. We have waited for Robert. We would like Robert to be back.

“He informed us that, unfortunately, he would not be able to be at the first test, which means he will not be able to start the season for me, so that’s it. I think the issue came up that some translation maybe was wrongly done in the far East of Europe and the message was really that he would not be able to be back in 2012 which is not the message at all. The message was clear. He will not be at the start of the season, or the test if you want, but he may come back next year.

”

Renault, which will be renamed Lotus next year, currently have Vitaly Petrov and Bruno Senna driving for them, with Romain Grosjean testing on Friday mornings. The teams have not announced its driver line-up for 2012 yet. On that subject Boullier said: “It is a company decision now, it’s a board decision, so the board will take the decision.”

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