Adapted from GMM
Now that Robert Kubica is safe, time has come for Lotus Renault to select a driver for this season.
Earlier, medical specialists had predicted a one-year recovery from the Pole's multiple rally crash injuries, cautioning that athletes often heal much faster.
"At the moment it's hard to predict. He's not coming back for the next three months, but to say six months or more would be purely speculative," answered Renault team boss Eric Boullier when asked about 26-year-old Kubica's expected recovery time by Auto Motor und Sport.
Eric Boullier said Robert Kubica has been making "surprisingly rapid progress" this week, can move the fingers on his injured right hand and will be under the knife for a further five hours on Friday for work on his elbow and shoulder.
"He was asking about GP2 and formula one and joking as usual. He wants to know the results of the tests, so we will give him all the data of Jerez on Monday," said Boullier, recalling his most recent visit with the Pole.
Eric Boullier admits Robert Kubica's convalescence is a "heavy blow" to Renault, but he vowed not to bow to pressure and prevent the team's drivers from participating in dangerous extra-curricular hobbies from now on.
"No, we are not changing. Robert is a racer, I'm a racer. If we had banned rally driving and karting, he would not have been happy. The driver is the most useful when they feel comfortable with the team. Absolutely. Up until the corner where he had his crash, Robert was a happy man," said Eric Boullier.
For the first time Eric Boullier named Pedro de la Rosa as a potential replacement for Renault's injured regular Robert Kubica.
"We are in talks with de la Rosa, Liuzzi and Heidfeld," team boss Boullier is quoted as saying by Marca sports newspaper in Spain.
He told Auto Motor und Sport: "This year, with so much new with the car, we cannot risk going with a young driver. Experience will be vitally important, so there aren't too many candidates."
The Frenchman said Nick Heidfeld is the favourite.
"He will be driving on Saturday and Sunday for a day and a half. If we think he is our man then he will also be at the next test in Barcelona. If not, then we would have to try one of the other drivers. Barcelona is our absolute deadline, as by then we need to know who will be racing our car," said Eric Boullier, referring to Pedro de la Rosa and Vitantonio Liuzzi.
He explained that Bruno Senna will also drive the R31 at Jerez in order to be the main reserve driver for 2011.
"If something else happens (to the race drivers), I want a driver who has already been in the car. If this (Kubica's crash) had happened in the middle of the season, then we could have taken the chance of a young driver. But we need to develop this car from scratch with someone experienced," Eric Boullier insisted.
"On paper, the ideal replacement for Robert is Heidfeld," he is just quoted in French by sport24.com.
Now that Robert Kubica is safe, time has come for Lotus Renault to select a driver for this season.
Earlier, medical specialists had predicted a one-year recovery from the Pole's multiple rally crash injuries, cautioning that athletes often heal much faster.
"At the moment it's hard to predict. He's not coming back for the next three months, but to say six months or more would be purely speculative," answered Renault team boss Eric Boullier when asked about 26-year-old Kubica's expected recovery time by Auto Motor und Sport.
Eric Boullier said Robert Kubica has been making "surprisingly rapid progress" this week, can move the fingers on his injured right hand and will be under the knife for a further five hours on Friday for work on his elbow and shoulder.
"He was asking about GP2 and formula one and joking as usual. He wants to know the results of the tests, so we will give him all the data of Jerez on Monday," said Boullier, recalling his most recent visit with the Pole.
Eric Boullier admits Robert Kubica's convalescence is a "heavy blow" to Renault, but he vowed not to bow to pressure and prevent the team's drivers from participating in dangerous extra-curricular hobbies from now on.
"No, we are not changing. Robert is a racer, I'm a racer. If we had banned rally driving and karting, he would not have been happy. The driver is the most useful when they feel comfortable with the team. Absolutely. Up until the corner where he had his crash, Robert was a happy man," said Eric Boullier.
For the first time Eric Boullier named Pedro de la Rosa as a potential replacement for Renault's injured regular Robert Kubica.
"We are in talks with de la Rosa, Liuzzi and Heidfeld," team boss Boullier is quoted as saying by Marca sports newspaper in Spain.
He told Auto Motor und Sport: "This year, with so much new with the car, we cannot risk going with a young driver. Experience will be vitally important, so there aren't too many candidates."
The Frenchman said Nick Heidfeld is the favourite.
"He will be driving on Saturday and Sunday for a day and a half. If we think he is our man then he will also be at the next test in Barcelona. If not, then we would have to try one of the other drivers. Barcelona is our absolute deadline, as by then we need to know who will be racing our car," said Eric Boullier, referring to Pedro de la Rosa and Vitantonio Liuzzi.
He explained that Bruno Senna will also drive the R31 at Jerez in order to be the main reserve driver for 2011.
"If something else happens (to the race drivers), I want a driver who has already been in the car. If this (Kubica's crash) had happened in the middle of the season, then we could have taken the chance of a young driver. But we need to develop this car from scratch with someone experienced," Eric Boullier insisted.
"On paper, the ideal replacement for Robert is Heidfeld," he is just quoted in French by sport24.com.