Adapted from GMM
Nick Heidfeld could be selected to drive in injured Robert Kubica's place this season, according to a German report.
Lotus-sponsored Renault has already announced that German Heidfeld, 33, will be testing at Jerez this weekend "to evaluate Nick Heidfeld, who is a potential replacement for Robert Kubica as a race driver" for car number 9.
A Renault source told Bild: "(Vitaly) Petrov is relatively inexperienced. In order to exhaust the full potential of the car, we definitely need a strong and experienced man. And the team has already been talking with Heidfeld in the past years."
Indeed, Nick Heidfeld was a contender for the race seat alongside Kubica this year, as Renault earlier considered ousting Petrov.
A spokesman told DPA news agency that it would be "inappropriate" to take a decision "while Kubica is still in intensive care".
And it is still rumoured that Tonio Liuzzi could be called up for an evaluation for the Barcelona test.
"We must wait for the Jerez tests now, and thankfully the Barcelona ones too," confirmed team owner Gerard Lopez.
Referring to Nick Heidfeld specifically, he added: "We all know that Nick is rather good, but we don't know what level he is in now, we don't know how he does with our car. Same goes for Vitantonio Liuzzi, same goes - I don't know - for Bruno Senna, who last year was in a team with a car that could do nothing."
Nico Hulkenberg's manager Willi Weber, however, is convinced: "Nick Heidfeld is going to race," he is quoted by Auto Motor und Sport.
Mercedes' motor racing boss Norbert Haug told the same magazine that, due to the German marque not having a race seat to offer, he will not stand in Heidfeld's way.
"If Nick has the opportunity to race somewhere, we are the last ones to throw stones in his path," he said.
Nick Heidfeld could be selected to drive in injured Robert Kubica's place this season, according to a German report.
Lotus-sponsored Renault has already announced that German Heidfeld, 33, will be testing at Jerez this weekend "to evaluate Nick Heidfeld, who is a potential replacement for Robert Kubica as a race driver" for car number 9.
A Renault source told Bild: "(Vitaly) Petrov is relatively inexperienced. In order to exhaust the full potential of the car, we definitely need a strong and experienced man. And the team has already been talking with Heidfeld in the past years."
Indeed, Nick Heidfeld was a contender for the race seat alongside Kubica this year, as Renault earlier considered ousting Petrov.
A spokesman told DPA news agency that it would be "inappropriate" to take a decision "while Kubica is still in intensive care".
And it is still rumoured that Tonio Liuzzi could be called up for an evaluation for the Barcelona test.
"We must wait for the Jerez tests now, and thankfully the Barcelona ones too," confirmed team owner Gerard Lopez.
Referring to Nick Heidfeld specifically, he added: "We all know that Nick is rather good, but we don't know what level he is in now, we don't know how he does with our car. Same goes for Vitantonio Liuzzi, same goes - I don't know - for Bruno Senna, who last year was in a team with a car that could do nothing."
Nico Hulkenberg's manager Willi Weber, however, is convinced: "Nick Heidfeld is going to race," he is quoted by Auto Motor und Sport.
Mercedes' motor racing boss Norbert Haug told the same magazine that, due to the German marque not having a race seat to offer, he will not stand in Heidfeld's way.
"If Nick has the opportunity to race somewhere, we are the last ones to throw stones in his path," he said.