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Heidfeld at the top of the list - Renault

ESPNF1 Staff
February 11, 2011 « Walker: Ecclestone 'offended' over Australian GP | »
Nick Heidfeld will get the Renault drive if he proves himself at Jerez © Getty Images
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Eric Boullier has confirmed that Nick Heidfeld is the first in line to replace the injured Robert Kubica this season, but hasn't ruled out Pedro de la Rosa and Tonio Liuzzi completely.

Heidfeld will test the Renault R31 at Jerez over the weekend and Boullier will make a decision based on his performance.

"This year, with so much new with the car, we cannot risk going with a young driver," he is quoted by Auto Motor und Sport. "Experience will be vitally important, so there aren't too many candidates. [Heidfeld] 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."

He told Marca: "We are in talks with de la Rosa, Liuzzi and Heidfeld."

He also explained that Bruno Senna will drive the R31 at Jerez in order to cement his role as 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," added Boullier. "Romain Grosjean is currently racing in the GP2 Asia series in Abu Dhabi. 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."

He said Kubica, who can move the fingers on his right rand but faces four hours of further surgery on Friday, was keen to know the team's plans and all the latest news from the test.

"He was asking about GP2 and Formula One and joking as usual," Boullier said. "He wants to know the results of the tests, so we will give him all the data of Jerez on Monday."

And the Renault boss revealed he would not be changing his policy on drivers' activities away from Formula One.

"No, we are not changing," said the Frenchman. "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."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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