It's official. After a week of speculations, Renault made a formal announcement that Nick Heidfeld will replace the injured Robert Kubica for the 2011 F1 season.Renault was left searching for a new driver after Kubica suffered terrible injuries in a rally accident and has undergone a series of operations that apparently would sideline him for the most if not the whole F1 season.
Among others candidates for the position, Nico Hulkenberg was committed already to Force India and Tonio Liuzzi was rumoured to be the preferred choice of Kubica. Renault's primary reserve driver B.Senna was also a strong candidate but Heidfeld's experience and his recent testing performance were the main reasons for his selection.
Nick Heidfeld who had been Kubica's team-mate at Sauber BMW in the past, and a Pirreli tester, commented about Renault's decision.
"I would have liked to come back to Formula One in different circumstances, but I'm proud to have been given this chance. Everything has happened so quickly, but I've been very impressed by what I have seen so far in terms of the facilities and the dedication of the people at Enstone. I really enjoyed the test last week in Jerez and I've already settled in well with the guys at the track. I've a good feeling for the car, which is quite innovative. I'm extremely motivated and can't wait for the season to begin."
Renault team principal Eric Boullier claimed he had no doubts about Heidfeld.
"The team has been through a very difficult couple of weeks and we had to react quickly. We gave Nick a chance in Jerez last week and he really impressed us. He's quick, experienced and is very strong technically with his feedback and understanding of the car.
We always said the priority was to have an experienced driver in the car and we feel he is the ideal man for the job. "We are pleased to welcome Nick to the team and look forward to a strong start to the season with him and Vitaly [Petrov] in Bahrain [next month]."
B. Senna expressed no disappointment about the fact that he wasn't chosen although he has been named team's primary reserve driver.
"The team was looking for an experienced guy to replace the main driver ... among the options, Heidfeld was the logical choice because of his experience of more than 10 years in Formula One, and the role he played with the development of the current Pirelli tyres. I was happy with the chance I got [at Jerez]. Now, I hope to help the team as much as I can this year."
