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Petrov tired of being Lotus Renault scapegoat
Published: 17 November, 2011, 18:31
Edited: 18 November, 2011, 03:44
Lotus Renault GP's Russian driver Vitaly Petrov (AFP Photo / Dimitar Dilkoff)
TAGS: Scandal, Formula 1, Petrov
Vitaly Petrov’s communication with the media will be limited after the first Russian in F1 said in an interview that he has had enough of his Lotus Renault team putting all the blame for poor results on the drivers.
Lotus Renault, who started the season with Petrov’s podium in Australia, now find themselves struggling for places in the Top 10. And the Russian says he keeps questioning his team about this downfall.
“We looked very strong during the first five or six races of the season,” he told Rossiya 2 channel. “We couldn’t compete with Ferrari, Red Bull or McLaren, but we were a lot faster than Mercedes.”
But then, according to Petrov, there were no improvements in his racing car because all the new parts just didn’t fit, while all of his rivals were moving forward.
“For the last ten races we’ve had nothing,” the 27-year-old stressed. “We’re driving practically the same car as at the beginning of the season.”
Petrov says the Lotus Renault team should acknowledge they weren’t at their best for many of this year’s races.
“Read my interviews, I never criticize the team, which lost so much on pit-stops and tactics,” he noted. “We’ve lost ten or more races because of this. Even without having a fast car, we still could’ve earned good points if we only had a good strategy.”
“I couldn’t say in the interviews that we lost because of the pits. I still can’t speak about it now, but I just can’t keep silent anymore,” the driver added.
Despite being quite slow in the track, Lotus Renault wasted no time in reacting to Petrov’s words as the Russian’s communication with the media is going to be limited from now on.
“This year both sides pitched it strong – from time to time the team wasn’t speaking flatteringly of their drivers, and this time Vitaly also crossed the line in his last television interview with Rossiya 2. I have to admit it," Oksana Kosachenko, Petrov’s mamager, told RIA-Novosti news agency. "Some steps on the matter have already been taken. The team’s management decided to limit Vitaly Petrov’s communication with the media."
Petrov, who last finished in points three races ago in Japan, currently sits ninth in the drivers’ championship, with 39 points in the bag.
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no-one
Quote - "What was the chances of driving a F1 car for Petrov if he didn't pay the Renault the millions of sponsorship money?"
If he (his sponsors) pays he has the right to demand or complain. Hasn't he?
Regards
It is probable that Renault has got it totally wrong this time but I think Vitaly Petrov is not the one to point it. A paid driver? What was the chances of driving a F1 car for Petrov if he didn't pay the Renault the millions of sponsorship money?
He would never ever become a F1 driver.
Petrov is in some respects a terrible driver. The team has every right to blame the drivers as he has made some horrendous mistakes which has resulted in his car flying across the track. He is a danger to himself and all the other drivers on the track. The fact he is getting his seat paid for by some Russian group or other is disgusting, pay to drive should be banned under the premise that it does not enhance competition and does not put the best drivers forward which is what the fans expect.
All I can say is that I'd expect Raikonnen or Kubica to be further up the track than Petrov in any other team I would've expected him to be booted by now. Senna has more points than him and if he gets the drivers seat next year it will be trouble.