Vitaly Petrov sticks with Lotus Renault GP until 2012

Lotus Renault GP has announced that the team has reached an agreement to extend Vitaly Petrov’s link until the 2012 season. He joins Robert Kubica on the team’s lineup for 2011.

Gérard Lopez, Chairman of Lotus Renault GP, commented: “We’re delighted to have Vitaly on board for another two years. Last season, he showed on several occasions that he clearly has the potential to deliver. It was just a matter of putting everything together during the same weekend, race after race, and this will be his target for 2011.”

Lopez also states that thanks to Russian driver his home country has progressively opened its doors to Formula 1. The team has managed to establish close links to the country and some of its biggest companies.

Lotus Renault GP Team Principal Eric Boullier says that the team will count on him to improve on a promising 2010 season. “The entire team has been working flat out over the past months to improve our competitiveness, and a stable driver line-up is essential to achieving our targets. Robert Kubica provides a remarkable benchmark for both speed and consistency, and we are certain that Vitaly will move closer to this level of performance next year,” commented Boullier.

“I am very happy to continue with the team and proud to be representing Lotus Renault GP for the 2011 and 2012 seasons. I learned a lot about the sport, the circuits and the car this year. That will help me improve even more in the future. I am very excited about working with this great team once more, and I’m confident that I will deliver. In many ways, 2010 was about learning. 2011 will be about performing. Today, I feel I am ready to rise to this challenge,” said Vitaly Petrov.

After receiving the trust from Lotus Renault GP Petrov says that he is feeling great. He explained that throughout the 2010 season he learned very much and he hopes to comeback stronger for 2011 and to be able to repay the faith the team has shown in him.

Vitaly Petrov’s goals for the 2011 season are clear: “My objective is to continue improving as a driver and to become more consistent. There were times this year when I made mistakes and lost points, and I know this is where I can improve. I think I showed that I have the speed, but I need to be consistent over the whole weekend and get the maximum from every session.”