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Renault rubbishes Kubica FP1 rumours

Renault has rubbished suggestions that it is lining up Robert Kubica for a free practice outing later this year, amid doubts over Jolyon Palmer’s future within the outfit.

Robert Kubica, Renault F1 Team

Robert Kubica, Renault F1 Team

Renault F1

Cyril Abiteboul, Managing Director, Renault Sport F1 Team, in the Team Principals' Press Conference
Robert Kubica, Renault F1 Team
Robert Kubica, Renault F1 Team
Robert Kubica, Renault F1 Team
Robert Kubica, Renault F1 Team

A recent test that Kubica did for the team, that left the outfit hugely impressed, has prompted rumours that the Pole could be in the frame for further running in the future - and that he could even do a free practice session at the Italian GP.

But Renault F1 managing director Cyril Abiteboul has said claims that Kubica will drive in Monza were well wide of the mark and that there were no plans for further running for him beyond an appearance at Goodwood next month.

“No, absolutely not,” said Abiteboul about suggestions Kubica could drive on Friday at the Italian Grand Prix. “I don’t know where this is coming from and I can completely wipe that one out.

“Also I would to make it clear that I guess the questions are unconnected – the question regarding Jo and the question regarding Robert. Robert has been a family member of the Enstone team, and Eric [Boullier] on my right knows what I mean. He has been very close and very loyal.

“The team in Enstone, which is a very small group of people, actually have been very loyal to a number of drivers. In particular Robert made a huge impression on people who’ve been around, Alan Permane, Bob Bell, Ricardo [Penteado] on the Viry side.

"People feel very loyal and feel they owe something to Robert for making something big in their life and there was this opportunity that we give to him, that we could afford to him to drive again, because it was actually a marketing event that got cancelled, so we had a car available at the track and we offered that opportunity to him.

“Robert is going through some form of programme to try to understand what he can do. He has been driving a number of cars, Formula E, GP3, F2, LMP2, you name it, so I think he wants to understand what he can do as part of his sort of rehabilitation programme. We’ll see.

“There is nothing else that is planned for the time being, apart from a marketing event at Goodwood, where he will be driving the same car, E20, in front of Lord March’s house.”

Abiteboul added that the team was doing all it could to help Palmer turn things around, and insisted there was no deadline to show he was making progress.

“He [Palmer] has a contract with us; we are completely committed to helping him get through the period, which is a tough period, that’s obvious,” added Abiteboul. “He has no ultimatum, but having said that, he has to deliver, like every single member of the team.

“We are trying our best to protect him but at the same time to do the best as a team to explain to him what we are expecting and we had that type of conversation with him [on Thursday] – go through the metrics and try to define the targets short to medium terms so that he can improve. So that’s the situation really.”

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