Vitaly Petrov says Renault are more prepared to listen to him than they were during his rookie season last year.
Speaking ahead of the European Grand Prix he said: “Last year, obviously, it was difficult for me because I had a lot of mistakes and people didn’t respect me a lot.
“Because we had Robert Kubica in the team and I was like black horses on the team! For me it was difficult to ask for changes because there would not trust me one hundred percent.
“But, this year, I showed them, I proved that my pace can be good and I can still fight for points, sometimes even the podium.”
He added the team have potential to perform better over the coming races:
“We need just some luck, we need to have less mistakes overall, in general, me and the team, and we can do it, we can win.”
2011 European Grand Prix
Image © Renault/LAT
Polishboy808 (@polishboy808)
23rd June 2011, 17:17
Woah there Vitaly, lets not get too far ahead of our selves there. I think your still a good few seasons from winning anything. However it its true that this season he’s preformed much better than last year. I think much of that has to do with there not being so much stress put on him, as Robert isn’t there. If Robert was there though, I think we’d see an only marginally better Petrov this year.
BasCB (@bascb)
23rd June 2011, 19:16
Ah, finally the black avatar is gone, like that.
I agree with you, that not having the stress of the highly regarded Kubica combined with Petrov now having a bit more experience make it easier for him.
Polishboy808 (@polishboy808)
23rd June 2011, 20:27
Haha, yeah Ive tried several times to get it up and finally it worked! Theres a lot going in it though, hard to see what it is.
BasCB (@bascb)
24th June 2011, 6:59
It is, is it an image from a racing game?
damonsmedley (@damonsmedley)
24th June 2011, 11:18
Could you tell us what it actually is? :P
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
24th June 2011, 1:41
Based on their relative performances this year, he stands a better chance of winning than Nick Heidfeld.
Last Pope Eye
24th June 2011, 6:12
agree
Electrolite
23rd June 2011, 17:22
Vitaly’s been pretty solid this year, the one word you wouldn’t have associated with him in 2010. I think the car itself is a lot different and better than last years, but also something shifted psychologically when Kubica pulled out. Whether he felt he took his place within the team I don’t know, but he’s doing a fine job.
Tango
23rd June 2011, 17:41
Until his accident, he seemed solid in Monaco. I haven’t seen Canada, but in all the races, he was really strong (even when he went flying in Malaysia) and fast. Really surprised by him. I was so negative with him at the end of last year when we had to give our impression on all drivers, I feel bad truth be told!
slr
23rd June 2011, 17:50
I think he well in Canada. He spent most the race behind Heidfeld before he retired, he got past Kobayashi after the sixth safety car (How? I don’t know, FOM didn’t show it). He finished fifth.
DryYoshi
23rd June 2011, 20:47
I caught a glimpse of Koba spinning after one of the restarts, so I guess thats why
TED BELL
23rd June 2011, 18:05
Renault will certainly raise their game and the whole team will become serious challengers if and when a healthy Kubica returns and with even more seat time Petrov should continue to show his talents. As of now I like what could be the surprise team of 2012.
The Last Pope
23rd June 2011, 20:05
I’m afraid the former Renault team will be a team on it’s way down the pecking order. I can see them having a very bad 2012 with the unfamilior cosworth engine and without a title sponsor. Kubica anouncing a move to a rival team midway though the season and the team being sold at the season end.
Thats what my crystal ball says anyway.
Jon
23rd June 2011, 20:43
Why won’t they have a title sponsor? If anything, they’ll be named after their current title sponsor when they finally sever the non-existent Renault link.
The Last Pope
24th June 2011, 1:58
Group Lotus is living on borrowed time. There will be a time when Proton says enough is enough. I feel that time is near.
Last Pope Eye
24th June 2011, 6:27
That is very possible..
Jon
24th June 2011, 7:25
Reading too much Joe Saward melts the brain.
The Last Pope
24th June 2011, 17:19
Haha Jon that may be true. His Lotus team switching concept is crazy. My crystal ball isn’t that weird.
BasCB (@bascb)
24th June 2011, 7:01
Yeah, a lot of team people are leaving since GenII took over, it will be hard to keep the momentum there.
And I agree with you, that Bahar can’t keep up the sponsorship for ever, with big hole he is digging for himself and Lotus Cars currently.
George (@george)
23rd June 2011, 18:12
I have to say Petrov’s performance this year has been a pleasant surprise, I didn’t rate him at all last year but now he’s really earning his place.
TFLB
23rd June 2011, 18:19
I felt so sorry for Petrov last year, as the team (and everyone else) kept criticizing him. I remember hearing at some time last year that he found a setup he liked and wanted him to continue using it, but the team forced him to use Kubica’s instead. I also somewhat suspect that their machinery was not always equal, although there is no solid evidence for that. Also he said that Kubica was not forthcoming with advice to improve his driving. When these things are taken into account, it doesn’t really paint a very favourable picture of either Renault or Kubica. It seems rather like a Massa – Alonso situation.
slr
23rd June 2011, 20:32
Why should Kubica help Petrov?
Icthyes (@icthyes)
23rd June 2011, 21:15
A strong #2 will take more points off of your rivals than he will take points off of you.
TFLB
23rd June 2011, 21:31
Because the more experienced driver should take it upon himself to share information with the rookie for the benefit of the team. Here Kubica just comes across as selfish.
Victor.
24th June 2011, 0:01
It’s not your job as a F1 driver to teach another F1 driver. You’re supposed to be at the top of your game when you enter the sport. He had Kubica’s telemetry available, that’s more than enough to be honest.
Tom
23rd June 2011, 22:56
I remember before preseason testing, Kubica joked that the only thing he learned from Petrov was how to crash.
TFLB
23rd June 2011, 23:07
As I said – Kubica doesn’t seem like a nice person when you look at the details. If you listened to some people, you’d think he was a saint who could do no wrong, both in terms of driving and personality.
Victor.
24th June 2011, 0:10
Even though I understand where you’re coming from, I also see why Kubica might have said that. As someone who has fought his way up through all ranks of single seaters without ever having any financial backing other than his father, it is easy to view Petrov as someone who’s only in the same garage because he has paid plenty to get a seat. You might think he’s a bit of a spoiled brat, especially when you hear him complaining that you don’t mentor him.
Fixy (@)
23rd June 2011, 18:53
Obviously.
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
23rd June 2011, 19:44
Makes you think though…I can’t see how Kubica could have actually done a significantly better job.
Petrov is 7th and a point behind an F150.
He has come on leaps and bounds this year.
The Last Pope
23rd June 2011, 20:10
+1
Kubica might have qualified higher but I think at the end of the races he would have ended up in roughly the same positions.
TFLB
23rd June 2011, 21:33
I’m glad some people think that. It’s tiresome when people say ‘imagine where Kubica would have been…’
Kirk
23rd June 2011, 21:42
Vitaly is making less mistakes, but the R31 is a top car, Kubica would be devastating in in it.
Todfod (@todfod)
23rd June 2011, 21:53
True. A lot of people say Kubica wouldn’t have done much better than Petrov this year. I think that is a load of BS, Kubica got 7 times the number of points Petrov got last year. Petrov has improved by a fair amount this year, but I’m pretty sure Kubica would be putting than Renault in a better position.
TFLB
23rd June 2011, 22:25
Completely unfounded speculation. Petrov proved last year that when he wasn’t making silly mistakes he could be almost as fast, sometimes as fast, and sometimes faster than Kubica. With more experience and the support of the team I can’t see that he’s doing any worse than Kubica would have.
Victor.
23rd June 2011, 23:59
The only time Petrov did better than Kubica was in Hungary and except for Abu Dhabi, he wasn’t anywhere close to Petrov. There were plenty of races where Petrov didn’t stick it into the wall and yet couldn’t match Kubica’s pace. That raw speed deficit was where Petrov’s mistakes were born.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
24th June 2011, 8:44
You’re forgetting Turkey as well. He held Alonso off for over thirty laps (really a prologue to Abu Dhabi; Alonso was a fool to forget it) until Alonso tagged him in the final laps and forced Petrov to pit for a new set of tyres. He got the fastest lap of the race as a consolation prize instead of a few more points he deserved for it.
Todfod (@todfod)
24th June 2011, 8:09
Petrov has only put in one strong performance this year – Australia. He has been nothing but average from the 2nd race of the season onwards.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
24th June 2011, 1:56
No, he wouldn’t be. Petrov has seen an incredible turn-about in form since last year. If he and Kubica were racing this year, Kubica would still be in front, but the gap between them would be considerably less than it was last year. Kubica would only dominate in it if he improved to the same measure that Petrov did. Which would be very difficult considering that Petrov has qualified in Q3 at every race this year (except Monaco), when he struggled to do it last year.
This is the one thing that irked me about Petrov’s performance in Melbourne. It was an absolutely brilliant drive, but afterwards, the blog was filled with comments like “Kubica would have won the race”. No, he wouldn’t have. The simple fact of the matter is that Kubica isn’t racing this year. And if he was, the distance between the Pole and the Russian would be considerably narrower. than it has been in the past
Neusalz (@dpod)
24th June 2011, 3:28
Yeah, saying he would win is a little stretch but we cant really say he wouldnt. He wasnt there and we have to deal with that, we cant just assume he would be 1, 2, 3, 4 whatever. Vitaly has stepped his game up but I dont think he would “de-throne” Kubica at Renault. I think the average quali difference would be reduced by a big margin but not enough to break even. All we can hope for is a speedy recovery to his maximum potential and enjoy the sport.
Steph (@)
24th June 2011, 12:15
I absolutely agree with your comments about Kubica. He’s not here and it’s impossible to know what he’d do. Petrov has clearly improved to and is making great use of the tools around him this year.