Renault Team Principal Eric Boullier has revealed that 'his' team is getting closer to making a decision on who will partner Robert Kubica in 2011. However he added that while Kimi Räikkönen is still in the frame, he wants to meet with the Finn before making a final decision.
Rumours linking Renault and Räikkönen have been circulating for months now, although a number of other candidates have also been mentioned including Adrian Sutil and Heikki Kovalainen, although the latter is now tipped to stay with Lotus.
Renault hasn’t ruled out retaining rookie Vitaly Petrov either, although the Russian has had a mixed debut season and has only scored 19 points - compared to the 114 notched up by Kubica.
"It is definitely getting closer to when we will make a decision," Boullier told Autosport. "But we really want to consider all of the options. I decided to tell some drivers that we will not carry on discussions with them, so we now wait and see - but Kimi remains one of our scenarios.
"I have said many times that I want to meet with him first before we do anything more. I want to understand more about his wish to come back."
Boullier echoed those comments in an interview with Auto Hebdo and it is clear Renault wants to know why the Finn is keen to return to F1 having made the switch this year to the FIA World Rally Championship.
"Yes, Kimi has been in contact with us, but we are not yet in any discussions," Boullier added. "What is certain is that if we decide to go back into talks with Räikkönen, I want to meet him to really assess the true motivation for his return.
“Whether it's Räikkönen or someone else, I want him to be super-motivated to race with us. Whether he's Finnish, Chinese or French-Swiss, he has to prove he is motivated.”
Meanwhile, after Kubica and Petrov finished seventh and eleventh respectively in Singapore, Boullier is hoping for better in Japan in two weeks time.
“Overall, it’s a disappointing and frustrating result because we scored very few points, while our nearest rivals Mercedes did a better job than us and stretched their lead today,” he continued.
“Robert’s puncture forced him to make an extra pit stop, and he drove superbly to fight back to seventh: it was the highlight of the race to see him make up six positions in nine laps. As for Vitaly, his race was compromised by a very ambitious manoeuvre from Hülkenberg, which cost him three places and some valuable points
“We now must look forward to Suzuka and hope for a better level of performance across the weekend.”
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