Renault will look to sign an experienced driver capable of winning the World Championship should Robert Kubica be ruled out for the season, according to the team's chairman Gerard Lopez.
Kubica remains in intensive care in an Italian hospital after he was seriously injured in a rallying accident on Sunday. He is due to undergo surgery again on Thursday and will remain in hospital for up to three weeks.
Lopez, who visited Kubica on Wednesday, says it's going well the Pole and also revealed Renault will look for an experienced replacement if he's ruled out long term.
"From what I learned from doctors, the postoperative course is going well," Lopez is quoted by Italian website IVG.it. "The situation is more rosy than expected, but we were very frightened by this accident.
"I can say I am more comfortable and confident now that I met him. Robert is a great loss that forces us to revise our plans. Now we need to employ all our energies to support the team. This is clearly a difficult time.
"We have to get all the strength to overcome this moment. We cannot yet know if and when Robert will be back on track. So we must exercise caution and await the evolution of his condition. But I can say that Robert has a very strong character and he wants to return as soon as possible to compete.
"If Robert's recovery will be long and he will not return this season we will rely on a driver with experience. The fate of our season will depend on the new driver. Of course, we must see what happens with the tests we're going to do. Without Robert it's difficult to predict. Obviously, we'll bet on a runner capable of winning the Championship."
He added: "There are drivers who have had good races, for example Nick Heidfeld. We all know that Nick is rather good, but we don't know what level he is in now, we don't know how he does with our car. Same goes for Vitantonio Liuzzi, same goes - I don't know for Bruno Senna, who last year was in a team with a car that could do nothing.
"It's very difficult to say, because it's a combination between car and driver. With Robert, since we know him very well, we were sure we could do something this year. Without Robert we don't know. Should Robert not come back this season, I think we'll take the decision to go for a driver that can win... but we don't know yet."
Renault team principal Eric Boullier revealed on Tuesday that Bruno Senna, Vitantonio Liuzzi and Nick Heidfeld are on the shortlist to replace Kubica.
Credit: PlanetF1.com (www.planetf1.com)
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