Senna, Liuzzi or Heidfeld to replace Kubica
One of Bruno Senna, Vitantonio Liuzzi and Nick Heidfeld will be handed an F1 lifeline after Renault confirmed they are on the shortlist to replace the injured Robert Kubica.
Kubica is likely to miss most of the 2011 season after suffering career-threatening injuries during a rally in Italy on Sunday. The Pole, who has already had surgery to repair his partially severed right arm, will be back on the operating table on Thursday and is expected to remain in hospital for up to three weeks.
Although doctors are yet to confirm how long he will be out of action for, Renault have started the search for his replacement and Senna, Liuzzi and Heidfeld are the men who they are looking at.
The trio were both on the grid in 2010 - Senna drove for rookies Hispania, Liuzzi represented Force India and Heidfeld was with Sauber for five races at the end of the season. However, all three are without race seats this year.
Renault team boss Eric Boullier revealed on Tuesday that Senna, currently the team's third driver, will take over testing duties in Jerez this week and confirmed that the Brazilian along with Liuzzi and Heidfeld are in line to take Kubica's race seat while he is recuperating.
"The first one driving will at the moment be our first test driver," Boullier said. "In the meantime, we will look for Kubica's substitute: the names considered are Senna, Liuzzi and Heidfeld."
The Frenchman added that they hope to have Kubica back before the end of the season and says he had their blessing to go rallying.
"The team is close to Robert," he said. "We wait for him with open arms and we hope he can come back before the end of the season.
"It was Robert's choice, he wanted to go rallying at all costs and Renault authorised it. Now we just wait to know what the recovery time is for our driver."
Boullier and Vitaly Petrov paid a visit to the Pole at the Santa Corona hospital in Pietra Ligure on Tuesday.
"We have been with Robert for about 15 minutes," Boullier said. "We have joked and we have found him very well. Obviously he immediately wanted to know the team's programme for this season."
Credit: PlanetF1.com (www.planetf1.com)
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