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F1: Heidfeld To Test Kubica’s Renault At Jerez, 2011 Ferrari Now Called ‘F150th Italia’

Nick Heidfeld will test Renault's new R31 car at Jerez this week.

It had been speculated that the 33-year-old German, who had yet to secure a role in F1 for the 2011 season, was a leading contender to replace his injured former BMW teammate Rob


Nick Heidfeld will test Renault's new R31 car at Jerez this week.

It had been speculated that the 33-year-old German, who had yet to secure a role in F1 for the 2011 season, was a leading contender to replace his injured former BMW teammate Robert Kubica.

With Kubica in an Italian hospital with multiple injuries following a horrific rally crash, another change to Renault's Jerez test schedule is that reserve driver Bruno Senna will be testing this week.

Vitaly Petrov will drive on Thursday and Friday, before Heidfeld and Senna get mileage on the next two days.

"The exact running order for the weekend will be confirmed on Friday evening," the Lotus-sponsored team said.

Renault clarified that Heidfeld, with more than 170 Grands Prix under his belt but no wins, has not yet been definitely appointed as Kubica's substitute.

Instead, the team said it will "evaluate Nick Heidfeld, who is a potential replacement for Robert Kubica as a race driver".

(GMM)

F1 world salutes injured Kubica at Jerez

The ultra-competitive world of Formula One pulled together on Thursday as one of the sport's best drivers lay in hospital.

Pole Robert Kubica would have returned to the track this week at Jerez, but lies instead in hospital with serious injuries and facing the prospect of a year on the sidelines.

The message 'Szybkiego powrotu do zdrowia Robert' - meaning in Polish 'get well quickly Robert' - was first posted on the website of the F1 teams association FOTA.

Then, as the cars began to filter out of the pits on Thursday morning, it emerged that every runner was carrying the same message somewhere on his car, including the new McLaren that was given its proper test debut by Lewis Hamilton.

"Very touching," said The Times' correspondent Kevin Eason on Twitter when he heard about the Kubica tributes.

Kubica, 26, is facing more surgery later this week, but for now he has moved out of the intensive care unit.

"We are sure he will get out of this and we can't wait to see him back on track," said Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali.

(GMM)

2011 Ferrari Now Called 'F150th Italia'

Ferrari has changed the name of its 2011 Formula One car.

It emerged on Thursday that Ford is suing the famous Italian marque after Ferrari called this year's single seater F150.

The name was a tribute to the 150th anniversay of Italian unification, but Ford owns the trademark to F-150 for its famous pickup truck model.

Subsequent to the reports of legal action, Ferrari has twice on Thursday published amendments to earlier reports that referred to the F150.

"Before the lunch break, Fernando Alonso completed just over two hundred kilometres at the wheel of the Ferrari F150th Italia," said the team in a bulletin from last week's Valencia testing.

And in another amended report, Ferrari said there had been "two million hits from 149 countries for the Ferrari F150th Italia on the Ferrari (web)site".

Referring to the recent launch of the car, the team alerted readers that "web surfers were able to follow the presentation of the Ferrari F150th Italia" live.

(GMM)

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