Raikkonen return could push Petrov to Lotus

If Vitaly Petrov loses his Renault seat at the end of the season, he might still be on the 2011 formula one grid.

French commentator Jean-Louis Moncet, with a column in Auto Plus, writes that Monza and Singapore were earmarked as critical weekends for the Russian rookie.

He had a fairly poor weekend at Monza, but when speaking to reporters on Thursday, he insisted he will still be in the paddock in one year.

“I will be in F1 in 2011,” said Petrov.

“Hopefully, when I come here next year I won’t need to learn anything,” he then said after finishing 13th at Monza.

Moncet said that if team boss Eric Boullier decides to replace Petrov, he may be offloaded to Lotus, who will almost certainly be powered by Renault engines next year.

Reports on Tuesday indicate that Kimi Raikkonen has approached Renault about driving alongside Robert Kubica in 2011.

“Would be brilliant,” wrote Telegraph correspondent Tom Cary on Twitter.  “F1 richer for his presence, although he says nothing.”

© RIF | GMM