Nick Heidfeld in the running for Renault seat – boss

Nick Heidfeld is a candidate to be Robert Kubica’s teammate in 2010, Renault team boss Eric Boullier has confirmed.

New teams USF1 and Campos aside, the only established team with a vacant seat for next season is the newly Genii Capital-controlled outfit.

Boullier told the German website motorsport-total.com that “several drivers” are in the running, including two with experience and two rookies.

“The nationality is completely open.  Our second driver could be a Frenchman, but also he could be Russian, Chinese, German or Austrian,” he added.

It is likely he is referring to Vitaly Petrov (Russian), Ho-Pin Tung (Chinese), Heidfeld (German) and Christian Klien (Austrian).

Asked specifically whether 32-year-old Heidfeld is on the list, Boullier answered: “It would be a lie to say no.

“For a long time however he has been Robert’s teammate.  The question is whether we want to have the pair together again.  But he is on our list,” the Frenchman added.

He also indicated that drivers with sponsorship funds could be persuasive.

“First, we need to return to stability and ethics.  Secondly, we need sponsors.  We are waiting until we have these elements and then we will make our (driver) decision,” said Boullier.

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