Renault confirm Petrov, launch R30 in Spain

Renault on Sunday presented Vitaly Petrov, Russia’s first formula one driver, as the occupant of its second race seat for the 2010 season.

The 25-year-old, who finished the GP2 championship in second place last year and who reportedly has a big sponsorship purse, helped his new teammate Robert Kubica pull the wraps off the R30 car in the Valencia pitlane.

The single seater is painted all yellow and black, almost identical to the 30th anniversary tribute that was revealed a couple of years ago, but with red wing endplates coloured red in deference to prominent sponsor Total.

“It reminds me of when I was a kid, watching Arnoux, Prost.  It also sends out a clear message about Renault’s commitment to formula one,” said Eric Boullier, team principal of the newly Genii Capital-controlled team.

The R30 also features a McLaren and Sauber-esque shark fin engine cover, but otherwise appears a fairly conventional evolution of last year’s R29.

Meanwhile, as was predicted, Jerome d’Ambrosio and Ho-Ping Tung were unveiled as the team’s new non-race drivers for 2010, and former technical director and acting team boss Bob Bell is now managing director.

James Allison, who while Bell was team boss acted as technical director, now takes up that role full time.

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