No free practice outing for Renault and Kubica this year

Renault's Cyril Abiteboul says that the French outfit will not provide Robert Kubica with a competitive outing in free practice this year as many had speculated.

Following Kubica's test in Valencia earlier this month with a 2012-spec Lotus E20, and which was widely perceived as quite successful, it was believed that Renault could perhaps give the Polish driver a full-scale run in a current car, with Monza pinpointed as a possible venue for a free practice test.

Abiteboul insisted however that the claims were once again wide of the mark.

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"I don’t know where this is coming from and I can completely wipe that one out.

"Also I would to make it clear that I guess the questions are unconnected – the question regarding Jo and the question regarding Robert.

"Robert has been a family member of the Enstone team, and Eric [Boullier] on my right knows what I mean. He has been very close and very loyal.

"The team in Enstone, which is a very small group of people, actually have been very loyal to a number of drivers.

"In particular Robert made a huge impression on people who’ve been around, Alan Permane, Bob Bell, Ricardo [Penteado] on the Viry side.

"People feel very loyal and feel they owe something to Robert for making something big in their life and there was this opportunity that we give to him, that we could afford to him to drive again, because it was actually a marketing event that got cancelled, so we had a car available at the track and we offered that opportunity to him.biteboul did not appear to completely close the door on a return by Kubica to Formula 1.

Abiteboul did not appear to completely close the door on a return by Kubica to Formula 1.

"Robert is going through some form of programme to try to understand what he can do. He has been driving a number of cars, Formula E, GP3, F2, LMP2, you name it, so I think he wants to understand what he can do as part of his sort of rehabilitation programme. We’ll see.

"There is nothing else that is planned for the time being, apart from a marketing event at Goodwood, where he will be driving the same car, E20, in front of Lord March’s house."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.