Renault appoints Sergey Sirotkin as reserve driver
General
- GPblog.com
The Russian driver Sergey Sirotkin has been confirmed as a reserve driver for Renault, the French team will let us know on Tuesday via press release. The Russian was already in service at Renault last year as a reserve driver, just like in 2017. In 2018 the driver came out ahead of Williams in the championship.
Back at Renault
In the press statement Sirotkin says: "It’s great to be back with Renault DP World F1 Team as Reserve Driver. I know the team very well having been with them throughout the 2019 season. I understand the importance for a team to have a driver ready to fill in quickly should the opportunity arise, especially given the current situation the world is in."
"I’ve been keeping sharp and focused and I would be well prepared to race a Formula 1 car again. I’m looking forward to seeing my friends at Renault soon", which will be this weekend. Sirotkin is also travelling to Austria to help out if Daniel Ricciardo or Esteban Ocon are unable to race for whatever reason.
"We’re pleased to welcome Sergey back to the team for this year. Given the current circumstances we find ourselves in, we must have plans in place for any situation which might occur. We know Sergey very well and he, likewise, knows the team. We’re looking forward to welcoming Sergey this weekend in Austria", says team boss Cyril Abiteboul.
By the way, Sirotkin is not the only reserve driver of Renault. The team also has Guanyu Zhou as a supporting driver. Zhou however doesn't have enough FIA super license points yet and Sirotkin does, so attracting the Russian is only logical in case situations arise where a licensed driver is needed.