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[Hammer278]

Petrov attacks Renault over lack of progress

Vitaly Petrov has hit out at his Renault team for a lack of progress and poor tactics, saying his contract prevents him from criticising the team but that he's "had enough of it".

Petrov enjoyed a strong start to the season with a podium at the first race in Australia helping to raise team spirits after Robert Kubica's rallying accident ruled him out indefinitely. However, as the season has gone on Renault has become less and less competitive, with Petrov finishing 13th in Abu Dhabi and a lap down.

In a damning interview with Rossiya 2, Petrov criticised the lack of development and progress, saying he has been "angry" for a long time.

"For almost ten races we have had absolutely nothing (new), which, in fact, means we drive basically the same car we began the season with," Petrov said. "Of course, the first podium (in Australia) was inspiring, for me, the whole of Russia, all the fans. But then I was just angry with everything and tried to do something. Unfortunately, I can't say anything bad about the team, it is written down in my contract."

Petrov also said that he has yet to speak badly about the team, but after blaming poor pitstops and tactics he said he could no longer stay quiet on the issues.

"Read my interviews, I don't criticise a team that lost many times. How much have we lost on pitstops? How much have we lost on tactics? Due to that kind of thing we lost [places in], I can say, about ten races, if not more. Unfortunately, I couldn't say in an interview that we lost due to poor pitstops once again, or something. I still can't speak about it, but on the same side I also can't remain silent, I've had enough of it, I can't keep everything inside."

Until now Petrov has always said that he will be driving for Renault (to become Lotus) in 2012 as he has a contract, but following the outburst he did admit that it would be difficult to remain with the team if it wanted to get rid of him.

"This is formula one, it's business. Gradually, they're just working to get more -- maybe the price, maybe the sponsors, maybe the drivers around them. Look at the queue of drivers at Williams -- I believe there are 20 people eager to take the second place there. Thank god I'm not in it.

"As for me, I think it is quite clear -- I have a contract. But as I said before, even the world champion Kimi Raikkonen was asked (by Ferrari) to leave formula one for a certain amount. It's a world where everything is possible, it will be hard to oppose if they want to remove someone."

______________________________________________

True or not, this is not really ideal employer representation by the employee. Bye Petrov.

[andrew]

Read this yesterday and have to say that Petrov has a point. This was probably Renaults best chance of success for a while and so far Petrov's best chance of getting a few podiums and maybe even a win. His frustration is easy to understand. No development of the car for 10 races is a total mind-fart by Renault, especially at the start of the season.

Not being able to say negative things about your employer is total rubbish. I have the same obligation in my contract with my employer am only allowed to say nice things so obviously empoyers worldwide in every walk of life don't like objective thinking by their employees.

Maybe some could argue that Petrov has gone the wrong way about venting his frustration but on the other hand he's done the right thing. Publicly exposing his employers to seemingly (in some ways) be a bunch of amatuers might give them the much needed boot up their backside that they clearly need, though Alain Prost may differ in opinion (sacked by Ferrari for being honest). I wouldn't say Petrov was attacking the hand that feeds him. He's just being honest and objective, obviously hoping his words flag up mistakes that should not have been made.

Reading the latest on this today, it seems that Petrov's comments were made in the heat of the moment right after a very frustrating Abu Dahbi GP where he finished 13th and 1 lap down. He has since apologised to Renault (for being honest).

[Hammer278]

Not being able to say negative things about your employer is total rubbish. I have the same obligation in my contract with my employer am only allowed to say nice things so obviously empoyers worldwide in every walk of life don't like objective thinking by their employees.

I don't think you and Petrov are in the same position. When you say something about your employer, its not deemed public. Petrov has just thrown Renault's name into the fire, basically saying they are incompetent. This is brand tarnishing and if Renault kick him out with immediate effect, I won't be surprised.

[LRW]

Petrov has just thrown Renault's name into the fire, basically saying they are incompetent. This is brand tarnishing and if Renault kick him out with immediate effect, I won't be surprised.

No it'll be fine. I slagged them off constantly in post-race interviews on my first season of F1-2011 on the Xbox, and they still offered me a new contract.

I was getting poles, and winning races though. So that might of made the difference?

[Hammer278]

You need a helping hand to grab you out of Dream world mate.

[What's Burning?]

Andrew, would you have said the same if it was another driver? One you felt passionate about, positively or negatively?

[elfinitty]

He might have a point about what he says about the team's mistakes but he should have been reasonable.First of all,what he said can get him in a trouble of course,and would affect the regard of other teams.They can think that he is not a team player,they wouldn't like him in their teams.As he says this is bussiness,so he should be on the side of who he is working with.Being on his own side and mentioning:''I want to say bad things about the team but its illegal.'' will bring him on the side of wrongs whereas he had a point.

[andrew]

Not being able to say negative things about your employer is total rubbish. I have the same obligation in my contract with my employer am only allowed to say nice things so obviously empoyers worldwide in every walk of life don't like objective thinking by their employees.

I don't think you and Petrov are in the same position. When you say something about your employer, its not deemed public. Petrov has just thrown Renault's name into the fire, basically saying they are incompetent. This is brand tarnishing and if Renault kick him out with immediate effect, I won't be surprised.

I didn't say we were. Try reading what I wrote. Contract clauses such as this are in pretty much every walk of life where the employer is a well known market brand.

Andrew, would you have said the same if it was another driver? One you felt passionate about, positively or negatively?

Nice try but yes my opinion would be the same regardless of who said this unless it was obvious that the driver was making excuses. In this case it is clear that Petrov has not been making excuses and Renault's balls-up of a season is plain for all to see.

[LewEngBridewell]

Renault team boss Eric Boullier has played down an outburst by his driver Vitaly Petrov in which he criticised the team's tactics. "The interview was made minutes after Vitaly jumped out of the car last Sunday," Boullier told Renault's website. "The race was tough, he was upset not to have scored points, he was exhausted. Drivers are not robots, they're human beings. Also, like every driver, Vitaly is a competitor. Had he been on the podium in Abu Dhabi, he would have complained about not winning the race. We take this incident as exactly this - an incident. Vitaly has apologised to the team and sent an email to all the staff at Enstone. As far as we are concerned, the matter is closed."

I have enjoyed watching Vitaly Petrov's progression throughout F1. He started out in 2010 being thoroughly outperformed by Robert Kubica, and coming across as an erratic driver. But in the second half of the season, he started to get a grip on things, which peaked with a great performance in Budapest. I think his second season has been solid overall. Hopefully, further progress can be made from here.

[Hansy]

I fully expect Renault to be the new Williams. No one can say he's wrong; whether he should be saying it is another story.

[f1ea]

I dont think Petrov said anything harmful. He's also right about most of the things he said. if Renault do get rid of him based on this, they'd be quite stupid. The fact he's being open about it makes him even more appealing because he's brave enough to put his opinion forward.

[bud]

I dont think Petrov said anything harmful. He's also right about most of the things he said. if Renault do get rid of him based on this, they'd be quite stupid. The fact he's being open about it makes him even more appealing because he's brave enough to put his opinion forward.

Well said

[Hammer278]

Not being able to say negative things about your employer is total rubbish. I have the same obligation in my contract with my employer am only allowed to say nice things so obviously empoyers worldwide in every walk of life don't like objective thinking by their employees.

I don't think you and Petrov are in the same position. When you say something about your employer, its not deemed public. Petrov has just thrown Renault's name into the fire, basically saying they are incompetent. This is brand tarnishing and if Renault kick him out with immediate effect, I won't be surprised.

I didn't say we were. Try reading what I wrote. Contract clauses such as this are in pretty much every walk of life where the employer is a well known market brand.

To be honest I dont make much of an effort to read your posts nowadays. But I think the contract position is besides the point, no one cares about the contract...I was talking about Renault's point of view in regards to this outburst. The contract can say whatever it wants.

FYI, Heinz Harald Frentzen had a contract for the following year with Jordan, but was fired by fax out of the blue for a reason which today, is still inconclusive. So your argument of 'contracts' is a waste of time.

[Hammer278]

I dont think Petrov said anything harmful. He's also right about most of the things he said. if Renault do get rid of him based on this, they'd be quite stupid. The fact he's being open about it makes him even more appealing because he's brave enough to put his opinion forward.

Completely disagree. How is this more 'appealing' to the employer?

Are you with an employer now? What would your CEO prefer, you go into his office and put forward your points of view on how to make things better, OR,

Go to the press and say so and so MNC is underperforming due to this this and this and I'm fed up of it.

Will your CEO give you a raise due to your increased 'appeal and honesty'? Would other rival CEOs snap you up for your honesty? No, maybe for your knowledge of internal operations, but the fact that you're open to badmouthing your current employer might just negate that advantage.

My argument in this subject is not whether Petrov said the right thing or not...its the fact that he went public and anyway, has acknowledged his mistake by apologizing to the employer. This alone speaks volumes for those defending him.

[andrew]

To be honest I dont make much of an effort to read your posts nowadays. But I think the contract position is besides the point, no one cares about the contract...I was talking about Renault's point of view in regards to this outburst. The contract can say whatever it wants.

So why the hell bother to reply or start arguments? It's no skin of my nose if you bother to engage in a discussion with me or not.

The contract is the key issue here. If it prohibits Petrov from publicly dissing his employer then they could give him the boot as he is in breach of his contract but I doubt they will do this as he is only saying what has been plain for all to see all year.

I dont think Petrov said anything harmful. He's also right about most of the things he said. if Renault do get rid of him based on this, they'd be quite stupid. The fact he's being open about it makes him even more appealing because he's brave enough to put his opinion forward.

Have to agree with what you say F1ea. In fact it seems that the Renault F1 brass are on the same wavelength as Petrov: Renault admits its 2011 car and exhaust concept was a 'bold failure'

Seemingly Petrov has apologised and it has been accepted: Petrov apology accepted by Renault.