Boullier and the freedom granted to pilots

The terrible accident suffered by Robert Kubica last weekend in a Skoda Fabia S2000, on the occasion of the rally Ronde di Andora in Italy has reignited the debate on the freedom granted to pilots to practice dangerous sports. In the event of an incident, in fact, they can compromise a team?s entire program. We remember Montoya's shoulder injury in 2005 while he was playing tennis (obviously a fall from a motorcycle?) or even more recently Mark Webber's repeated mountain biking accidents, the last of which revealed at the end of the 2010 season.

Yesterday, during the first day of the second private testing session F1, in Jerez, the press was quick to question Eric Boullier on the subject. “ I'm sorry, but I reiterate my way of thinking, immediately responded the Director of Lotus Renault GP. I'm a racing man. I have known Robert for five or six years, and he too is a racer. He's like a wild cat. If you put him in a cage, he goes crazy. So why do it? Does he like karts, rallying and Formula 1? Everyone has their own point of view on the matter. In the end, we make the decisions that we believe are best in the interest of the team and the driver. It?s unfortunate and sad that he?s in the hospital, but before he got there he was the happiest boy in the world ».

With the Pole unavailable for an indefinite period, the British team will evaluate Nick Heidfeld and Bruno Senna this week in Andalusia with a view to a possible replacement. The German seems to be holding the rope, and does not feel any particular pressure faced with the challenge of finding a seat. “ This is not the first time that I find myself in such a posture. I have already played this kind of “shootout” in F3 and when I joined the McLaren Junior Team in F3000. I am confident in my abilities. It is true, however, that I have never had to do it for such a big issue. “, he concluded. Test scheduled for tomorrow or Sunday, conclusion of the “test days” in Jerez.