Vitaly Petrov replaces Jarno Trulli at Caterham F1!
The rumor threatened Charles Pic, who had recently been appointed as a Marussia race driver, but it's ultimately Jarno Trulli who bears the brunt of Vitaly Petrov's arrival at Caterham, after having participated in the first tests of the season in Jerez.
Fired by Lotus at the end of last year, Vitaly Petrov will not have a blank season as the Russian is given the second seat, still occupied until this morning, of the Caterham F1 team for the upcoming season. This arrival thus forces the departure of Jarno Trulli. The latter, in the top category since 1997, first wanted to thank his team: “I want to take this opportunity to thank Tony [Fernandes] and everyone in the team for the two seasons we spent together. From nothing, we built and sustained a solid F1 team. I am really proud to have been part of it.” Finally, the Italian showed great dignity: “I understand the decision the team has made and I want to wish the team as much luck as possible for the upcoming season.”
The 2012 season will therefore be the first since 1970 not to feature any Italian race drivers. The departure of Trulli, if he does not announce his retirement, also marks – along with the departure of Rubens Barrichello – the very end of the generation of drivers who entered the premier class in the 1990s. The last representatives are Pedro de la Rosa (1999) and especially Michael Schumacher (1991), who might still continue the experience next season, according to Mercedes officials.
On the “new arrival” side, Vitaly Petrov, it’s obviously joy and relief that can be seen: « It’s a very exciting day for me. I would like to thank Tony, Kamarudin Meranun, and SM Nasarudin for giving me the chance to join a team that made its F1 debut at the same time as me (2010) and has progressed from a “new team” to a serious contender for honors in the future. I am honored to be able to join them and help the team grow even more. I trained very hard all winter and I am ready to get back in the cockpit to work. From what I’ve seen so far, our new car is an improvement over 2011 and I can’t wait to see how it performs until Barcelona. I would also like to thank all my fans and partners for their support and patience. »
The team’s director, Tony Fernandes, stated that the decision to replace Trulli had been difficult: « It was not an easy decision, but we did it to ensure a boost for the entire team and with a realistic view of the overall economic situation. » The arrival of Vitaly Petrov is notably due to the many Russian sponsors who facilitated negotiations with the Malaysian team by providing significant financial support. « Jarno has an incredible natural talent behind the wheel. His longevity in the sport will mark the annals of F1 forever, but now is the time to open a new chapter in our team’s history, and Vitaly is the right person to help us do so. »
Between 1997 and 2011, Jarno Trulli competed in 252 Grand Prix for seven different teams: starting in 1997 with Minardi, he finished the season with Prost GP to replace Olivier Panis, who was seriously injured in Canada. He continued his collaboration with the French team in 1998 and 1999, achieving his best result with a second place at the 1999 European Grand Prix, marking the first of his eleven podiums in the top category. After two seasons (2000 and 2001) with Jordan, where he secured multiple honorable finishes, the Italian joined Renault in 2002. In 2004, he claimed his only Formula 1 victory at the Monaco Grand Prix. He left the team on bad terms before the season ended, joining Toyota for the last two races of 2004. Over five seasons with the Japanese brand, the Italian managed to secure seven podiums, the last one at Suzuka in 2009. In 2010, following Toyota’s withdrawal, he joined one of the new teams, Team Lotus, with his best performance being three thirteenth places.
