Before Renault announced their 2017 driver line-up there was a joke doing the rounds that even the Pope had been offered a drive with the French team.
But team boss Cyril Abiteboul has rubbished the notion, “Frankly, we have had a lot of interest and Nico was among the top choices, so we are very happy that he is joining us.”
“This is something that has been misrepresented in my opinion, and it is that some drivers have turned away offers made by Renault.”
“I guarantee you that no one has turned down any of our offers. I would say it is quite the opposite. Some people made representations that they were free to contract with us, when it was not the case.”
“I want to be clear about that, because people say that the Renault project is not attractive enough, that the ambition is not there, or that the financial resources are not there. It is not true.”
Abiteboul is adamant that Hulkenberg’s current low-key image can grow in stature with the French team.
“It is extremely exciting because he is exactly the type of character that we wanted to have. We have the opportunity of having someone who is very experienced who, along with Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, has been at that level in the junior series but is not associated to another car manufacturer, or another big team.”
“People say he has a low profile, but to us it is a great opportunity because a driver is not just a driver. We think we have a great driver in Nico, but he also has the capacity because it is a long-term project with Nico, to make him a great ambassador for Renault and to have a very strong association, just like you have a strong association with Lewis and Mercedes.”
“Even today I believe a lot of people continue to associate Sebastian Vettel with Red Bull. I hope in a couple of years down the road, if we are successful together, that people will associate Nico and Renault. But first thing comes first, we have to do the job,” added Abiteboul.
Read the full story at GRAND PRIX 247
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