Changes at Renault continue with Boullier as likely team principal

Both the BBC and Autosport are reporting Wednesday that new investor Gerard Lopez introduced Eric Boullier to RenaultF1 as the new team principal on Tuesday.  Apparently, Lopez has brought in the former managing director of GP2 team DAMS and the French A1GP team “to reassure the team that he is serious about them being a leading force in F1, and that they have long-term plans to achieve that aim, according to the BBC.”

Autosport also notes that nothing is finalized, but “if the discussions are successful, [Boullier] will take the team principal role, with Renault representative Jean-Francois Caubet carrying on in a senior management position.”  With his lack of experience in F1, though wealth of experience in lower-lever series, it is difficult to say whether Boullier will be as effective a team principal as Renault needs him to be.  Of course, the future of Renault itself in F1 is still up in the air.

Another question is how does this affect the career of Robert Kubica.  Currently the only contracted driver for Renault in 2010, Kubica is generally considered to be quite the talent, but he still requires a properly-performing team.  The BBC article also mentioned Kubica’s manager, Daniele Morelli, as being skeptical of the team and says that “the Pole wants some reassurances about the future of the Renault team before committing to drive for them in 2010.”  It is hard to say whether this is a reassurance or will be enough to force Kubica to look for another contract.  With all of the upheaval in the past year at Renault, yet another team principal is the least of their worries, but a consideration that could either turn the team around or lead it directly out of F1, behind BMW and Toyota.

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