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First Spark Between Kubica and Petrov Ignites

The first spark between Robert Kubica and Vitaly Petrov has been lightened during Lotus Renault's launch event of their 2011 single-seater R31, in Valencia. The exchange of “unfriendly” comments between the two however were connected to a previous statement made by the Russian driver shortly after he extended his deal with the Enstone based team.

In mid-December last year, Petrov called out his teammate Kubica for not being quite the professor when it comes to teaching rookie drivers like himself a thing or two about F1.

You can't learn anything from him because he's a closed person,” said Petrov at the time.

And those comments apparently didn't rest very well with the Polish racer. With the media trying to piggyback on the story as much as possible, Kubica's first reaction was to leave it at that and not take it any further, saying: “I don't want to get too much into the details.”

However, when asked about what he learned from his Russian teammate through the 2010 campaign, the Pole couldn't help firing a joke at Petrov.

(I learned) how not to go off the track. I'm joking,” said the 26-year old.

Lotus Renault team principal Eric Boullier ended it by saying that Petrov should be able to develop himself as a driver without the support of a senior racer, and expects just that of him in the season to come.

That is one of the many subjects that we have discussed with him (Petrov), that if he wants to deliver he has to find it by himself,” said Boullier.
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