Former Renault driver Vitaly Petrov has replaced Italian veteran Jarno Trulli at Oxfordshire-based Caterham for the 2012 Formula 1 season.

Petrov, 27, joins the Leafield outfit after two years at Enstone-based Renault, now re-named Lotus, and will partner Heikki Kovalainen.

Trulli was under contract, but has been dropped.