SPOTLIGHT ON NEW FORMULA 1 SEASON

FORMER Renault driver Vitaly Petrov heads into a new phase of his Formula 1 career at tomorrow’s Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne with a point to prove.

Petrov appeared to be on Formula 1’s scrapheap at the end of last season after being ditched by Enstone-based Renault – now Lotus from this campaign – following two years in the sport.

Caterham, however, who will move from Norfolk to Leafield in August, were manoeuvring behind the scenes to replace Jarno Trulli with 27-year-old Petrov, a feat they achieved only a few weeks ago.

Although given a shock reprieve, Petrov believes that after being unfairly dumped, he has a chance to show Renault they were wrong to get rid of him.

“It was a difficult winter because I was told quite late they no longer wanted me because I was quite sure before they had said they did,” Petrov said.

“But my head never dropped. I always thought something would happen.”

Petrov will line-up alongside Heikki Kovalainen in the Caterham team.