Former GP2 Series driver Vitaly Petrov's 2010 drive with the Renault Formula One outfit has hit a stumbling block, after the money that the Russian owes to the French team for the seat next season was delayed by a bank loan being placed on hold.
Petrov was confirmed as the second driver in the Renault team earlier this month, with Petrov set to become the first Russian Formula One driver in history.He was chosen largely for the money he could supply to the Renault team, which is still working to replace a number of major sponsors following the Fixgate fiasco last summer.
Petrov, who finished as runner up in last year's GP2 Series, tested for his new team for the first time at the Valencia test last week, and is set to continue his work learning the new R30 at jerez later this week.
But Petrov, who said after securing the seat that his money was from personal sources, rather than direct sponsorship as was first believed, is thought to be struggling to pay the French team for his seat, a deal thought to be worth in the region of 15 million Euros.
Petrov's father, Alexander Petrovic, is believed to be struggling to secure the bank loan required to pay the bill for his son's 2010 drive, with Petrovic telling Russian media sources that the money had "still not been received" from the bank.
Petrovic also revealed that there was a March 1st deadling for Petrov to pay the money to Renault, otherwise the Russian would risk losing his seat for 2010.
Petrov was signed following a long search for Renault's second driver, but the team bosses at the French team have denied that he was signed solely for his money.
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