Robert Kubica will not be taking part in any Formula 1 practice sessions this season according to Renault F1 team boss Cyril Abiteboul.
Rumours suggesting Kubica could replace Jolyon Palmer during first practice at the Italian Grand Prix have emerged, but they hold no truth whatsoever according to Abiteboul.
The rumours have been fuelled by the Polish driver's recent test in assocation with the Renault team, in which he drove a 2012=spec Lotus E20 at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit, completing 115 laps, leading Kubica to say he is chasing a comeback.
However that test was organised as a favour and nothing more, with Abiteboul confirming nothing further was planned between the two parties.
"No, absolutely not," the Frenchman replied when asked if Kubica could take part in a practice session. "I don’t know where this is coming from and I can completely wipe that one out.
"Robert has been a family member of the Enstone team, and Eric [Boullier] on my right knows what I mean. He has been very close and very loyal. The team in Enstone, which is a very small group of people, actually have been very loyal to a number of drivers.
"In particular Robert made a huge impression on people who’ve been around, Alan Permane, Bob Bell on the Viry side.
"People feel very loyal and feel they owe something to Robert for making something big in their life and there was this opportunity that we give to him, that we could afford to him to drive again, because it was actually a marketing event that got cancelled, so we had a car available at the track and we offered that opportunity to him.
"Robert is going through some form of programme to try to understand what he can do. He has been driving a number of cars, Formula E, GP3, F2, LMP2, you name it, so I think he wants to understand what he can do as part of his sort of rehabilitation programme.
"We’ll see. There is nothing else that is planned for the time being, apart from a marketing event at Goodwood, where he will be driving the same car, E20, in front of Lord March’s house."
