Vitaly Petrov has today been announced as the Renault second driver, meaning that he will become the first ever Russian to drive in a Grand Prix when he makes his debut at Bahrain, in March.

Petrov was announced as a Renault F1 driver on the same day as the 2010 Renault R30 was launched in Valencia.

Renault F1 Team Principal, Eric Boullier, said: “This is a very special day for Vitaly and we welcome him into the team. As a rookie, we recognise that Vitaly will have a lot to learn this season, but his performances in GP2 last year were outstanding and confirmed that he is ready to make the step up to Formula One. With Robert alongside him, Vitaly has the perfect role model to learn from and I’m confident he will deliver on the promise he has shown throughout his career.”

Vitaly Petrov added: “This is a great opportunity for me and I’m really looking forward to working with the team this season. I’ve always dreamed of racing in Formula One and so to make my debut with a top team like Renault is very exciting. The first race is just over a month away so I will make sure I spend as much time as possible with the team over the next few weeks so that I am fully prepared in time for Bahrain.”

The 25-year-old Petrov was successful in the F1 feeder series GP2, finishing runner up last season.

Image (C) Renault