Boullier plays down driver tensions

Petrov said at AUTOSPORT International that Kubica had not been very open with giving him advice during his rookie season, but Boullier reckons the Russian is equally self-contained.

"The funny thing is that Vitaly is not very talkative as well," said Boullier.

"It is just two cultures, and they are basically the same. Both are very secret, not very talkative and Robert is having his own life and he knows where he wants to go, and it is up to [Petrov] to have the contact with him.

"I think Vitaly in his first year was expecting it to be more easy, but it is up to him to go [to Kubica]. That is one of the many subjects that we have discussed with him, that if he wants to deliver he has to find it by himself. Not expecting people to give him for free - and it is the same for the relationship he has with Robert."

Kubica played down any suggestion of tension between the duo.

"The point of view depends a lot on where you are sitting," he said.

"I think Vitaly will have less problems this year than he did last year, and it was normal for a rookie driver that joining the team won't be easy. It's definitely an easier task than it was for him last year.

"I'm happy to have Vitaly as a team-mate and that's it."

Asked if he agreed with Petrov's suggestion that he had been 'closed', Kubica replied: "I don't want to get too much into the details. If he says this, he has his point of view. I have a bit of a different point of view.

"To be honest, I'm happy because I have learnt something from him even without knowing or wanting it - how to keep the car on the track..."

Petrov said there was less that Kubica could now teach him anyway as he was no longer a rookie.

"Of course I would like to take all the information that he could give, it's always a help," Petrov admitted.

"For me I would have adapted quicker to a lot of things last year [with more help from Kubica], but this year I think it's different."