Nick Heidfeld is adamant Lotus Renault GP has the potential to move forward this season, the German denying next week's Canadian GP will be the team's best chance this year.
The team started the season strongly with two podium finishes but has failed to repeat that kind of performance since then. With Lotus Renault being one of the teams with the highest top speed, the Montreal race is seen as one of the best chances for the team to run closer to the front. Heidfeld, however, believes Renault has "a lot" of potential to make progress in the other races, even if its radical blown diffuser could be banned by the FIA.
"No, I don't think so," said Heidfeld when asked if Canada was the team's best chance for the season. "If it is disallowed [the blown diffuser], it is disallowed for everybody, for us that is the first thing. I don't know why it should be, because according to the people I speak to in my team it is perfectly legal, which is why everybody has it.
"Secondly, if I look at our development plans and what will come in the next weeks and months, there is a lot of potential to move forward, so I don't view this race as the best chance of the season."