Kubica extends Renault contract to 2012

Paris: Polish driver Robert Kubica has ended speculation about his future by signing a two-year extension to his contract with Renault, the French team announced.

The 25-year-old, who had been linked with a move to Ferrari, has made a good start to the season with podium finishes in the Australian and Monaco Grand Prix. He is currently sixth in the drivers` championship. "It was a straightforward decision for me to continue with a team where I feel at home," said Kubica. "What`s important for me is to be in the right atmosphere, with a good group of people, where everybody is pulling in the same direction. This is what we have tried to build from the beginning of my time with Renault."Kubica made his Formula One debut with BMW Sauber in 2006. Two years later he won the Canadian Grand Prix – his only victory in 67 races to date - on the way to finishing fourth in the championship. With BMW pulling out of the sport in the winter, Kubica switched to Renault. Earlier this season Kubica`s name was mentioned as a possible replacement for Felipe Messa at Ferrari but the Brazilian has since closed that door by signing a new contract of his own. "There have been many rumours surrounding his future in recent weeks, which were a tribute to how well he has driven this year, and we are very happy to have agreed a multi-year deal," said Renault team boss Eric Boullier.Kubica`s decision is good news for Renault which is trying to rebuild its reputation since the "Crashgate" scandal last year when the team were found guilty of engineering a crash in the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix. Senior team members Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds last year were removed from office and the manufacturer even considered withdrawing from Formula One. PTI