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Former Formula 1 World champion Alan Jones has backed Caterham's decision to dump Jarno Trulli.
Despite extending the Italian veteran's contract for 2012, the former Lotus team decided at the last minute to sign well-backed Russian driver Vitaly Petrov.
Caterham explained that Petrov brought "fresh impetus" to the team though admitted the decision was made "with a realistic eye on the global economic market".
One report has calculated the 27-year-old's sponsorship contributions at the equivalent of R122-million, including funds from Sibur, Russia's largest petrochemical company.
BRINGING IN MONEY
Jones, who won Williams' first Drivers' title in 1980, said Caterham was also right to oust Italian Trulli on performance criteria.
Told that Heikki Kovalainen "destroyed" Trulli in 2011, Jones said: "I think he was destroyed by everybody, wasn't he?"
On Caterham's decision, Jones told GMM: "In my opinion Trulli wasn't doing the job so it would have made it a pretty easy decision to get in this younger guy who is perhaps a bit keener, a big hungrier.
"It's also a fact that Petrov is bringing in money, so to me it's a no-brainer."
Despite extending the Italian veteran's contract for 2012, the former Lotus team decided at the last minute to sign well-backed Russian driver Vitaly Petrov.
Caterham explained that Petrov brought "fresh impetus" to the team though admitted the decision was made "with a realistic eye on the global economic market".
One report has calculated the 27-year-old's sponsorship contributions at the equivalent of R122-million, including funds from Sibur, Russia's largest petrochemical company.
BRINGING IN MONEY
Jones, who won Williams' first Drivers' title in 1980, said Caterham was also right to oust Italian Trulli on performance criteria.
Told that Heikki Kovalainen "destroyed" Trulli in 2011, Jones said: "I think he was destroyed by everybody, wasn't he?"
On Caterham's decision, Jones told GMM: "In my opinion Trulli wasn't doing the job so it would have made it a pretty easy decision to get in this younger guy who is perhaps a bit keener, a big hungrier.
"It's also a fact that Petrov is bringing in money, so to me it's a no-brainer."