As previously reported on Pitpass, Heikki Kovalainen is set to take over as test and reserve driver at Renault in 2006.

Although nothing has been officially announced, the story has been given further credibility by the news that Franck Montagny, who has been test driver with the French team for the past three seasons, is to leave.

The French driver announced the news on his own website:

"After three years of good and faithful services with the Renault F1 team, they have cancelled their partnership with third and only French driver, Franck Montagny, who has definitely played his part in the rise of the only French team on the grid this season, which is on the verge of taking glory in the Constructors championship after winning the drivers title with Fernando Alonso in Brazil.

His role of development and reserve driver since 2003 has greatly contributed, by way of tens of thousands of km that he carried out in testing at the wheel of the Renault single-seater, with all the successes gained by the team in the past two seasons as well as their championship driver's title in 2005.

All his lap times recorded during private testing very often placed him at the top of the timesheets, the last two being on Thursday and Friday of last week at the Jerez circuit in Southern Spain.

Today Franck is facing a new challenge, to try and ensure a place in F1 for the 2006 season. Negotiations are already well advanced in this matter with the Jordan F1 team, (Midland in 2006) where Franck has already performed a test, which was said to be an excellent job by team manager Mr. Colin Kolles during the European Grand Prix at the Nürburgring. However his F1 future will also need the financial support of one or more partners.

Franck has appreciated the time working with the technical team at Renault, which has enabled him to acquire a very vast knowledge of F1 on the highest level. His greatest disappointment is not to have been able to emphasize his very great potential, in particular during the final three races of the 2004 season...

In spite of this anticipated departure, Franck thanks Renault for the trust that was placed in him and hopes sincerely that the team takes the 2005 Constructors crown..."