Formerꦬ F1 team owner Eddie Jordan has hit out at L🦹otus Renault GP bosses Eric Boullier and Gerard Lopez over their criticism of German driver Nick Heidfeld.

Heidfeld, who drove for Jorda✃n earlier in his career, was called up into a race seat by Renault this season after Robert Kubica's accident and has gone on to score six points finishes - including a fine podium in Malaysia.

However, despite outscoring team-mate Vitaly Petrov, Heidfeld has come under fire from Renault bosses who haveꦇ questioned both his results and leadership skills.

Speaking to Sport Bild, Jordan - now a pundit with the BBC - questioned the motives behind the comments coming from Renault's senior management and said he felt pressure was being applied on the 34-year-old ෴ahead of the planned return of Kubica when he is fully recovered from🎶 his injuries.

"It could even be described as bullying," he said. "T❀hey probably want to wear him [Heidfeld] down so he throws in t♛he towel voluntarily.

"For me, he is Mr Consistency. I know this because Nick drove for me for a year. 20✱04 was a very difficult year for Jo🍸rdan financially, and we could not give him the car that he deserved.

"The same is true also at the moment of the Lotus-Renault.ಞ"