Can we use 6.1.x and/or 7.0.x drivers with 7.1.x Vertica Cluster?

The 7.1.x documentation online states that we cannot use the 6.1.x or 7.0.x drivers with Vertica 7.1.x. This would be a significant barrier to allowing us to upgrade as we have applications that access Vertica periodically and are using both the 6.1.x drivers as well as the 7.0.x drivers.  Knowing that a strict cutover requirement would be a very resource (person / Project management / upper mgmt) heavy task for any organizaation I am guessing that the documentation is just not correct.  

Would someone from Vertica please verify this documentation?  Can we use the older drivers while we upgrade Vertica to 7.1.x and then roll out upgrades to the client drivers in our applications along with their next natural revision cycle?

http://my.vertica.com/docs/7.1.x/HTML/index.htm#Authoring/SupportedPlatforms/ClientDrivers.htm%3FToc...

Thanks.