Grosjean: Lotus F1 can have a year like Brawn GP did
Romain Grosjean hopes that Lotus can have a 2015 season like Brawn GP in 2009 when they were world champions. He also spoke about the difficulties he encounters with his Lotus.
Times are tough for Enstone. In 2013, Lotus was battling with Ferrari for 3rd place in the Constructors’ Championship, but this year Lotus is 8th in the Constructors’ standings. Romain Grosjean has only scored 8 points so far, with his best result being two 8th places in Spain and Monaco.
While he might leave Lotus at the end of the season, the story of Brawn GP might encourage the Frenchman to stay. In 2009, Brawn GP, led by Ross Brawn, won both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships after taking over from the Honda team.
« I want to win races in the near future and we are working on it. If you look at Jenson in 2008, he was not doing well with Honda, the team changed to Brawn and he became world champion » explains Grosjean to Autosport.
« Having difficult years is part of your career, you have to accept it and not be frustrated. Brawn had the double diffuser on their car, a very clever invention. I don’t know what the improvements will be next year, but I’m 99.99% sure that Lotus will come back strong, » he hopes as he explains the ups and downs of F1.
The brakes of the E22 could be the key to the rest of the season for the Franco-Swiss driver: « For the moment, I am still struggling with the brakes. Of course, we have less downforce than last year, and harder tires, and in terms of braking, it’s something I am very sensitive to. We are working on this aspect. I like a car that is consistent so that I can prepare my weekend and say ‘the next lap I’ll brake three meters further,’ and if the car can’t do it, then I lose a tenth. Currently, I am losing a second because I go too wide. It’s something I’m grappling with, so I just need to adapt my driving style sometimes. »
