Grosjean: People have forgotten what I was capable of
For his third full season with the Lotus F1 Team, Romain Grosjean experienced quite challenging Grand Prix last year driving a Lotus E22 far from being up to standard.
After studious winter testing, Romain Grosjean is confident for the 2015 Formula 1 World Championship season. The team based in Enstone seems to have made good progress during the winter, greatly aided by the arrival of the Mercedes engine in the E23 Hybrid.
This season, we are going to try to remind everyone how good the Lotus F1 Team and Romain Grosjean are, explains the Frenchman. People have short memories in Formula 1, and it’s true that we had a difficult 2014 season. So people have forgotten what we achieved in 2013 and 2012.
We have the potential for good results this year, we’ll try to achieve that at every race, and what better place to start than Albert Park? We still have a lot of work to do, our car isn’t perfect, but it’s a good foundation to build upon. I’m sure good developments will come for the E23.
In three participations in the Australian Grand Prix, the Lotus driver hasn’t really shone in Melbourne. Although he achieved a sublime qualifying session in 2012, securing the third fastest time, Grosjean has never been able to do better than a tenth place in the race.
Albert Park is one of my favorite circuits, states Grosjean. It’s always great to go there to start a new season, the atmosphere is always very good. It’s an incredible circuit and driving through this park is something amazing. Of course, it’s a beautiful country and I always enjoy visiting Australia, even though I still haven’t found the right strategy to combat jet lag!
This year, the Australian Grand Prix will take place an hour earlier to avoid any visibility issues. This measure was taken following Jules Bianchi’s accident in Japan last October. The specifics of the Australian track offer a great challenge for the drivers, especially if the weather plays a part, as Grosjean explains.
« We know the track can be quite slippery, it’s not a permanent circuit so it gives us a bit of extra work. The weather could make things difficult. Three years ago, we had a lot of rain and had to do the qualifying on Sunday morning. I hope the weather will be good this year! We can say we don’t know what’s going to happen since all the cars have changed and I imagine there will be some surprises. We will try to maximize our time on the track, finish the race, and achieve the best possible result. »
