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F1: Grosjean relishing Renault opportunity
Romain Grosjean is relishing the chance to make his Formula One debut in Valencia this weekend.
On Tuesday, the Franco-Swiss driver was officially confirmed by Renault as a replacement for Nelson Piquet, who was axed by the team after the Hungarian GP. He will now line-up alongside double World Champion Fernando Alonso at the European GP around the streets of the Spanish city.
“Of course I'm very excited,” said the 2007 F3 Euro Series champion who currently lies second in the GP2 Series, “and I want to thank the team for giving me this chance. I started dreaming about being a Formula 1 driver when I was seven or eight-years-old, when I was watching the battles between Prost and Senna on television, so to make my debut in Valencia really is a dream come true.
“My goal has always been to become a Formula 1 driver, and to do that with a French team makes it even more special. Renault has supported me since 2006, and it was only with their help that I could afford to continue racing. There is maybe a bit more attention because people have been waiting for a French driver in a Renault, but I will do my best to show that they were right to believe in me.”
Grosjean has been part of the Renault Driver Development programme for the past few seasons and has been involved with the F1 team as test and reserve driver over the past 12 month. The 23-year-old believes that experience should stand him in good stead.
“It has been really helpful as I've got to know everybody and seen how the team works; attending all the meetings and debriefs during the last six months will certainly help me make the most of this opportunity.”
He also admitted he’s not daunted about being Alonso’s team-mate and is looking forward to the opportunity to learn from the Spanish superstar.
“He is a great champion – maybe the best driver in Formula 1,” mused Grosjean. “I'm looking forward to working with him for the rest of the season. We already get on well, and because he has so much experience I know there is a lot I can learn from him.
“I've tried to make my preparation as normal as possible, although I have been training my neck muscles more than usual because Formula 1 is more demanding than GP2 on this part of the body. I've also taken some holiday time during the summer break, to make sure I am fresh and 100 per cent ready for Valencia.
“It's a mix between a street course and a normal circuit, because in some places the track is narrow and tricky and in other places it's really wide with lots of run-off. It's not the easiest place to make your debut, but I've always liked street races and enjoy the atmosphere of being in the middle of a city.
“I've only driven the R29 in straight-line testing, so my first race will be a learning experience. It's difficult to set myself an objective, so my first priority will be to get comfortable with the car, build my confidence over the weekend and do the best job I can for the team.”
Keep up-to-date with all the F1 news by watching Inside GP on Motors TV (Sky Channel 413, Virgin Media 545).
Andy Wilkinson
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