Romain Grosjean is a sought-after driver
After demonstrating speed and consistency in 2013, Romain Grosjean unofficially assumes the status of team leader this year by calmly steering his ship through very turbulent waters. His future in Formula 1 could turn out to be brighter than expected.
During an unconvincing baptism by fire in 2009, Romain Grosjean competed in seven Grand Prix but having joined mid-season amidst Crashgate in a car he didn’t know, he did not achieve any significant results.
He made his true debut in Formula 1 as a full-time driver in 2012. However, the Franco-Swiss driver had a very difficult season with numerous collisions and a one-race suspension following a dangerous accident at the Belgian Grand Prix.
That is why in 2013, he decided to be coached by Benoît Campargue, former coach of Olympic judo champion Teddy Riner. This change paid off as the Franco-Swiss driver achieved a total of 6 podiums, demonstrating great consistency at the end of last season.
The transformation of Romain Grosjean caught the eye of some teams that were ready to break the bank to recruit him.
In /f1/actualite/17610-dimanche-lotus-et-grosjean-enfin-dans-les-points-.html, with Kimi Räikkönen’s departure and the new regulations, the Franco-Swiss driver demonstrated true leadership by staying calm in a difficult situation within a Lotus team that was lagging in development and had an uncertain budget after the unpaid salaries to Kimi Räikkönen, taking on a significant portion of the testing and scoring the team’s first points in a reduced-performance car.
This new status puts Romain Grosjean in a situation that makes him coveted by several teams, a subject that worries Gérard Lopez, the director of Lotus. He confides to Press Association Sport: « We do not have the budget of some other teams, so we will fight up to a certain point.
But Romain is really happy here, he is part of the family, and I don’t believe he plans to go anywhere else.
With his performance last year, a few teams came knocking on our door to learn about his plans, and the same thing is happening this year.
He congratulates the progress made by his protégé: « I’m not saying Romain is leaving, but what I’m saying is that he’s a driver who was criticized, and now people suddenly say he’s a driver who could drive for just about any team. »
So, will Lotus be able to retain the services of Romain Grosjean?
Nothing is less certain, especially since PDVSA, the Venezuelan national oil company, a substantial contributor to the Enstone team’s budget, might withdraw its patronage…
The future of Maldonado in Formula 1 is threatened if we are to believe the new Venezuelan Minister of Sports, Antonio Alvarez.
