Career could have ended after more accidents - Grosjean

  • Published on 19 Dec 2013 09:41
  • comments 0
  • By: Rob Veenstra
Even with a 2013 contract in his pocket, Romain Grosjean has admitted he remained perilously close to seeing his now flourishing F1 career end. Banned for a race in 2012 and written off as the 'first lap nutcase' by Mark Webber, the Frenchman entered the winter period uncertain if he would be returning in 2013.

Ultimately, having developed a close working relationship with a psychologist and no longer running into regular trouble in wheel-to-wheel combat, Grosjean ended the recently-concluded season as a standout of 2013. In Kimi Raikkonen's absence, he will lead the Lotus team in 2014, alongside new teammate Pastor Maldonado.

But early in 2013, Grosjean was not so sure about his future. "I remember calling (team owner) Gerard (Lopez) and saying that the contract is signed. But he said that if in the first four races I had four accidents on the first laps, then it's all over. I replied that I thought that was normal. I think that in this case, I would not have come to the fifth race," Grosjean said in an interview with the French magazine Auto Hebdo.

He now has his personal problems under control, is happily married and a new father, but Lotus - although competitive - ended the season in disarray. Amid rumours the Quantum deal is collapsing and that employees and suppliers are going unpaid, Grosjean admits it was a difficult period.

"Actually," he explained, "for the drivers, the engineers and the mechanics, those are external problems," he said. "The season did end in difficult conditions," admitted Grosjean. "It was a particularly hard time for Eric Boullier. But it's in those moments that you see the strength of the team."

In the end, with the Quantum money so delayed, Boullier had no choice but to turn down Nico Hulkenberg and sign the heavily-sponsored Maldonado to be Grosjean's 2014 teammate. Grosjean admits Hulkenberg would have been a "great" teammate, but he also thinks he can work well with the Venezuelan.

"We crossed a couple of times in GP2," he said, "but I think he is very fast on one lap. When everything is in order around him and with the car, and he is on top of the situation, he can be very fast, and we saw that in last year's Spanish grand prix," he said.

As for the departing Raikkonen, Grosjean said he had no relationship with the Finn at all. Indeed, some believe it was Raikkonen's superiority that exacerbated Grosjean's problems last year. "Kimi did his job superbly after coming back into formula one," Grosjean insisted.

"He became the leader of the team, even if Lotus has no division of 'driver 1' and 'driver 2'. Kimi of course is a special person, but we had no relationship. I was even surprised when he got to Spa and he said to me 'Congratulations on the birth of your child'. It was the only thing he said to me in two years." (GMM)

Replies (0)

Login to reply

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

World Championship standings 2025

Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2025

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
14 - Mar 16
Australia
21 - Mar 23
China
4 - Apr 6
Japan
11 - Apr 13
Bahrain
18 - Apr 20
Saudi Arabia
2 - May 4
United States of America
16 - May 18
Italy
23 - May 25
Monaco
30 - Jun 1
Spain
13 - Jun 15
Canada
27 - Jun 29
Austria
4 - Jul 6
United Kingdom
25 - Jul 27
Belgium
1 - Aug 3
Hungary
29 - Aug 31
Netherlands
5 - Sep 7
Italy
19 - Sep 21
Azerbaijan
3 - Oct 5
Singapore
17 - Oct 19
United States of America
24 - Oct 26
Mexico
7 - Nov 9
Brazil
21 - Nov 23
United States of America
28 - Nov 30
Qatar
5 - Dec 7
United Arab Emirates
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2025

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
14 - Mar 16
Australia Albert Park
21 - Mar 23
4 - Apr 6
11 - Apr 13
18 - Apr 20
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
2 - May 4
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
16 - May 18
23 - May 25
Monaco Monte Carlo
30 - Jun 1
13 - Jun 15
27 - Jun 29
Austria Red Bull Ring
4 - Jul 6
United Kingdom Silverstone
25 - Jul 27
1 - Aug 3
Hungary Hungaroring
29 - Aug 31
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
5 - Sep 7
Italy Monza
19 - Sep 21
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
3 - Oct 5
17 - Oct 19
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
24 - Oct 26
7 - Nov 9
Brazil Interlagos
21 - Nov 23
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
28 - Nov 30
5 - Dec 7
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Driver profile

  • Team -
  • Points -
  • Podiums -
  • Grand Prix -
  • Country FR
  • Date of b. Apr 17 1986 (39)
  • Place of b. Geneve, FR
  • Weight 71 kg
  • Length 1.8 m
Show full profile

Team profile

Show full profile
show sidebar