EXCLUSIVE: Romain Grosjean - Q&A Interview

Crash.net
From our seat it's been a positive start to the season, but how about your from your seat?

Romain Grosjean
[laughs] Pretty much the same! We missed two opportunities in the first two races to score good points but after that we've made most of the things pretty much as good as we could. Learning to work with my new engineers as well. Here, everything has been going in the right direction.

Crash.net
I guess there must be a plus side to being into position to miss opportunities after last year...

Romain Grosjean
Yeah, last year, we had one opportunity coming it was passed by fast and if you miss it then you have zero points all year long. This year, we had a problem before the start in Melbourne, we had a few problems in Malaysia, but after that, races are coming, the car is there, you can play with the strategy you can try to maximize it.

Crash.net
Everyone knows how good the Mercedes engine is, but how much improved in the Lotus chassis this year?

Romain Grosjean
It's more the chassis than the engine to be fair. Of course, we do have the best power unit on the grid. We put it in the car after a year of experience so that everything was straightforward. Other than last year, it was not ready, plus it was new technology, so there was a lot of development going on. To me the biggest difference is the chassis. From day one, you know, it was a good baseline. Last year from day one, I knew there were problems from there.

Crash.net
You've suggested previously that the car reacts how you expect it to when you apply changes - how important is it to have that predictability now?

Romain Grosjean
On a single lap, you can always play with an unpredictable car, but over a race, it's just too hard to control. You cannot drive it the way you want, you're just trying to change the issue rather than solve the problem of handling and set up.

Crash.net
How much untapped potential is there to the Lotus E23?

Romain Grosjean
I think, let's hope, let's see what these upgrades will do. Another thing in the pipeline is coming hopefully soon. It could do a big difference to our lap time. Let's see what we've got now. We've got ideas of what is coming. And then we just need to fit it into the car and see what it brings.

Crash.net
Despite the difficulties, how much did you learn from your tough 2014 season?

Romain Grosjean
To be fair, lots. It was very different to everything I like doing. It's keeping the frustration down and being for the first time a team leader in a difficult situation, so I've learned how to learn what I've done right, what I've done wrong, how to improve myself, how to drive the car that I don't understand that I can't set it up the way I want. I've learnt a lot.

Crash.net
Does it benefit your mental strength?

Romain Grosjean
It wasn't driving skill, the car was just doing whatever it wanted to. It was reacting to problems rather than trying to understand and build your weekend or your lap.

Crash.net
Has it made you a better driver?

Romain Grosjean
It has certainly, yeah. I have more tools in my hands to play with.

Crash.net
Are podiums for Lotus in the offing this year?

Romain Grosjean
Not now. The problem is that Ferrari has improved a lot, so it makes three steps of the podium all taken by cars. But I think if we can keep fighting as we do, why not try to chase Williams. Then it can be a good year.

Crash.net
As a driver that has competed with the same team, but through various eras, how have you seen it evolve?

Romain Grosjean
What matters to me is that people working in the team are proper racers and they want to try and win races and do the best and that's what the focus on. Of course, you don't have this super-constructor, you don't have the money of Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull. But as well we are doing a good job.

Crash.net
How proud are you of the team and how it is functioning on a smaller budget now?

Romain Grosjean
When we had a problem with 2013 when the employees were not paid and they were coming out of the race and they were there doing the pit stop, they were doing everything they could to make the car faster, it's the spirit of this team and the strength of the people. They're a really good group of people and they deserve to win races and to have more.

Crash.net
Does it that give you additional motivation to reward them?

Romain Grosjean
It does. As long as you see that people you are working with are racers and the only goal is to go faster and faster and to improve, you know they are doing their best... That's what you want to see.

Crash.net
Fernando Alonso says he doesn't think drivers get enough say in F1 matters anymore - is that an opinion you agree with?

Romain Grosjean
I think there are always place for improvement. Of course, we've always trying to use the GPA to give our vote, so I think if we stick all together then we have more power.

Crash.net
You're now the only Frenchman in F1 and there hasn't been a French Grand Prix for some years... have you noticed a dip in interest in your home nation?

Romain Grosjean
No. people recognize me more and more. It's quite nice to have support and just a quick word saying 'c'mon, we're behind you, we're with you, pushing, cheering you', it's always nice. Seeing the flags in the grandstands you know, the French flag is for you or there's other stuff for you which is nice. I'm just doing my best so for myself, my team... my wife is happy too!