Grosjean: Debut GP a learning experience

Romain Grosjean has admitted his debut Formula 1 race weekend will be a learning experience for him given he has yet to drive Renault’s R29 car.

The 23-year-old Frenchman’s promotion from reserve driver to Fernando Alonso’s team-mate for the final seven races of the season was confirmed by the team on Tuesday, with Nelson Piquet Jr having departed in acrimonious circumstances earlier this month.

Although Grosjean has been the French manufacturer squad’s official reserve and test driver for all of the F1 season so far, the sport’s newly restricted testing limits mean he has yet to complete anything other than straight-line testing in the team’s current car.

Grosjean therefore, who last took part in an official F1 test last July, is not keen to set himself any particular targets for the Valencia weekend and says he simply will aim to get quicker and more comfortable with the car as the weekend progresses.

“I’ve only driven the R29 in straight-line testing so my first race will be a learning experience,” he said.

“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.”

He also feels his experience of attending grand prix weekends in his capacity as the team’s reserve driver should help him quickly adapt to being a full F1 driver.

“It has been really helpful as I’ve got to know everybody and seen how the team works,” Grosjean said.

“Attending all the meetings and debriefs during the last six months will certainly help me make the most of this opportunity.

The former Formula 3 Euroseries and GP2 Asia champion admits his promotion to a Renault race seat is a “dream come true” and he says he is looking forward to his debut weekend.

“Of course I’m very excited and I want to thank the team for giving me this chance,” Grosjean said.

“I started dreaming about being a Formula 1 driver when I was seven or eight years old when I was watching the battles between [Alain] Prost and [Ayrton] Senna on television so to make my debut in Valencia really is a dream come true.”

Grosjean acknowledges the fact he is the first home driver for Renault since the French car giant’s return to F1 team ownership in 2002 means his performances may come under more scrutiny from his homeland – but says he ready to prove his abilities.

“There is maybe a bit more attention because people have been waiting for a French driver in a Renault,” he added.

“But I will do my best to show that they were right to believe in me.”

Although Grosjean has won two races in this season’s GP2 Series and sits second in the championship, the 23-year-old has got caught up in several incidents during the season’s six rounds so far.

However, Renault’s engineering chief Pat Symonds has been impressed with the Frenchman’s racing qualities and has no doubts that he will eventually prove well suited to the F1 environment.

“I think Romain has a great racing ability and we’ve seen that demonstrated many times in GP2,” Symonds said.

“He’s certainly one of the best in the series at overtaking and with the reverse grids he has shown that he’s good at fighting his way through the field.

“It will take him a while to settle into Formula 1, but I’m sure that he will adapt well.”

Source: ITV