After two consecutive podium finish in the last two races in Korea and Japan, Lotus driver Romain Grosjean is on a roll and eyeing a strong finish at the Indian Grand Prix this weekend.
Grosjean came as a third driver for Lotus in the first edition of the Indian GP. Driving for the first time at the Buddh International Circuit (BIC) in the 2012 edition, the Frenchman finished ninth while his team-mate Kimi Raikkonen clinched seventh spot.
Making an incredible start at last weekend's Japanese GP, Grosjean launched into an early lead but could not hold off the all-conquering Red Bull duo of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber. But a great effort at the Suzuka earned him a podium finish, his fourth of the year. And with three races to go, the Frenchman is eighth on the drivers' standings with 87 points so far.
Speaking to IBNLive.com, Grosjean shared his experience as a Lotus driver and about driving in India.
This is your second race in India. How has the experience been?
Grosjean: I like it. I first visited the track as the third driver for the team during the inaugural race weekend in 2011 and was really impressed by the facility. Then, of course, I drove it for the first time last year. The layout includes a nice mix of corners with a bit of gradient change which is always a good thing. There are some decent straights with wide corners at the end of them to help with overtaking, although it's still not the easiest place in the world to pass somebody. Then there's the linked Turn 10 / 11 combination, which is a bit like Turn 8 in Turkey in that it seems to go on forever. It's quite a fun track to drive.
What are your plans for the Indian Grand Prix 2013?
Grosjean: Our car is really performing well at the moment, so I think we could be strong again. It's fair to say we struggled there a little last year with finding grip and getting the right set-up for the cars, so hopefully we can perform better this time.
What do you like about India?
Grosjean: It's certainly a different experience from a lot of the places we visit and it's great to see a different culture.
After a fantastic show in Japan, what are your plans for the remaining four races of the season?
Grosjean: I'm feeling really good with the car, my confidence is getting higher with every race and I'm very happy with the team, so I'll keep working hard to improve the areas that need improving, and we'll keep pushing for top results right to the end of the season.
How was your experience in Suzuka?
Grosjean: The start was fantastic; the clutch kicked in, I put my foot down and whoosh! It was superb to go past both the Red Bulls like that and it'll be one of my best memories of the year. I saw Mark [Webber] in my mirrors and started to pull away which was a big surprise in itself, so I was screaming "come on baby, let's go!" in the cockpit. After the first lap, I honestly thought it was going to be my day, but that first win will come soon.
What was your strategy to keep the Red Bulls behind you?
Grosjean: You never want to concede a place, but when you're leading the race or fighting for a podium position, you can find ways to make your car very wide! Sebastian [Vettel] had a lot more pace than me, but we were able to fight a bit more in the battle with Mark [Webber]. It's a shame we caught the back markers when we did, as I think we'd have had an even stronger fight if it wasn't for them. The tyre allocation was quite hard for the track in 2012, but this year it's softer, which should help us and make for better racing.
How much are you looking ahead to 2014?
Grosjean: Right now, I'm working on doing the very best I can at each remaining race in 2013, and I think that's the best approach for now. As soon as the season's over, I'll get a little rest and recharge my batteries, then we're back to see the new cars launched and to start testing them. It will be a very interesting challenge with all the new rules that are coming in for next season. A new area is coming for the sport and that's always very exciting.
Comments
0 comment