Grosjean out to bounce back from Melbourne setback

WHAT would have been a fairy tale return to Formula 1 for Romain Grosjean with Lotus failed to materialise in Melbourne but the Swiss remains optimistic of making a quick rebound at the Petronas Formula 1 Malaysian Grand Prix this weekend.

The 25-year-old reigning GP2 champion overshadowed team-mate Kimi Raikkonen’s similar Formula 1 return by qualifying a superb third at the Australian Grand Prix but lost three positions with a slow start on race day and retired following a second lap clash with Williams driver Pastor Maldonado.

But Grosjean remains upbeat as his Malaysian-backed team prepare for the second leg of the world championship as he will be racing on a track that he is more familiar with.

Grosjean raced seven times in 2009 with Renault before departing Formula 1 and has not driven an F1 car at Sepang. But he has had success at the circuit, finishing second in the GP2 Asia series in 2008.

“I don’t know most of the F1 tracks but I know Sepang and Bahrain as I’ve raced there before.

“Malaysia is one of my favourite circuits and we will focus on getting a result here,” said Grosjean, who held a job in a bank back home in Geneva before entering motor racing.

Grosjean arrived in Formula 1 three years ago under trying circumstances. He was rushed into the Renault team – the forerunner to Lotus – after Nelson Piquet Jr was fired in the wake of the Singapore ‘Crashgate’ scandal. Renault were, subsequently, forced out and team boss Flavio Briatore was banned from the sport indefinitely.

Cast in the unenviable role of Fernando Alonso’s team-mate, Grosjean made a succession of rookie mistakes.

When he departed at season’s end, it was assumed he would join the long list of drivers who had failed to make the grade in F1.

However, the Frenchman rebounded impressively and won the GP2 series, the second-tier of international open-wheel racing, last year to boost his chances of an F1 recall.

There was a long list of candidates to fill the second Lotus seat this season, led by the two drivers who finished 2011 with the team – Russian Vitaly Petrov and Brazilian Bruno Senna.

Grosjean was, however, picked, largely due to his nationality as sponsor Total were eager for a French presence in the team.

After coming within four-tenths of a second of claiming pole position last week, it is understandable that Grosjean is still frustrated over his early exit.

“From what I saw, he (Maldonado) braked far too late and came across to hit my right front wheel, which broke the steering.

“And that was it for me, I made sure to be careful through the opening laps but I can’t control the other drivers,” said Grosjean.