Q & A with Romain Grosjean

Q. Romain, you will be a third driver for Lotus Renault GP in 2011. Tell us what it means to be given this chance?

Romain Grosjean: It's a great opportunity for me to be back in Formula 1 because my dream is to try and get back on the grid. It's a good time to be here because this team is getting stronger and everybody saw how much the car improved last year. Now, with the arrival of Lotus as a partner, there is a real buzz about this team and it's exciting to be a part of it.

Q. You have had a long association with Enstone through your links with Renault - did it feel special to go back there?

RG: Returning to Enstone felt just like coming home. It brought back a lot of happy memories because I know the place so well and I have a lot of friends there. It's also special because this is a new beginning for the team and everybody is really motivated and excited about the year ahead.

Q. You've already been around Formula 1 for several years, but what more can you learn in your role this year?

RG: There are always things to learn in Formula 1, especially these days when drivers have even less time in the cars. Just going to the engineering meetings will be valuable and I know I can learn a lot by listening to Robert and Vitaly talk about the car.

Q. What are your objectives for 2011 and will you continue racing alongside your F1 duties?

RG: Yes, I will be racing for DAMS this year, starting off in GP2 Asia and then doing the main GP2 series. It's something I'm really looking forward to because there is a new GP2 car for 2011 and new Pirelli tyres, so it will be a fresh start for everybody. The team is very motivated and we will be pushing hard to try and win the title.