Grosjean: it’s going to be very emotional for me to leave Lotus

With just five races left before he heads for the life of a CNC machine operator, Romain Grosjean talks about today, tomorrow and yesterday at Lotus F1 Team as well as planning a Russian revolution in Sochi.

You’ve been announced as headed for pastures new for next year: was it something Lotus said?

Au contraire. I’m headed to a new team and a new and very different challenge in 2016 - it’s true - but it’s going to be very emotional for me to leave the team that I’ve been part of for so long. I’ve worked with Enstone for 10 years, we had ten podiums together and I took part in nearly 80 races… I have to say that the people at Enstone are the strongest group of people ever to keep pushing no matter what the circumstances. I had to think long and hard for the next step of my career.

Is it going to be an emotional ‘au revoir’?

Part of my heart will absolutely always be with Enstone where I’ve grown and experienced so much over the years. I can remember turning up in September 2005 at the front gate, not speaking English and being very shy. Some of the people I met that day are still there. I’m turning a new leaf in my book but it doesn’t mean that it’s the end of the book so why not come back to Enstone one day to become World Champion with the team! Leaving Enstone at the end of the season won’t be easy… I promised everyone some beers in December when I come to say goodbye to the factory. Until then we’ve got five races left yet this season and I’m absolutely determined to end my time with the greatest high possible.

What’s the battle-plan for Sochi?

It would be fantastic to shake up the order again and get a really strong result, and that’s honestly what we’re always trying to do. It’s a pretty decent circuit and it will be interesting to see how it’s matured. Certainly the track surface will have changed and it will have settled somewhat. We struggled massively for grip last year, but we’ve got a softer tyre allocation from Pirelli, the performance of which we should be better equipped to maximise. It will be a good exercise for us to see if we can give a better performance than our first Russian Grand Prix.

What did you think of your first experience in Sochi last year?

For me it was special to race at the site of an Olympic Games. I’m a huge fan of the Olympics and especially the Winter Olympics, because my grandfather competed in skiing events at the 1948 and 1952 events. The facility itself was fantastic and the track really well engineered. The entire site had its own unique flavour. It’s always great to see how an event matures and I know we have many Russian fans. It would be superb to see as many as possible there supporting us.

What’s the track like to drive?

It’s a pretty cool track actually with a useful number of straights and some big braking. You’ve got turn three which is just about flat out which is good fun. The corners flow well together with the final section a bit more tight and twisty. Last year was hard to get the tyres working, this year the Pirelli allocation is softer. Looking outside of the driver requirements, the facilities are really nice and the paddock is a friendly size so it’s a good one to work in.

What are the benefits of your second time at a track?

We won’t get lost going to the track in the morning! This is a good first step. We know what to expect, what the track is going to be like, we know the setup and what’s needed for a good race. I think it could well be a strong race for the E23.