’Piranhas’ putting ’trout’ Grosjean under pressure

Romain Grosjean is expecting his rivals to ramp up the pressure as he vows to get through the first corner in Korea without incident.

The Frenchman’s career is on the line following a string of first-lap crashes in 2012 and his Monza race ban, and most recently yet another incident at Suzuka.

After Grosjean’s Suzuka crash, Lotus team boss Eric Boullier observed that, after he returned from his Monza ban in Singapore, "the other drivers were putting some pressure on him at the start".

Grosjean is expecting more of the same in Korea: "I think drivers will play with the fact that they know I am in a bit of a difficult situation, that’s not a secret."

Spain’s El Confidencial observed that the 26-year-old will, in Korea, be a "trout among piranhas".

But it’s also true that Lotus, while keen to see Grosjean develop into a top driver, cannot forever back someone who rarely progresses past the first lap of a race.

"He knows the problems and understands them," team owner Gerard Lopez is quoted by Welt am Sonntag newspaper.

"It is up to him to avoid them in the future, and that’s what I expect from him.

"Romain is a very talented driver. I think he will get it under control."

Team boss Boullier said Lotus has not yet announced its 2013 driver lineup.

"We’ll talk at the end of the season," the Frenchman said in Korea.