Grosjean ready to build on ROC triumph

Newly-crowned ROC Champion of Champions Romain Grosjean aims to build on his stunning victory at the Race Of Champions when he returns to Formula 1 in 2013.

Grosjean overcame Le Mans legend Tom Kristensen in Sunday’s Grand Final after beating multiple F1 world champions Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel in the semi-finals and quarter-finals.

The Frenchman endured a difficult end to the 2012 F1 season after he was involved in a number of on-track incidents. But he had a glorious weekend in Bangkok, first reaching the ROC Nations Cup final with fellow countryman Sébastien Ogier before storming to the individual title. Since his ROC victory Grosjean has had confirmation that his stay at the Lotus Formula 1 team will be extended into 2013. Now he is determined that his collection of trophies will continue to grow.

“To be the Champion of Champions sounds pretty good to me,” said Grosjean. “It wasn’t the easiest draw: with Vettel in the quarter-final, Schumacher in the semi-final and Kristensen in the final, that’s ten F1 world championships and an eight-time Le Mans winner! But I think I drove very well in the knockout stages. I just had a good feeling and went for it. We did it and it feels good to finish the year like that.

“It was a tough end to the F1 season for me but I finally got back onto the podium in Saturday’s ROC Nations Cup – and then this. Every win has a little bit of input in confidence so it’s good to get this win before the holidays. But there is a lot of work that I’m putting in to be better in the future and to be able to use the speed that I sometimes showed before I screwed up afterwards. I’m working on it with someone in Paris and it’s working pretty well so hopefully it will make me stronger.

“It was also good to have the support of my Team France colleague Sébastien Ogier, who won last year’s Race Of Champions. I knew him before we met at last year’s race but we’ve become closer friends since. So last year I was delighted for him and him for me this year. That’s the spirit of the Race Of Champions.”

Race organiser Fredrik Johnsson added: “Romain may have had a difficult end to his Formula 1 season but he didn’t make any mistakes throughout the whole of the Race Of Champions weekend. In fact I don’t think he even touched a single barrier. It was a stunning performance. We look forward to having him back next year to defend his Champion of Champions title after what I’m sure will be a much more successful year in F1.”