Grosjean: I am not crazy

Editor

Romain Grosjean insists he has learned from his 2012 mistakes, promising he has worked hard to correct them…

Romain Grosjean insists he has learned from his 2012 mistakes, promising he has worked hard to correct them.

The Frenchman came in for plenty of stick last season after he was involved in a number first-lap incidents. He was eventually handed a one-race ban for the Italian GP as punishment for his role in the opening-corner carnage in Belgium.

However, a few races later he was back at it with Red Bull’s Mark Webber infamously referring to him as a “first-lap nutcase” after they collided on the first lap in Japan.

Grosjean, who also claimed three podiums last year, has the backing of his Lotus bosses as they feel some of the criticism is unfair.

The man himself says he is doing all he can to eradicate those errors.

“I do not think winning at all costs is the goal, because the dream is to become World Champion one day,” Grosjean told French programme Stade2. “Of course, you have to win races to be Champion, but I must be careful not to mistake this goal.

“That’s what cost me the nickname ‘first-lap nutcase’ last year, but even that must be taken in context. Mark said it straight out of the car in Japan, with all the adrenaline of the race still inside him.

“I apologised which is the most I can do. I am not crazy, I am aware of the risks and I have worked hard to correct my mistakes. Over the last five races, I didn’t have any other problems and there is no reason to believe that I will have any more.”