F1: Romain Grosjean exclusive: From Lotus to Haas

ON THE FUTURE

Is there a concern that you will watch what Renault do with Lotus and if they turn it around quickly you’ll think: ‘Did I make the right decision?’

“When I make a decision I make it once and then I move on. Of course, first of all I’m hoping Renault comes on board because for the guys here I’m really hoping they are coming. I’m hoping they are successful as well because it is a big brand and they’ve been in the sport for so long that it would be nice to have the Renault team here. I know as well that it is going to take time, and who knows I could come back one day? It could be the next chapter with a French team. So nothing is closed it’s just that right now I’m taking a different route but that doesn’t mean that I’m going to Ferrari in the future or McLaren or Mercedes or back to Renault. Who knows?”

Do you have a dream scenario? I assume the dream is to be world champion but is it the dream to be world champion with Ferrari? Or with a French team, for example?

“Both of them! It’s opportunities, it’s life, it’s your career. There are drivers that never got the opportunity, there are drivers that got it. Look at Jenson with Brawn, who would believe he would be world champion that year with Brawn? He did it, got the car and the opportunity. When Lewis moved from McLaren everyone was thinking ‘what’s that move like?’ And now he’s got two more titles with Mercedes. Life is short but at the same time you need to make decisions and you either do them right and do them wrong, you try to use your brain as much as you can and try to predict the future more or less!”

What would be the bigger dream for you: to drive for Ferrari or to win the world title?

“Win the world title I think, because I’m a competitor and I want to win. I hate losing so if I came in to Formula One it is to be world champion. If I can drive for Ferrari one day that is the second tick on the list and if I can be world champion with Ferrari this is the ideal scenario but the future will tell.”

But I sense you are happy with what you have achieved so far in life; you’re married, a father, appear to enjoy your personal life…

“Yeah, not too bad! You have two lives, you have the personal life and you have the business life or the racing life. It’s important that one is up when the other one down and balanced. If both are down it is very difficult and if both are up, enjoy it because normally it is not going to last! You try to do your best. I am a happy father, a happy husband, that is important. It helped me in 2014, it helped me in 2015 when it was a bit harder like when you get to a track and you learn you are not going to drive on Friday morning. Stuff like that happened a few times. So I’m looking forward to next year, to have a new chapter of my book and move on with a new team and try to make it successful and be even more happy. One day if I sign the right contract it’s a dream. If tomorrow I get in a Mercedes - which is the best car on the grid - then I will be happy. It’s all about opportunities.”