Romain Grosjean labels his Mercedes-powered Lotus E23 Hybrid “confidence-inspiring” and says it will help him take on the “unique” challenge of next weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix.
Coming off his third consecutive points finish with P8 at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, the Frenchman looks to extend the momentum into an event he describes as his "unofficial" home race.
Lotus experienced a dismal 2014 campaign but Monaco was undoubtedly one of its few highlights for Grosjean, who secured eighth 12 months ago. Although he does not think the narrow streets of Monte Carlo represent the best playground for his E23, the 29-year-old is confident his new charger can perform well on every type of track.
“The emphasis at Monaco is on low speed corners, which is historically hasn’t been our greatest strength,” said Grosjean. “But this year our package as proved to be pretty good no matter what the circuit layout: the E23 is a pretty adaptable car!
“Monaco is less engine dependent than most circuits which puts a premium on the driveability and set-up of the car. The E23 has been pretty confidence-inspiring which is something very good on a street course.
“Bumpy straights and a low grip surface are the other main Monaco characteristics and how well you adapt to them can make or break your weekend. We generally prefer the softer tyres of Pirelli’s range, but you need really, really soft and grippy tyres for Monaco as it’s so slippery!”
Grosjean currently holds eighth position in the Drivers’ standings while Lotus occupies sixth place in the Constructors’ race. What's more, the past three Grand Prix have seen the Enstone-based team challenge Red Bull and Toro Rosso on merit to emerge as the fourth quickest squad behind Mercedes, Ferrari, and Williams.
Click here for a light-hearted look at some of the scenes from last weekend's Spanish Grand Prix
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