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Grosjean: 'I would have blown away Raikkonen from start to finish!'

Romain Grosjean has never been a big fan of hybrid technology in Formula 1, and he even believes it cost him a seat at Ferrari at the end of 2013!

The Frenchman was paired with Kimi Raikkonen at Lotus back then, and for the second season in succession was beaten by the Finn in the championship standings.

According to Grosjean, F1's kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) is where his problems started, and specifically his well publicized issues with braking which persist today.

"Since we've had this sh*t... it's been sh*t! It's a catastophe," Grosjean laughingly told Nextgen-Auto.com.

"We had the same problems with the KERS. And that's really what penalized me, in early 2013. Without it, I would have blown away Kimi from start to finish, and I'd be the one racing for Ferrari!"

"Other drivers appear to have less problems, not because they brake earlier or less hard, but because they have less sensitivity in the left pedal. I need the brakes to react exactly the way I want.

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"Kimi on the other hand couldn't adapt to the Lotus' power steering. I never understood why, we tried several different versions and I never felt a difference."

In hindsight, Grosjean doesn't regret leaving Lotus - or rather Renault - for Haas at the end of the 2015 season.

The US outfit out-performed the French team last year and still enjoys a slight performance advantage in 2017.

But Renault is gaining momentum and could be well positioned to fight at the front of the field in a few years, a prospect which could elude Haas if the team finds itself short on resources.

"I feel good where I am right now," insists Grosjean.

"Only time will tell if I made a good long term choice. Right now I think I did, and the experience I'm living here is important, and is actually a quite pleasant one."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.