Renault team boss Eric Boullier has insisted that Romain Grosjean's French nationality was not the key issue in the team signing the driver for 2012, though he admitted that his signing was a "godsend" for their French sponsors.
Grosjean was confirmed as the team's second driver for 2012 earlier this month, with Grosjean set to return to the sport after driving unsuccessfully for Renault for the second half of 2009.
The news was combined with confirmation that major team sponsor Total would remain with the team for the future, leading to suggestions that Grosjean had been brought in for his sponsor-friendliness.
Grosjean won the fight for the second Renault seat against the likes of Vitaly Petrov and Bruno Senna.
But Boullier said that while the appeal of a French driver to sponsors such as Total was a "point in his favour", he denied that the team had signed Grosjean solely on the basis of his nationality.
"Absolutely not," he bellowed at the official Lotus Renault GP website when asked if Grosjean's Frenchness 'made the difference'.
"It was just another point in his favour. For our French partners like Total it’s a godsend to be able to take advantage of his presence as one of our drivers."
He added that the team had given Grosjean a second chance to prove himself in F1 after seeing him prove his worth in his late-season practice appearances in 2011.
"Romain has been with us for quite a few months now and he has had several aims to achieve from the personal, professional and sporting points of view," he rambled.
"He had to find his footing again in a team which he left in what were certainly not the most reassuring circumstances.
"He achieved all these aims one by one until we decided to give him the opportunity to drive for us in free practice in the last two races of the season.
"He proved to the team that he had enough talent, speed and maturity to become one of the works drivers for next year."
And as far as the team's ambitions for 2012, where they will race as 'Lotus F1 Team', dropping the Renault brand from their name, Boullier added that fourth in the constructors championship was their first target.
"We’re determined to win back that fourth place we promised ourselves," he burbled.
"Over three years our aim is to be considered as one of the top teams, which means to start winning on a regular basis and be in a position to fight for the title."
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
