Romain Grosjean's first request on winning the F3 Euroseries title this year was that he not be allowed to learn the ropes in the GP2 Series with a midfield team. Now his wish has been granted.
Having seen fellow Renault Driver Development scheme member Lucas di Grassi endure a year with Durango before being promoted to the crack ART Grand Prix line-up, Grosjean was keen to jump straight into a leading seat in order to retain his RDD membership, which typically insists on stiff performance criteria from year to year. Now, just days after being confirmed as Renault
F1's latest test and reserve pilot, and using his links with the ASM F3 operation, the Frenchman has had his request fulfilled, with confirmation that he is to follow di Grassi through the doors at ART.
"I am very happy that Frederic Vasseur and Nicolas Todt have given me the chance to evolve in the best GP2 team, and I hope to be able to pay them back with some good results," Grosjean admitted, "I am also very happy to continue working with the same team that brought me to the title in the F3 Euroseries, and the objective will be to repeat this result in GP2."
The 2008 campaign will be the first in which ART returns to the fray not carrying the champion's #1 plate on its cars, having been beaten to the title this year by
Timo Glock and iSport International, but co-owner Vasseur believes that Grosjean has the talent to fight for the crown in his rookie year.
"The speed, technical knowledge and dedication shown by Romain in his work is a guarantee that ART will have one of the best drivers of his generation, " the Frenchman explained, "The fact that he knows our team so well will smooth the progress of his adaptation to a very demanding championship."
ART won both its GP2 titles with series rookies, with a certain
Lewis Hamilton succeeding
Nico Rosberg as champion in 2006, and Todt agrees with Vasseur's assertion that Grosjean could be the man to return the team to the top step in 2008.
