Romain Grosjean will remain at Lotus in 2013 partnering the already confirmed Kimi Räikkönen the team have confirmed.
The Frenchman had been expected to stay with the Enstone based outfit despite coming in for heavy criticism following his numerous accidents which resulted in a one-race ban.
The 2011 GP2 champion did however impress with his raw pace as he took three podium finishes on his way to eighth in the standings.
“It’s fantastic for me to be continuing with Lotus for 2013,” said Grosjean. “It’s superb to have the support of everyone at Enstone. I’m really looking forward to rewarding their faith when we take to the track in Australia.
“I learnt a lot in my first full season in Formula 1 and my aim is to put these lessons into practice with stronger and more consistent performance on track next year.
“There are a lot of exciting developments occurring behind the scenes at Enstone and I am very excited with the prospect of the E21.
“I’ve already had my seat fitting and spoken with all the personnel involved with the build of the new car. I just can’t wait to get behind the wheel.”
Team principal Eric Boullier said the decision to retain both drivers means the team can really focus their efforts on improving in 2013.
“Romain is a great talent and we are pleased that he is continuing with us for a second season,” he added.
“With the continuity of two exceptional drivers like Romain and Kimi we are well placed to build on our strong 2012 with even better results in the year ahead.
“Both drivers worked very well together in their first year as team-mates, and I think there is the potential of even better things from the season ahead. We were regular visitors to podiums in 2012 and we certainly intend to continue with this trend in 2013.”
