Romain Grosjean will be confirmed as a Haas F1 Team driver on Tuesday, ending speculation about the Frenchman’s future, but his decision to leave Lotus came as a surprise to the team according to deputy team principal Federico Gastaldi.
“We were not expecting that Romain would leave us but it’s life,” he told F1i on Friday. “He’s entitled to do it if he wants to, he’s a free man.”
Grosjean has raced for the team since 2009 when it was owned by Renault, but took a two year break before rejoining the outfit in 2012, scoring three podiums that season.
Gastaldi admitted he was only made aware of Grosjean’s decision to leave for new team Haas last week, and says they must now begin a search for his replacement after confirming Pastor Maldonado.
“We have to start looking now,” he said. “We obviously had Romain and Pastor. Romain has been with us for seven years on the Gravity program.
“For me personally and I’m sure for the whole team it will be sad to see him going because he’s been part of the family.”
It’s rumoured that Lotus reserve Jolyon Palmer could step up to a full-time race seat, to which Gastaldi said “why not” when it was put to him, but said the ultimate decision had to be taken by the Lotus board.
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