Romain Grosjean has hinted that he intends to leave the Lotus team at the end of the season as he seeks a competitive seat elsewhere on the grid.
The Frenchman has been with Lotus since 2009 when he replaced Nelson Piquet Jnr at the 11th round of the season. He then took two years out before returning in 2012.
However having failed to taste success – his highest finish this year is just eighth – he’s begun looking elsewhere for an opportunity to drive a race winning car with some linking him to McLaren where his manager, Eric Boullier, holds the position of racing director.
“I’ve been here [at Lotus] for a little bit and I know the team very well, on the other hand I want to win races as well, so things are open,” he said.
“What I really want is to win my first grand prix, and try to become a world champion, and that’s what I’m going to focus on. I know here we have some very good people, and the team is back to fighting level, and that helps things, so we’ll see later.”
When asked if he could rule out leaving Lotus at the end of the year, his response was simple: “No,” he said.
“I miss fighting for podiums and I miss drinking champagne on a Sunday afternoon. That’s what I want – what all of us want – when you taste it once you want to taste it for a long time.”
