Romain Grosjean is good enough to be a race winner in Formula 1 in the right car, his former boss Eric Boullier believes.
The current Haas driver has had a tumultuous career in F1, losing his initial seat at Renault after just seven races at the end of 2009 before returning when the team was renamed Lotus in 2012.
That year, however, he became known as a crash magnet and was banned for one race after causing a pile-up at the start in Belgium.
The following season saw Grosjean improve, often being Red Bull’s closest competition in the second half of 2013.
“He was good enough and he would have [been a race winner] actually,” Boullier, who is now managing director of the French Grand Prix at Paul Ricard, told the Beyond the Grid F1 podcast.
“He did enough podiums to show he has the potential to win. I think Romain has the capacity to win races. He won championships in every category he raced in before, so he has all this.
“But F1 is a little bit more complicated because you need to handle [pressure] and to gather people around you. Plus being in the right team, with the right engine, at the right time.”
Also Read:
- Grosjean ‘should have won’ at the Nurburgring in 2013
- Grosjean open to IndyCar move amid worries over jobless 2021
- Grosjean admits F1 exit likely, ‘understands’ need for money at Haas
During that period at Lotus, the team did win twice via Kimi Raikkonen, and it was the experience of the 2007 world champion which Boullier thinks made the difference.
If you look at the years 2012 and 2013, Kimi was special to make the team work for him and he delivered more, he had more podiums, he had two wins,” he commented.
“Kimi, obviously his racecraft is just unbelievable. He has this talent during the race to control everything
“But Romain was young at that time, and I think that’s another [thing to consider]. I think Romain needed to be more in control.
“The speed was there and obviously he couldn’t show it at that time, because it was maybe a bit too early.
“Then he went to a team [Haas] where he didn’t have the capacity to be on the podium, Boullier added. “But still he did some amazing races with Haas and scored many, many points with them.”
Right now, it appears 2020 will be Grosjean’s last season in F1, this after Haas confirmed both he and Kevin Magnussen will be replaced for next season.
But the 34-year-old acknowledges it is time for the next generation of drivers to step up.
“Rookies need to have their chance in Formula 1,” he told RaceFans. “I’ve been here for 10 years, blocking kind of a seat for 10 years, and if the team goes for two rookies, well, good for them, and I wish them the best.
“Obviously in my days, we were probably a little bit less prepared than the drivers are nowadays. The junior categories have got really more professional. So I think it’s not easy to compare.
“The only thing I can say is that I was convinced I was ready when I came in and I wasn’t. And obviously, I paid a heavy price at the beginning after 2009.
“But I’m very much different [now]. I know exactly where we need to bring the car before the weekend. I know how to drive it, how to get the best out of it when it’s not going the way you want it. That’s really making a lot of difference.”