GP2 champion Romain Grosjean will partner returning 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen at Renault for the 2012 season when the team becomes Lotus.Grosjean, 25, raced seven times for Renault in 2009 but failed to impress alongside team-mate Fernando Alonso.
"There's a big grin on my face at the prospect of getting behind the wheel of next year's car," Grosjean said.Vitaly Petrov and Bruno Senna, who drove for the team last season, are currently without a drive for 2012.Grosjean added: "To be racing alongside a former world champion - and someone who is hungry and returning to Formula 1 - will be a great experience. I'm sure it will help raise my level of performance too.
I feel that my successful season in GP2 Series has helped me mature a lot. I am a much more complete driver than I was last time I was competing in this sport."Returning to Enstone [Renault's base] as a race driver feels like coming home. I will not disappoint."
Raikkonen, who had talks with Williams about a return to F1 next season before signing for Renault last month, was drafted in to replace the team's number one driver Robert Kubica after the Pole failed to recover in time from serious injuries sustained in a rally accident in February.Petrov, Senna and the team's reserve driver Grosjean, who was born in Geneva but has dual French and Swiss nationality, were all in the frame to take the second seat.
"There's a big grin on my face at the prospect of getting behind the wheel of next year's car," Grosjean said.Vitaly Petrov and Bruno Senna, who drove for the team last season, are currently without a drive for 2012.Grosjean added: "To be racing alongside a former world champion - and someone who is hungry and returning to Formula 1 - will be a great experience. I'm sure it will help raise my level of performance too.
I feel that my successful season in GP2 Series has helped me mature a lot. I am a much more complete driver than I was last time I was competing in this sport."Returning to Enstone [Renault's base] as a race driver feels like coming home. I will not disappoint."
Raikkonen, who had talks with Williams about a return to F1 next season before signing for Renault last month, was drafted in to replace the team's number one driver Robert Kubica after the Pole failed to recover in time from serious injuries sustained in a rally accident in February.Petrov, Senna and the team's reserve driver Grosjean, who was born in Geneva but has dual French and Swiss nationality, were all in the frame to take the second seat.
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