Alonso a good first team-mate - Grosjean

Date published : 20 Aug 2009 - 17:26:55

Renault new boy Romain Grosjean believes that racing alongside his double-world champion team-mate Fernando Alonso will be more of a help than a hindrance as he tries to establish himself in Formula 1. Frenchman Grosjean, who replaces Nelson Piquet Jnr in Valencia this weekend after the Brazilian was dropped at the start of F1 s summer break, has come into the team after a long stint on the French manufacturer s Young Drivers' program, as well as a successful half-season in the main GP2 series for Barwa-Addax. And while the prospect of being compared to the grid s most successful driver could be considered a daunting prospect for a rookie, the 23-year-old says he is not fazed by the challenge ahead. "There is the side that Fernando is the best driver on the grid, so trying to beat him will be very difficult in the beginning," Grosjean said. "But, on the other side, I think that Fernando is such a good driver that working with him is a really good experience for me. "He's maybe the best team-mate for me to start with and get the experience as quick as I can. Grosjean explained that his performances were likely to be judged relative to Alonso's form, rather than on overall results, as team boss Flavio Briatore had not set out any expectations for the rookie. "Well, Flavio has said that not to try to do the best lap time in first practice but I have to learn and get some experience and at the moment we haven't put any objectives on the table, said the 2007 Formula 3 Euroseries champion. "You know Fernando, we have seen at Hungary he was fighting for the podium and he is now near the front, so if I can get close to Fernando then hopefully I can be near the points. Despite coming into F1, like Toro Rosso s Jaime Alguersuari at the previous race, without testing with the car he will be making his debut in, Grosjean feels that the quality of the junior formula had prepared him well for the Valencia weekend. "We are already prepared very well in GP2 so the pre-race is pretty much the same, he said. "There are more things to think about in F1, but they are basically the same so that is good." Furthermore, although Grosjean will be the first Frenchman at the Renault works team in over 20 years, he feels no added pressure, insisting he is relishing the experience. It's euphoria," enthused Grosjean, he added. It's not an extra pressure, it s more the opposite. I feel very good with Renault, we have a good story since the young driver [scheme in] 2006.