Romain Grosjean could only finish tenth in the Canadian Grand Prix two weekends ago after making a mistake whilst overtaking the Manor of Will Stevens, but arrives in Austria in high spirits.
The Lotus F1 Team driver feels the Red Bull Ring has a good character despite it being a relatively short lap, but feels his 2015 performance should be light and day different compared to in 2014, where the Frenchman could a lapped fourteenth having started from the pit lane.
“It’s a fantastic location and a great circuit,” said Grosjean. “The mountains and the fresh air remind me a bit of Switzerland and the track is pretty exciting.
“It’s not a long lap but it has good character. You’ve got a reasonable start-finish straight, then and uphill section where we’ll appreciate the power of our car.
“Braking into turn two is fun as it’s uphill so you can brake later than you would otherwise. There’s a second DRS zone then some medium speed corners and you’re back to the start-finish again.
“Certainly last year we struggled, but this year’s car is so much better that I’m really looking forward to being able to push hard all weekend. Last year was the first time at the track for Formula 1 in over a decade and we were doing a lot of learning of the circuit and set-up as well as struggling with a lot of issues with our car at the time.
“We couldn’t get on top of the tyres and we didn’t have the right package for our brakes so it was a frustrating weekend, not to mention with some reliability issues too! This year we should be so much better placed and I’m really looking forward to being able to attack the track.”
Grosjean admits he is happy to be back in Europe for the next five Grand Prix, believing he will feel fresher not having to travel so far to race a car could suit his Lotus car.
“We’ve got some great races ahead and it’s nice to be in Europe for a spell too,” said Grosjean. “It’s no secret I’m not a fan of jet lag and it took a little time to get acclimatised after our trip to Canada.
“With the shorter travel times for the next five races you can spend more time with your family and more time in the factory too. You also feel fresher without the long flights and time zone differences.
“I like the next five races and the team seems confident that they should suit the car, which is really positive.”