Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Lotus Renault GP calls Grosjean back up to partner Raikkonen]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/11/lotus-renault-gp-calls-grosjean-back-up-to-partner-raikkonen/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/11/lotus-renault-gp-calls-grosjean-back-up-to-partner-raikkonen/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/11/lotus-renault-gp-calls-grosjean-back-up-to-partner-raikkonen/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Romain Grosjean

Consistency is paramount in racing, but sometimes a thorough shake-up is called for. And that's what's taking place at the Lotus Renault GP team next season.

Not only is the team formerly known as Toleman, Benetton and Renault changing names once again to Lotus, but it's thoroughly shaking up its driver lineup as well. After the surprising announcement that former world champion Kimi Raikkonen is coming back to fill in for the injured Robert Kubica, the team revealed that it's called Romain Grosjean back up to the plate to take Vitaly Petrov's place.

The Franco-Swiss driver has longstanding ties to the team, having served as an official test driver since 2008. He was summoned to the race seat in 2009 when Nelson Piquet was ousted in the wake of the Crashgate scandal, but failed to score a single championship point in those seven races. Now with the experience of having taken the titles in the GP2 Series, the GP2 Asia Series (twice), and the Formula Three Euroseries, Grosjean is getting another shot at the big leagues.

What will happen with Petrov (or Bruno Senna, for that matter) remains to be seen, but given his talents - and the massive sponsorship dollars he brings from a key developing market - we wouldn't be surprised to see him find another ride for next season. Marussia Virgin Racing: we're looking at you, comrades.

Continue reading Lotus Renault GP calls Grosjean back up to partner Raikkonen

Lotus Renault GP calls Grosjean back up to partner Raikkonen originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 11 Dec 2011 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>f1formula 1formula onegrosjeanlotuslotus f1lotus renault gppetrovrenaultromain grosjeanvitaly petrovSun, 11 Dec 2011 14:02:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20124452/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/12/11/lotus-renault-gp-calls-grosjean-back-up-to-partner-raikkonen/20124452/article-detail.xml 20124452 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/12/grosjean-back-at-lotus_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/12/grosjean-back-at-lotus.jpg <![CDATA[End of Year Shuffle: 14 Formula One teams swap drivers for 2010]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/08/end-of-year-shuffle-14-formula-one-teams-swap-drivers-for-2010/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/08/end-of-year-shuffle-14-formula-one-teams-swap-drivers-for-2010/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/08/end-of-year-shuffle-14-formula-one-teams-swap-drivers-for-2010/#commentsFiled under: ,


If you thought the series of driver changes in the middle of this ongoing Formula One season was something, it's nothing compared to the grand game of musical chairs expected to ensue as the season draws to a close. With BMW closing up shop, several new teams joining the grid and at least a couple of former world champions switching teams for next year's championship, we're shaping up for the biggest jumble the F1 circus has seen in years. Follow the jump to see how it's unfolding so far.

[Image: Clive Mason/Getty]

Continue reading End of Year Shuffle: 14 Formula One teams swap drivers for 2010

End of Year Shuffle: 14 Formula One teams swap drivers for 2010 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2010 fia formula one world champion2010 formula one2010FiaFormulaOneWorldChampion2010FormulaOneadian sutilAdianSutilalguersuarialonsobarrichellobrawlBrawn GPBrawnGpbuemibuttoncamposcampos metaCamposMetaf1f1 driversF1Driversfelipe massaFelipeMassafernando alonsoFernandoAlonsoFerrarifisichellaformula 1formula oneFormula1FormulaOneGiancarlo FisichellaGiancarloFisichellaglockgrosjeanheidfeldJaime AlguersuariJaimeAlguersuarijarno trulliJarnoTrullijenson buttonJensonButtonkazuki nakajimaKazukiNakajimakimi raikkonenKimiRaikkonenkubicaliuzziLotuslotus f1LotusF1manormark webberMarkWebbermassamclarennakajimanick heidfeldNickHeidfeldnico rosbergNicoRosbergraikkonenred bullred bull racingRedBullRedBullRacingrobert kubicaRobertKubicaromain grosjeanRomainGrosjeanrosbergrubens barrichelloRubensBarrichelloscuderia toro rossoScuderiaToroRossosebastian vettelSebastianVettelsebastien buemiSebastienBuemisutiltimo glockTimoGlocktonio liuzziTonioLiuzzitoro rossoToroRossotoyotatoyota f1ToyotaF1trullius f1UsF1vettelvitantonio liuzziVitantonioLiuzziwebberwilliamsThu, 08 Oct 2009 09:28:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19187686/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/10/08/end-of-year-shuffle-14-formula-one-teams-swap-drivers-for-2010/19187686/article-detail.xml 19187686 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/10/f12009drivergroupportrait_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/10/f12009drivergroupportrait.jpg <![CDATA[More Musical Chairs: Renault F1 replaces Piquet with Grosjean pending FIA penalty appeal]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/16/more-musical-chairs-renault-f1-replaces-piquet-with-grosjean-pe/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/16/more-musical-chairs-renault-f1-replaces-piquet-with-grosjean-pe/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/16/more-musical-chairs-renault-f1-replaces-piquet-with-grosjean-pe/#commentsFiled under: , ,


From left to right: Fernando Alonso, Flavio Briatore, Romain Grosjean and Nelsinho Piquet launch the 2009 Renault R29
Click above for high-res image gallery

Typically, most of the drivers who start a Fomula One season are the ones who carry it through to the end. But this has turned out to be anything but a normal season, with erstwhile backmarkers winning races and a big game of musical chairs ensuing. Toro Rosso has already switched out Sebastien Bourdais for Jaime Alguersuari, Ferrari was set to bring Michael Schumacher back from retirement but ended up having to deputize test driver Luca Badoer instead, and now Renault has followed suit by axing Nelson Piquet, Jr. and replacing him with its test driver, Romain Grosjean.

The move started last week when Renault announced Piquet's departure. The son of three-time world champion Nelson Piquet, Sr., Nelsinho (as he's known) moved up to F1 after two seasons in the GP2 feeder series also run by Renault team principal Flavio Briatore. Aside from a solitary, though impressive, second-place finish in Germany, the young Brazilian failed to finish nine races last year, and had yet to score a single point this season. Piquet's termination prompted him to launch a series of tirades against Briatore, whom he characterized as an ignorant executioner.

Piquet's replacement, Romain Grosjean, won both the Formula Three Euroseries and the GP2 Asia championships before moving up to the main GP2 series, where he placed fourth last year and is currently runner-up in the standings, in addition to his role as Renault's official test driver. Renault is waiting to see if he and teammate Fernando Alonso will start the upcoming European Grand Prix, pending their appeal of a penalty given at the last race in Hungary for an improperly secured wheel. Confirmation of Grosjean's promotion pends a successful appeal.


Gallery: 2009 Renault R29 F1


[Source: Autosport]

More Musical Chairs: Renault F1 replaces Piquet with Grosjean pending FIA penalty appeal originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 16 Aug 2009 16:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>briatoref1flavio briatoreFlavioBriatoreformula 1formula oneFormula1FormulaOnegrosjeannelsinhonelsinho piquetNelsinhoPiquetnelsonnelson piquetnelson piquet jrnelson piquet jr.NelsonPiquetNelsonPiquetJrNelsonPiquetJr.piquetrenaultrenault f1RenaultF1romainromain grosjeanRomainGrosjeanSun, 16 Aug 2009 16:32:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19128254/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/08/16/more-musical-chairs-renault-f1-replaces-piquet-with-grosjean-pe/19128254/article-detail.xml 19128254 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/08/renault-r29-team_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/08/renault-r29-team.jpg -1 2