Grosjean lost seat due to mid-season mistake – Petrov

Romain Grosjean should not have accepted Renault’s offer of a race seat mid last year, according to his successor.

In 2009, the Swiss-born Frenchman Grosjean was paired with Russia’s Vitaly Petrov at the Barwa Addax GP2 team.

But after the Hungarian GP in late July, Renault ousted Nelson Piquet Jr and replaced the Brazilian with reserve driver Grosjean.

The 23-year-old, however, failed to shine in the R29 car alongside Fernando Alonso, and after the final seven races of the 2009 season was not retained for the forthcoming season.

Petrov is bringing a reputed EUR15 million in funding to the newly restructured Enstone based team in 2010, and it is believed that if he does not meet a March 1 payment date, he could lose the seat.

The Russian 25-year-old insists it was Grosjean’s “mistake” that cost him the full-time Renault role.

“Grosjean erred by landing in F1 in mid-season,” Petrov is quoted as saying by France’s Auto Hebdo.

“There was much more to lose than to win, especially with a car in which Alonso did not do any good.

“A team asked me in mid-2009 (to race) and I refused, and my father supported me,” he revealed.  “It is necessary to start with a whole season (ahead).”

© RIF|GMM