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Adapted from GMM
Sir Jackie Stewart has once again offered to become struggling Romain Grosjean's coach.
Earlier this year, when Lotus' French driver was first labelled a 'crash king' of the 2012 season, triple world champion Stewart offered to help the 26-year-old get to grips with the sport's psychological pressures.
"I used to work with a coach and I don't feel that I need one today," Grosjean said in July.
But three months later, immediately after serving a one-race ban for causing the Spa start-line crash and a string of other incidents, Grosjean arrived in Singapore with Benoit Campargue, a Frenchman who also coaches Judo champion Teddy Riner.
Even so, Grosjean is once again in the wrong spotlight, having been branded a "nutcase" by Mark Webber after yet another first-lap crash in Japan.
"I would love to help Romain, because I think he has enormous potential. It's his first full season in F1 and he is fast enough to win races. I actually think he could have won one or two Grand Prix this season, but at the moment his potential is being overshadowed by the number of accidents he's having," said Stewart, who already works with Lotus through the team's owner Genii.
He told the BBC: "Any more accidents could jeopardise his chances of driving for Lotus next season, let alone the very best teams. Romain, who I have to say is an extremely nice young man, chose not to take up the offer. The season was congested then, he was about to go on his honeymoon, and he felt he had his own people assisting him. When the time comes and he wants to do it, I will always be there for him because of my relationship with the team. For some reason, racing drivers of all kinds feel they don't need coaches once they leave karting. That's unlike any other sport I know."
Stewart added: "Having the talent and speed to win races can be intoxicating. What all the top drivers have is very good mind management, knowing how to go about their business. It's very rare that any of them have collisions. That's obvious with Sebastian Vettel, and Fernando Alonso's collision at the first corner in Japan was a real rarity. The mind has to be the master over natural ability. Having been there and had very, very few collisions in my career, I know that to finish first, first you must finish, and that you never win a race on the first corner, but you'll quite often lose one there."
Indeed, the situation is becoming dire for Romain Grosjean, as figures up and down the paddock call on the FIA to impose more race bans on the 'dangerous' driver.
Asked if the situation has endangered Grosjean's career, boss Eric Boullier is quoted by the Daily Mail: "Not yet, but I expect to see an improvement."
Sir Jackie Stewart has once again offered to become struggling Romain Grosjean's coach.
Earlier this year, when Lotus' French driver was first labelled a 'crash king' of the 2012 season, triple world champion Stewart offered to help the 26-year-old get to grips with the sport's psychological pressures.
"I used to work with a coach and I don't feel that I need one today," Grosjean said in July.
But three months later, immediately after serving a one-race ban for causing the Spa start-line crash and a string of other incidents, Grosjean arrived in Singapore with Benoit Campargue, a Frenchman who also coaches Judo champion Teddy Riner.
Even so, Grosjean is once again in the wrong spotlight, having been branded a "nutcase" by Mark Webber after yet another first-lap crash in Japan.
"I would love to help Romain, because I think he has enormous potential. It's his first full season in F1 and he is fast enough to win races. I actually think he could have won one or two Grand Prix this season, but at the moment his potential is being overshadowed by the number of accidents he's having," said Stewart, who already works with Lotus through the team's owner Genii.
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| Romain Grosjean, Lotus. (Photo: WRi2) |
He told the BBC: "Any more accidents could jeopardise his chances of driving for Lotus next season, let alone the very best teams. Romain, who I have to say is an extremely nice young man, chose not to take up the offer. The season was congested then, he was about to go on his honeymoon, and he felt he had his own people assisting him. When the time comes and he wants to do it, I will always be there for him because of my relationship with the team. For some reason, racing drivers of all kinds feel they don't need coaches once they leave karting. That's unlike any other sport I know."
Stewart added: "Having the talent and speed to win races can be intoxicating. What all the top drivers have is very good mind management, knowing how to go about their business. It's very rare that any of them have collisions. That's obvious with Sebastian Vettel, and Fernando Alonso's collision at the first corner in Japan was a real rarity. The mind has to be the master over natural ability. Having been there and had very, very few collisions in my career, I know that to finish first, first you must finish, and that you never win a race on the first corner, but you'll quite often lose one there."
Indeed, the situation is becoming dire for Romain Grosjean, as figures up and down the paddock call on the FIA to impose more race bans on the 'dangerous' driver.
Asked if the situation has endangered Grosjean's career, boss Eric Boullier is quoted by the Daily Mail: "Not yet, but I expect to see an improvement."