Driver

Romain Grosjean very nearly blew up his second chance in Formula 1. Hired to drive for Lotus in 2012, the same Enstone-based team with which he made his F1 debut in three years earlier, the Frenchman made a promising start to his campaign. But as the season progressed, Grosjean got involved in several incidents on the opening lap, most notably in Belgium, where he caused a spectacular first-corner incident which handed him a one-race ban. Later in Japan, after he collided with Mark Webber on the first lap, he earned the moniker 'first-lap nutcase' for his folly. It's a tag Grosjean will be eager to discard and ensure that it doesn't affect his driving style which bagged AutoGP title in 2010 and the GP2 and GP2 Asia series crowns the following year. His season with Renault in 2009 was a disappointment, largely because he was thrown in to F1 believed to be unprepared. The pressure is on to Grosjean to prove himself worthy of the faith Lotus has placed on him and do better and add to the two podiums he has registered for the team so far ahead of the 2013 season. Because, he may not get a third chance.