• Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - FP2

Lotus suits Yas Marina circuit - Grosjean

ESPN Staff
November 2, 2012 « Some updates 'positive' - Ferrari | 'We are still lacking some pace' - Rosberg »
Romain Grosjean was not running Lotus' upgraded exhaust © Sutton Images
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Romain Grosjean believes his Lotus is well suited to the layout of the Yas Marina circuit at this weekend's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after finishing fifth in Friday practice.

Grosjean was 0.749s off Sebastian Vettel's Red Bull during practice but was ahead of the Ferraris and his team-mate Kimi Raikkonen.

"It's a track that suits us a little better," he said. "In India our Friday was very poor but here's it was much better. It was a good run and we've got lots of information, so it was good driving today. This is where we want to be and this is the type of Friday we want to have."

Grosjean was only 0.034s off Mark Webber in fourth and less than a tenth off Jenson Button, but he is wary that the Red Bull and the McLaren could extend those gaps over the rest of the weekend.

"Looking at their team-mates' time it's going to be difficult, but looking at today's times it's possible," he added. "I don't think I drove the best lap of my life on the option tyres. It's the first set of options of the weekend and you have to go for it [straightaway] so sometimes you can still improve a little bit. But if they improve and go closer to their team-mates it's going to be difficult, but if they stay where they are then why not?"

Raikkonen was running an upgraded version of Lotus' Coanda-effect exhaust but Grosjean said a lack of parts meant he had to make do with some smaller aero updates.

"We have some updates that worked well so we're going to keep them, but not the exhaust. Just small wings and small pieces that we don't feel the difference but the numbers say are better."

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