• Second Barcelona Test, Day Two

Lotus 'in the four or five best cars' - Grosjean

ESPN Staff
March 1, 2013 « Live F1 testing from Barcelona | Racing outside top ten isn't enough anymore - Ricciardo »
Romain Grosjean was quickest on his final day of pre-season testing © Sutton Images
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Romain Grosjean says Lotus is "somewhere in the four or five best cars" after concluding his pre-season testing schedule.

Kimi Raikkonen will drive for Lotus on days three and four of the final test at Barcelona, with Grosjean's next track time in the E21 coming at Melbourne. Heading in to his second full season as a Formula One driver, Grosejan said he wasn't feeling more confident than in 2012 but was more sure of where Lotus stands in the pecking order.

"No, I think at least I know - I don't know about the team - I personally know a little bit more where we are compared to last year," Grosjean said. "Qualifying in Melbourne was a big surprise to me... I know now that we are somewhere in the four or five best cars."

Despite missing out on the best of the weather conditions which are forecast for the weekend, Grosjean said the amount of running would balance itself out over the whole pre-season programme.

"It's for sure not ideal, but you know Kimi [Raikkonen] had a lot of problems during his days at the start of last week. For sure I would have preferred to have one day with sun and more higher temperatures, but it's not my decision."

While Grosjean was keen to stress that no one team stood out as quicker than the others, he was happy to name the teams' main competitors.

"In the wet, Mercedes is impressive; it was going very, very quick. Then in the dry, McLaren is quick, Ferrari we don't know today, but Red Bull will be quick, Mercedes should be alright - it's going to be tight. "

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