• Second Barcelona Test, Day Three

Grosjean happy to step in

Romain Grosjean completed 45 laps in the afternoon having flown in from Paris © Sutton Images

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• Drivers:
• Romain Grosjean

• Teams:
• Lotus F1

Romain Grosjean said he enjoyed his late call-up to drive for Lotus on day three in Barcelona and would willingly do the same again tomorrow.

Kimi Raikkonen was scheduled to drive on the final two days of testing after Grosjean ran on Thursday and Friday but a bout of suspected food poisoning forced Raikkonen to withdraw on Saturday morning. Reserve driver Davide Valsecchi drove for the morning while Grosjean - who had already returned to Paris - made his way back to the circuit for the afternoon session and Grosjean said he will wait around in case he is required again on Sunday.

"I certainly didn't expect to be in the E21 again today so it was an interruption to a day off, but as interruptions go it was a pretty good one!" Grosjean said. "The weather was definitely an improvement from what I've experienced so far and I was able to assess the new rear front wings; both of which feel improved over the initial versions. We ran with high fuel today so it wasn't about lap times in the afternoon, but it's all valuable data we're getting for the car. I hope that Kimi is feeling better for tomorrow, but I don't mind driving again if I have to."

Trackside operations director Alan Permane said the team was pleased with the way it handled the situation and had gained some positive results from its new front and rear wings.

"Obviously, our day was rather compromised because of Kimi being ill," Permane said. "We changed the car for Davide to gain valuable experience in the morning, then changed it over lunchtime to Romain's settings.

"Despite the disrupted running, we still completed a Grand Prix distance worth of laps and were able to put valuable miles on our latest rear wing concept as well as evaluating a new front wing. Both look to be a step in the right direction so it's likely we'll use them in Australia. Davide did a great job at short notice and we know we can rely on him if he's called upon again. If Kimi is well enough tomorrow, we will run him in the car, otherwise it will be Romain in action once more."

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