After 18 races, Raikkonen demolished Grosjean 198 vs 90 pts. That's quite an advantage, and even if someone say: "A lot of DNFs is at fault". Most of these DNFs were due to Grosjean brain fade. Most of. He is definetly fast, has great qualification laps, but his racecraft is miserable. It can be good for lesser series like GP2, but with milions on stake, pinnacle of motorsport like F1 atm is, it is rather not enough.
First of all, TOTAL seems like to be focused on Vettel nowdays than on Grosjean (at least in my country, we have a spot with Vettel and TOTAL not Grosjean). The next thing is pay bills after each of these DNFs, parts for F1 cars arent cheap that's for sure (but TOTAL is paying more for each season definetly).
But, the most important factor might be WCC Lotus position, if Grosjean would at least make 70%, they would be 3rd atm, 4pts behind Ferrari, and let's be honest 140pts with car like Lotus shouldnt be hard (Rosberg has 93 in way inferior car) and Grosjean is behind Rosberg, behind Massa which one was really miserable during 1st part of the season, and Grosjean for most of the season had at least equal car to his (and at the start, his car was definetly superior).
I know it can be said about the same with Alons vs Massa, but Grosjean is rookie, he should show something that will make him keep the race seat in one of top teams.
He MIGHT be man for F1, but at the moment he isn't in my opinion at least. He makes too many mistakes for now, and unless he will finish both next races in points, we might say Bye bye to him. Gerard Lopez rather won't be too bothered with a lose of Grosjean, cause TOTAL money might be reduced by a lot next season.
Also I believe that 2nd in WCC would give a LOT MORE than TOTAL contract is worth (and if we include in that repair bills). And there are plenty of drivers that are solid and could deliver in Lotus.
Now for Grosjean, if he would be kicked out of Lotus, he wouldn't get a race seat next season, and I'm very doubtful that he would be back in F1, cause it is his come back, and 2nd come back is rather unlikely, cause there are plenty of drivers waiting for their chance in lesser series.
So kick from Lotus means somehow end of F1 career for Grosjean. Is it possible that the contract won't be extended? Cause as far as I can see at the moment, Boullier is giving some speech how rookie he still is, but even he mentioned once that it is up to Grosjean and his performance.
So even if Grosjean will be out, who will be in his place instead?
Edited by Shiroo, 05 November 2012 - 18:30.