Grosjean says he’s a French driver, not Swiss

Romain Grosjean

(GMM) Romain Grosjean has clarified that, as a formula one driver, he considers himself French rather than Swiss.

The 23-year-old, promoted to replace Nelson Piquet at Renault for the balance of the 2009 season, was actually born and still resides in Geneva, moving the Swiss media this week to hail Switzerland's second current F1 racer alongside Sebastien Buemi.

But keen eyed and eared observers will have seen only the French flag on Grosjean's overalls and heard only 'La Marseillaise' on the podium after his GP2 race wins.

Grosjean, whose father is Swiss and mother is French, holds duel citizenship and has both a Swiss and French passport, but his racing license is issued by the French federation FFSA.

"In motor sport, my nationality is clearly French, because all of the support in my career was coming from France, never from Switzerland," he is quoted as saying by the Swiss daily newspaper Le Matin.

Grosjean added this week: "Renault has supported me since 2006 and it was only with their help that I could afford to continue racing."

It is reported that until the age of 14, when he began his motor racing career, Grosjean was headed for a future in skiing, until his father baulked at the rising influence of doping in the winter sport.