Grosjean sure of improved Lotus showing in Singapore

How much do you enjoy the challenge of Marina Bay?

The track is really impressive with some technical parts and some classic street circuit ‘ninety degree’ turns. There are a few decent straights but it is mainly busy, busy, busy for us, with corner after corner. Going over landmarks like the (Anderson) Bridge and down the Raffles Boulevard make for a fantastic sight from both the cockpit and also for the TV viewers. This year will be interesting with the new cars. As we saw at Monaco, I am sure that the drivers will be working very hard in the cockpit, especially getting the power down out of the tight turns. And if it is wet at any stage then it will be particularly interesting.

Any special preparations for the physical demands?

The key elements are sleep and water! It is well known that we stay on European time. Once you get used to waking up in the afternoon and then going to bed early morning, then it gets to be just routine. The race is long and I ensure that plenty of liquids are taken on board before the start of the race. It is crucial because if you get dehydrated then your thought process slows down and mistakes can easily be made. Like every Grand Prix I make sure that every last detail is in place before Sunday evening arrives.

What about the atmosphere of the place on Grand Prix weekend?

I really love racing at this track and in fact I love the country as a whole. The Singapore people are very friendly and it is nice to see so many coming downtown to the race. It has a completely unique vibe for the Grand Prix weekend and it takes on an ambience like nowhere else we go to.

What memories stand out for you at Marina Bay?

Qualifying in third place last year was nice, but then I had to retire, so the memory is a little mixed. Actually, it is still a good memory to have such a strong qualifying because I think that at a street circuit like Marina Bay, a driver always makes that little bit of difference to the ultimate lap time, a little more so than permanent tracks. In 2012 I got points for seventh place, after some good battles. So I have some nice recollections of racing here.

What were you able to take from Monza?

It was another difficult race after a bad start and then a few incidents. All in all it was important for the team to get two cars to the end but we will be hoping for much better at Singapore and I think we can head in to it with some renewed confidence.

Can you see Singapore offering a better chance of a result?

Compared to Monza the answer is definitely yes. Last weekend was a difficult one for us because the nature of the Monza track was like a penalty. Singapore offers less in terms of compromising the downforce for straight-line speed, so we should be able to fight higher up the grid. We managed to get some points at Monaco, so I am hoping we can achieve something similar on this street circuit too.

What are your aims and objectives for the remainder of the 2014 season?

Just to do the best we possibly can. It has been a tough season as we all know, but there are still some opportunities to get points. I will be racing as hard as ever to make sure we are in the best position we can be to achieve the maximum. I know this team well and they will be doing exactly the same.