Romain Grosjean Signs GP2 Deal with Barwa Addax

The winners of last year's teams' classification in the GP2 Main Series, Barwa Campos, have decided to live up to their expectations for 2009 and signed former ART Grand Prix driver Romain Grosjean for their new campaign in the series. Beginning the 2009 season with a new management – as former owner Adrian Campos sold the team to Alejandro Agag – the team will therefore field one of the most powerful driver lineups in the series: Grosjean and Vitaly Petrov.

Barwa Addax – new designation of the team – seem very determined to retaining the teams' crown they've clinched last season. Grosjean is one of the most promising young drivers in the GP2 Series, as he won the inaugural GP2 Asia series last year and clinched 2 wins in his rookie season in the Main Series. He was also linked to a racing spot with Renault F1 team earlier this winter, after doing some tests with the Enstone-based team through the duration of 2008.

“We have high expectations for the season to come. They have welcomed me warmly and I really feel that together we will be able to work efficiently and successfully from the get go,” said Grosjean, who'll go for the championship crown this year, after finishing 4th overall last season (only 2 points away from runner-up Bruno Senna).

Barwa Addax' new owner was also delighted with the move, as he reckoned Grosjean is one of the true talents who'll soon make the step to Formula 1.

“There is very little to say about Romain having already reached Formula One status, in one of the best teams. We shall offer him a car that will give him the opportunity to demonstrate, not for the first time, his undoubted talent,” said Agag.

Grosjean will therefore replace former Renault test-driving teammate Lucas Di Grassi, who managed to score an impressive 3rd place overall in the GP2 Series last year, despite missing the first part of the series. Earlier today, Di Grassi himself secured a full-time drive for 2009, with Racing Engineering.