MONTREAL, Canada - Romain Grosjean has hit back at suggestions he has reverted to being the much-derided 'nutcase' of 2012, insisting F1 drivers should be racing hard.
After Monaco, Frenchman Grosjean - penalised 10 grid places for Montreal for his crash with Daniel Ricciardo - and Sergio Perez were heavily criticised for their racing antics.
Quoted by France's RMC in Montreal, Grosjean siad: "People like to write and talk, it's never fun. People started to say 'it's the Romain Grosjean of 2012'.
"No, it's not. This was Monaco, where it is always difficult to try to pass."
JUST DRIVING HARD
Brazil's Totalrace quotes Grosjean adding: "I tried to pass and it didn't work. What do you want? That we all line up and don't compete?"
Meanwhile Williams' Pastor Maldonado - similarly criticised for being involved in too many incidents in 2012 - defended Mexican Perez, who came under heavy fire after Monaco.
The Venezuelan said: "It's hard to criticise what happens on the track. I think Sergio did his race. I don't think we should criticise him for racing."
Perez and an angry Kimi Raikkonen on Thursday (June 6) continued to disagree about their Monaco incident through the news media and were then seated next to each another as they signed autographs for Canadian fans.
Lotus, whose driver Kimi Raikkonen had threatened to punch Perez after Monaco, joked on its official Twitter on Thursday: "Awkward."
Stay with Wheels24 for the 2013 Canadian GP weekend.
After Monaco, Frenchman Grosjean - penalised 10 grid places for Montreal for his crash with Daniel Ricciardo - and Sergio Perez were heavily criticised for their racing antics.
Quoted by France's RMC in Montreal, Grosjean siad: "People like to write and talk, it's never fun. People started to say 'it's the Romain Grosjean of 2012'.
"No, it's not. This was Monaco, where it is always difficult to try to pass."
JUST DRIVING HARD
Brazil's Totalrace quotes Grosjean adding: "I tried to pass and it didn't work. What do you want? That we all line up and don't compete?"
Meanwhile Williams' Pastor Maldonado - similarly criticised for being involved in too many incidents in 2012 - defended Mexican Perez, who came under heavy fire after Monaco.
The Venezuelan said: "It's hard to criticise what happens on the track. I think Sergio did his race. I don't think we should criticise him for racing."
Perez and an angry Kimi Raikkonen on Thursday (June 6) continued to disagree about their Monaco incident through the news media and were then seated next to each another as they signed autographs for Canadian fans.
Lotus, whose driver Kimi Raikkonen had threatened to punch Perez after Monaco, joked on its official Twitter on Thursday: "Awkward."
Stay with Wheels24 for the 2013 Canadian GP weekend.