Bavaria City Racing 2009 - Rotterdam - Fernando Alonso - Renault

The Formula One Renault team, have today announced that Nelson Piquet Jr. has now been released from his contract with the team with Swiss-Frenchman Romain Grosjean taking his place in the cockpit for the remainder of the season.

The 23-year-old is the teams third driver and drove a Formula One car for the first time at the UK round of the 2008 World Series by Renault weekend in June, demonstrating the R27.

Grosjean said;

“I am very proud that the Renault F1 Team has given me the chance to become a race driver.  I’m looking forward to driving the R29 and helping the team get the best results possible. It’s also an honour to be Fernando’s team-mate and to make my Formula One debut alongside a double world champion is especially motivating.”

After winning the French Formula Renault title in 2006, Grosjean became part of the Renault ’s Driver Development programme (RDD).

Flavio Briatore, team manager said;

“We are happy to give Romain the chance to start racing with the team.  He is an impressive young talent and we expect him to show his skills driving alongside Fernando as we take an aggressive approach to the second half of the season.”

On Sunday the team took the streets of Bavaria in Rotterdam, delighting the crowds with a demonstration of the R28 with Fernando Alonso and Adam Khan at the wheel.

The Dutch Prime Minister was taken around the street circuit by Alonso in a Renault Clio Sport before the Spaniard gave an impressive display of a one-handed donut before throwing his gloves to the fans.