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Shock Fernando Alonso claim made by former F1 team-mate: ‘I was not allowed to beat him’

Former F1 star Romain Grosjean has claimed that he was not allowed to beat Fernando Alonso during their time as team-mates.

By Simmey Hannifin Donaldson · GPFans

Published: Tuesday, 29 September 2026 at 8:56 AM

Key Things to Know

Romain Grosjean claimed he was not allowed to beat teammate Fernando Alonso at Renault in 2009.
Grosjean made the remarks during an appearance on Formula 1's Beyond The Grid podcast.
The French driver replaced Nelson Piquet Jr. for seven races before departing at season's end.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Former Formula 1 driver Romain Grosjean claimed he was not allowed to beat teammate Fernando Alonso during their time at Renault in 2009. Speaking on the Beyond The Grid podcast, Grosjean stated there were specific reasons why he was barred from outperforming the Spanish driver during their brief spell together.

Grosjean joined Renault to replace Nelson Piquet Jr. for the final seven races of the 2009 campaign before departing alongside Alonso at the end of the year. Alonso outqualified Grosjean at all seven events, though Grosjean later returned to the Enstone-based outfit full-time in 2012 when it was rebranded as Lotus.

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Shock Fernando Alonso claim made by former F1 team-mate: ‘I was not allowed to beat him’

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