Grosjean: Flying French flag on podium would be my best Paris tribute

The Frenchman will start the Interlagos race from 14th on the grid, but knows how much it would mean for his compatriots if he could pull off a push to the front of the field

“The best I can do is put the French flag on top of the podium,” he explained. “It's going to be hard but let's do a race, think about what happened and hope that peace comes quickly.

“It's not an ideal situation and, of course, is not something you would like to talk about. But on the other hand, when you're in the car, it is a dangerous sport and you need to focus on what you're doing.”

FIA president Jean Todt has come under fire for pushing its road safety campaign in the aftermath of the Paris atrocities – and for not changing a one-minute silence plan that was already in place for traffic victims.

Grosjean, however, says that all he will be thinking about during that occasion is the victims of the Paris attacks.

“What happened [in Paris] is big because it can happen to anyone in the world, and we don't want to see that,” he said.

“So yes, as a Frenchman, if there is a minute of silence it will be for the people of Paris.”

Interview by Federico Faturos