hero-img

Premat Needs Results: Rogers

06 Aug 2013
Fujitsu GRM team boss Garry Rogers says Frenchman Alex Premat has the capability to get results, he just needs to get to the front of the pack.
2 mins by James Pavey
Advertisement

Frenchman Alex Premat has the capability to get results according to Fujitsu GRM team boss Garry Rogers, he just needs to get to the front of the pack.

Rogers has faith in Premat in driving terms, but warns he must qualify far better to get away from tail-end melees.

“His driving is first class,” Rogers said, confirming Premat is not on a race-by-race deal as widely speculated in the paddock.

“The fellow is a great driver. He’s proven that. But you cannot get continually tied up in those problems. He doesn’t have to impress me – he has to get some results, it’s very simple.”

Rogers said with young star Scott McLaughlin able to place himself in a better position through superior qualifying, the equation for Premat isn't difficult.

“We have a commercial responsibility to the people who support our team and it’s my job to make sure I give them value for their money,” he said.

“Value for money won’t be achieved if the cars are continually hanging off the fence and in the sand traps. You can do that every now and again, but you just can’t continue to do that. 

Advertisement

“I expect the same from everybody else as what I expect from myself. There’s no grey areas here – I’m pretty straight up with everybody.”

McLaughlin confirmed via Twitter before the Coates Hire Ipswich 360 that he intends to stay with GRM and drive the Volvo S60 next year, ending speculation he was being earmarked to replace Russell Ingall at Supercheap Auto Racing.

Rogers said the team chose not to announce the extension and concentrate their efforts on finishing the season strongly, in both Holden Commodores.

“We haven’t done anything – it was just a small snippet from Scott, his own comments on the matter,” Rogers said of the Twitter post.

“As far as we’re concerned, we are not racing Volvos at the moment, we’re racing two Holdens until the end of the year.

“In the meantime we’re obviously building our Volvos – and we’ll be doing whatever we need to do to make sure they’re right – but at the moment we’re not racing Volvos.” 

That’s also the reason, Rogers said, why the drivers weren’t present at the team launch announcing the manufacturer’s return to the Championship.

Related News

Advertisement