Russian Formula One driver Vitaly Petrov has admitted it was “not easy to live with” his move from scoring points with Lotus Renault to fighting at the back of the grid with Caterham.
Petrov was dropped by Lotus Renault after finishing tenth in the 2011 championship and has started both races of 2012 so far from 19th place in the uncompetitive Caterham car.
“Of course it wasn’t easy for me to live with that. No one wants to hang around at the back,” he told RIA Novosti on Thursday.
Petrov finished in the points for eight of last season’s 19 races, and said the drop in expectations from potential podium finish to backmarker was tough to cope with.
“I also want to fight for points, to get on the podium. After signing the contract I started to psychologically adjust to that I’ll be fighting more with my teammate than with other drivers.”
But the team will help him gain experience as an F1 driver, he said.
“I don’t think that the move to Caterham is a step back. According to the number of points and podiums, maybe it is, but it’s not just that.”
“For me personally it’s a step forward. New experience, new knowledge.”
Petrov failed to finish in the season-opener in Australia after a steering problem, but came in 16th in Malaysia on Sunday after battling with the faster cars of Ferrari’s Felipe Massa and McLaren’s Jenson Button.
