Wayward driver Romain Grosjean needs an eye test, says Bernie Ecclestone

FORMULA One chief Bernie Ecclestone has suggested that Romain Grosjean should get his eyes tested.

Webber forced out

FORMULA One chief Bernie Ecclestone has suggested that Romain Grosjean, the driver at the centre of a series of crashes this season, should get his eyes tested.

Ecclestone wants the Lotus driver - described as a "first-lap nutcase" by Mark Webber after smashing into the rear of the Australian's Red Bull, putting him out of the Japanese Grand Prix last weekend - to stand down for a race until he undergoes a full medical check.

Ecclestone has more than 40 years' experience of dealing with drivers and suspects that Grosjean has a problem with his peripheral vision.

"Lotus should take him away and get all the tests done," he said. "It seems to me that he is a very fast driver but seems to have trouble in seeing what is around him. A lot of what has happened to him this season has involved not being able to react to things happening in his peripheral vision.

"That could be the problem. If it was up to me, I would have him stand down for a grand prix, send him for every test and be sure that his eyesight was OK."

Deploying the old insult often hurled at football referees was not meant as a joke by Ecclestone. He employed Sid Watkins, the eminent neurosurgeon, to transform safety in F1 at a time when motor racing was the most hazardous sport on the planet. Together they devised a number of "off-the-wall" strategies to check on the health of drivers when symptoms were not obvious. Watkins died last month but Ecclestone learnt enough from him to spot the signs.

"If Sid was still around and working in Formula One, I would have got him to do the tests or find out the best place for them," Ecclestone said.

"These things are not always obvious so the people at Lotus should try checking him. It could be that simple."

Grosjean will be under enormous pressure when he gets into his car on Friday for practice for the Korean Grand Prix. Webber was rightly furious last Sunday after the latest in the series of incidents this season that have called Grosjean's ability into question.

The Times