Romain Grosjean’s ten-season F1 profession ended one race early with a fiery crash throughout the opening lap of the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix. He has lastly been given a ultimate outing in F1 equipment. Haas invited Grosjean again to step into the seat of its 2023 automobile on Friday for a non-public take a look at at Mugello in Italy. The French driver almost burned alive within the 2020 wreck, however freed himself from the Haas F1 automobile wedged between an Armco barrier. Grosjean returned to racing after the crash, competing in IndyCar and IMSA.
The Mugello take a look at was a type of class reunion for Grosjean as a lot of his former Haas colleagues nonetheless work for the American staff, albeit in several positions. Ayao Komatsu, Haas’ present staff principal, was Grosean’s race engineer at Lotus and switched groups with him in 2016 to change into chief race engineer at Haas. Dominic Haines, Grosjean’s final race engineer, is presently the chief engineer of Haas’ heritage program. In a staff assertion, Grosjean mentioned:
“I am extremely grateful to Gene Haas and to Ayao Komatsu for inviting me to take part within the TPC at Mugello. To say I am excited to get again behind the wheel of a System 1 automobile would naturally be an understatement. I actually cannot consider it has been virtually 5 years, however to return again and have this outing with my outdated staff is actually one thing particular.”
Grosjean’s post-crash profession has been shaky
The take a look at additionally allowed Grosjean to lastly put on the helmet he deliberate for the 2020 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, his slated ultimate F1 race. The expertise for the licensed pilot was possible a welcome diversion from the turbulent state of his profession in the mean time. The Frenchman had impressed throughout his 2021 rookie season in IndyCar with three podium finishes at Dale Coyne Racing. Nonetheless, his transfer to Andretti proved fruitless as he didn’t win any races over a two-year stint and publicly tussled along with his teammates. Issues did not get any higher when he moved to Juncos, pairing up with Argentine inventory automobile ace Augustin Canapino.
Alongside his IndyCar duties, Grosjean turned a manufacturing unit driver in Lamborghini’s sports activities automobile racing program. The LMDh program struggled since its debut in 2024. The Italian automaker introduced in August that it was pulling the plug on the SC63. Whereas it is formally a hiatus, I do not count on to see Lamborghini returning to the highest class of endurance racing anytime quickly.
