Romain Grosjean will drive an F1 automobile for the primary time since his miraculous escape from a fireball crash within the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix on Friday in Italy with Haas, his former staff.
The Frenchman’s Haas automobile break up in two and caught hearth when it pierced the obstacles in a terrifying high-speed crash on the opening lap of the Bahrain race in November 2020.
Astonishingly, after spending 27 seconds within the automobile following an affect which measured 67G, Grosjean escaped from the flame-engulfed wreckage. His accidents have been restricted to burns to the again of his palms.
He missed that marketing campaign’s remaining two races because of this, bringing a barely untimely finish to his F1 profession after 10 seasons given he had no seat on the grid for 2021. He returned to race in IndyCar simply months later and at present competes in sportscars in North America.
Nonetheless, having lengthy hoped for a farewell run in an F1 automobile, the 39-year-old Grosjean will lastly get that probability on the Mugello circuit on Friday with Haas offering their 2023 challenger, the VF-23, underneath F1’s Testing of Earlier Automobiles (TPC) guidelines for him to drive.
“I’m incredibly grateful to Gene Haas and to Ayao Komatsu for inviting me to participate in the TPC at Mugello,” stated Grosjean, who raced for the staff for 5 seasons from its 2016 inception.
“To say I am excited to get again behind the wheel of a Method 1 automobile would naturally be an understatement.
“I really can’t believe it’s been almost five years, but to come back and have this outing with my old team is truly something special.
The horrifying photographs and Grosjean’s miracle escape made headlines all over the world
Grosjean returned to the Bahrain paddock 4 days after his accident to thank the crews who helped save his life
“I’m excited to see everyone, I’m sure we’ll spend a bit of time reminiscing about the old days, but I’m also keen to be of use regarding the trackside agenda with the VF-23 – it’s great the team now has the TPC program as part of its on-going development.”
With the accident having denied him a correct swansong in F1, Grosjean revealed Friday’s take a look at would lastly give him probability to put on the helmet his three kids had designed for him.
“My kids had designed my helmet for what was meant to be my final grand prix in Abu Dhabi back in 2020,” he stated.
“I’m at last going to be able to give it a go in a Formula 1 car on Friday.”
‘We have talked about making this occur for a very long time now’
The take a look at will reunite Grosjean with former Haas colleagues, a lot of whom now work on the staff’s TPC and heritage automobile programmes.
Grosjean, pictured forward of the 2020 season, raced 96 occasions for Haas
Present Haas staff principal Ayao Komatsu will function Grosjean’s race engineer on the day, reprising a task he held after they first labored collectively at Renault/Lotus earlier than each joined the start-up American outfit 9 years in the past.
“I’m absolutely thrilled to be welcoming Romain Grosjean back into a Formula 1 car for the first time in five years but especially proud he’s returning in one of our cars – it’s only fitting,” stated Komatsu
“Romain and I have worked together throughout his entire Formula 1 career so this test at Mugello is of particular significance to us both.
“I am delighted he embraced the chance to come back and get again behind the wheel with us, a day that is going to be made further particular by having so many members of the unique crew again collectively to witness it.
“It should be a fun day and knowing Romain as I do, I know he’ll want to give it his all as usual – I’d expect nothing less, not least as we’ve talked about making this happen for a long time now.”
Grosjean has continued to race in the US in each single-seaters and sportscars
Grosjean began 179 grands prix for Renault/Lotus and Haas between 2009 and 2020, ending on the rostrum 10 occasions and twice reaching a greatest results of second place.
First testing an IndyCar lower than three months after his accident in Bahrain, Grosjean claimed three pole positions and 6 podiums throughout 4 seasons within the US sequence. He at present serves as a reserve driver to the Prema staff in IndyCar and races in North America’s IMSA SportsCar Championship.
The 2025 Method 1 title battle continues underneath the lights on the Singapore Grand Prix on October 3-5, stay on Sky Sports activities F1. Stream Sky Sports activities with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime
