Grosjean is back in F1 action, receives surprise visit
Photo: Haas F1 Media.
Updated:
0 Comments
A filmmaker with a soft spot for Ronnie Peterson, Gilles Villeneuve, Mika Hakkinen and above all, Tazio Nuvolari and Ayrton Senna, is also a diehard Formula One fan since the age of 4 (mid-90's). An avid researcher of the past of Grand Prix Racing since before it was even named F1, and with a thirst for knowledge of the ins and outs of the actuality of the sport, as well as for the technical aspects that define it, is a member of GPblog since 2023, where he has put his love of racing to good use.
Romain Grosjean has finally been given the chance to close his Formula 1 chapter on track, nearly five years after his dramatic exit from the sport.
Photo: RacePictures.
To come back and have this outing with my old team is truly something special.- Romain Grosjean
The Frenchman’s F1 career ended abruptly at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix, when he suffered a fiery crash that left him unable to take part in the final race of the season.
While Grosjean went on to continue his career in IndyCar, he never had the opportunity to say a proper goodbye to Formula 1 machinery, until now.
ADVERTISEMENT
Haas organised a Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) outing for their former driver, putting him back behind the wheel at the Mugello Circuit. Grosjean drove the VF-23, the car the team used throughout the 2023 season. Fittingly, the car carried his familiar number eight, which he raced with in F1 from 2014 until his final start.
Images from the test showed Grosjean side by side with former colleague Frédéric Vasseur (Ferrari Team Principal, ed.), in the garage, running in wet conditions, adding another layer of challenge to his return.
For both driver and team, the occasion marked a symbolic closing of a difficult chapter, allowing Grosjean to end his F1 story behind the wheel rather than in the aftermath of one of the sport’s modern era's most frightening accidents.
Read also
Haas F1 extended invitation to Grosjean
ADVERTISEMENT
Grosjean was delighted with the invitation extended to him by Team Owner Gene Haas, and Team Principal Ayao Komatsu. "To say I’m excited to get back behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car would naturally be an understatement," he said.
"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.
“I’m incredibly grateful to Gene Haas and to Ayao Komatsu for inviting me to participate in the TPC at Mugello,” Grosjean explained.
Have a look at the images from Grosjean's F1 farewell
Photo: Haas F1 Media
ADVERTISEMENT
Photo: Haas F1 Media
Photo: Haas F1 Media
Photo: Haas F1 Media
Photo: Haas F1 Media
Photo: Haas F1 Media
ADVERTISEMENT
Photo: Haas F1 Media
Photo: Haas F1 Media
Photo: Haas F1 Media
Read also
GPblog's latest F1 Paddock Update
ADVERTISEMENT
Want to stay up-to-date with what happens in the F1 paddock? Then GPblog's F1 Paddock Update video is the perfect way to do it. Subscribe to GPblog's YouTube channel and turn on notifications to never miss the latest episodes.
Don’t miss GPblog in Google
Mark us as a preferred source and our articles will appear more often at the top of Top Stories.
Add as a preferred / source on Google