Romain Grosjean returns to driving an F1 car
The Circus official website reports that Romain Grosjean will drive a Formula 1 car for the first time since the dramatic accident at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix when he gets behind the wheel of a 2023 Haas during a test at Mugello tomorrow.
Grosjean’s Haas was engulfed in flames when he crashed into the barriers on the first lap of the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix, suffering severe burns to both hands.
That turned out to be his 179th and final race in Formula 1, with the French driver later going on to pursue a career in the IndyCar series in the United States, earning six podiums and three pole positions over four seasons.
Tomorrow he will return to a Formula 1 car thanks to an invitation from his former team, Haas, with whom he raced for five seasons between 2016 and 2020, when he will drive the VF-23 in a TPC (Testing of Previous Car) test.
Haas Team Principal Ayao Komatsu – who was Grosjean’s track engineer in his Lotus days – will again serve as his track engineer at Mugello.
“I’m absolutely thrilled to welcome back Romain Grosjean in a Formula 1 car for the first time in five years, but most of all proud that he’s returning in one of our very own cars: it’s just perfect,” said Komatsu. “Romain and I have worked together throughout his Formula 1 career, so this test at Mugello has special meaning for both of us. I am delighted that he has welcomed the opportunity to get back behind the wheel with us, a day that will be made even more special by the presence of so many members of the old team gathered for the occasion. It will be a fun day and, knowing Romain, I know that as always he will give his all, I expect nothing less, not least because we have been talking about this possibility for a long time now.”
Grosjean added, “I am incredibly grateful to Gene Haas and Ayao Komatsu for inviting me to participate in the TPC at Mugello. To say that I am excited to get back behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car would be an understatement. I can hardly believe it has been almost five years, but to be able to return with my old team is really something special. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone again, we’ll certainly spend some time reminiscing about the old days, but I’m also eager to be useful on the track working with the VF-23 – it’s great that the team now has the TPC program as part of its development. Finally, my children had designed the helmet I was to use for what would be my last Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi in 2020, I will finally be able to try it on a Formula 1 car this Friday.”
Former IndyCar driver and current F1 TV commentator, James Hinchcliffe, will get his first opportunity to drive a Formula 1 car tomorrow when he also climbs into the VF-23 as part of a special for F1 TV.
