Haas, Pirelli and Ferrari give Grosjean the tribute he had been waiting for after 5 years
There are stories in motorsport that deserve a happy ending, tales worth telling because they intertwine both racing and human resilience. The story of Romain Grosjean is certainly one of them.
Yesterday, Romain Grosjean completed his first Formula 1 test since the horrific crash at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix, when the burns he suffered in the fire after hitting the barriers forced him to miss both the Sakhir and Abu Dhabi races. That incident brought his career in the top category to an abrupt end, even though it was probably already destined to conclude at the end of that season.
After that episode, Romain Grosjean continued racing in IndyCar and endurance competitions, while quietly holding onto the hope of one day returning behind the wheel of an F1 car to close the circle. Back in 2020, he did not even get to use the special helmet designed by his children, and a promised test with Mercedes never materialized due to logistical issues. Now, almost five years later, Haas has given him a new opportunity at Mugello.
Thanks to the Testing of Previous Cars program, used by the American team in collaboration with Toyota Gazoo Racing, Romain Grosjean drove the Haas VF-23 on the rain-soaked Tuscan circuit.
“It was a special day. Gene Haas and Ayao Komatsu made all of this possible. At first I felt a little rusty, but then everything came back naturally. I even did a standing start, my first since Bahrain 2020, and it went much better. I am very grateful, it was a unique opportunity. I also saw again some of the people who were with me back in 2016, and I got the chance to try the new generation of cars. It was fantastic, I have no other words,” said the Frenchman.
Despite the weather conditions, Romain Grosjean managed to complete a solid number of laps, while later James Hinchcliffe – IndyCar race winner and now F1 pundit – also made his debut in a test, even running on slick tyres in the final part of the session. “An incredible experience, a day I will remember for a long time,” commented the Canadian.
The event carried even deeper meaning for Romain Grosjean. Many people who had worked with him were there, including Ayao Komatsu in the role of race engineer, just like in the Lotus Renault days. Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur also visited the garage, being present at Mugello for Pirelli’s tyre testing with Charles Leclerc and Zhou Guanyu. It was Ferrari and Pirelli who helped make Grosjean’s final lap of the day truly unforgettable.
“At the end of the day they made me cry: I kept my visor down, but on my last out-lap everyone was there, Ferrari, Pirelli, Haas, applauding and giving me an ovation. It was what I had expected in Abu Dhabi 2020, but today it was even better,” he said, visibly emotional.
Perhaps one can debate whether Romain Grosjean deserved more time in Formula 1, but what is certain is that his journey should not have ended so abruptly with that terrifying accident from which he escaped alive but injured. With this test, Haas has in some way corrected that injustice, giving the driver a more dignified closure and the man a memory full of meaning.
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