- Romain Grosjean is leaving Formula 1, in which he has been racing since 2009.
- Grosjean will stay away from ovals in the US, saying the crash in Bahrain that almost killed him is a factor in that decision.
- The former Haas F1 driver plans to travel to the US in 15 days to begin his new career with IndyCar.
Romain Grosjean is en route to the NTT IndyCar series and will ride on and on the streets with Dale Coyne Racing and Rick Ware Racing.
Grozjan, who made the announcement in Europe on Wednesday, said he had spoken to the team before his fall in Bahrain to drive all of the races, but said the accident had changed his mind – at least for now.
“I was in touch a couple of weeks before Imola,” said Grosjean. “And Dale (Coyne) made us an offer. Originally I wanted to play the whole season, but obviously Bahrain happened and for a moment I thought I was dead.
“As a father of three, it doesn’t feel right for my kids and my wife. Maybe there are options for short distances, but not super-speedways. I don’t think I can risk that. But in the future? It’s over after the accident my manager (Martin Reiss) said: “Let’s forget IndyCar”, but I want to do it anyway. The risk is still there. Motorsport will always be risky. What level do you accept? Maybe in the future I will do. I dont know. “
At the moment Grosjean says he is learning.
“I’ll be a newbie to IndyCar,” he says. “I’ve done 200 GPs in F1, but I’ll be a rookie. The last time a similar car was driven was likely 2011 in GP2. A lot is learned, especially the circuits. I don’t expect to win Race 1. But I’ve talked a lot with Simon Pagenaud and Marcus Ericsson and seen a lot of IndyCar on Youtube. “
Will there be other races as well?
“WEC is on the list for the future,” he says. “But I’ll be based in Europe, so I’ll travel a lot. Endurance racing is something I would love to do in the future. I have to go to Daytona for Kevin Magnussen and he loved it. “
It is also the question of a test with Mercedes that was offered after its accident.
“Yeah, I’m still interested in jumping into a Mercedes,” he says. “To have an understanding of the car. But right now the new cars are being built at full speed and I won’t call now. I’m going to the US in 15 days to learn more about IndyCar and will call at some point. “
Regarding his injuries, Grosjean says the problems are largely over.
“My left hand is the most damaged,” he says. “My right hand is good. It’s almost completely restored, but the new skin is pink, new and tight so I have to work on mobility. There was also a ligament that needed surgery, but that’s pretty stable. But I have to be careful with the sun. “
“I think F1 is a closed book,” he admits. “I’m more than happy when there are opportunities in F1. Life is short and I want the chance to say no … There was a before and an after and I sure see life a little differently. You always tend to go back to what you were, but there will always be a scar on my hands and a scar on my brain, but not that big one on my head. But I understand more about life and how quickly it can go away. IndyCar was my heart’s choice. I like to race. The children and the woman understand that I am a racing driver at heart and that one day I will be finished with motorsport, but not yet. ”
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