SEPTEMBER 29, 2025
Romain Grosjean admits his Mugello outing with Haas reminded him he still has what it takes to race in Formula 1.
Romain Grosjean, Mugello 2025
© Haas
The 39-year-old Frenchman drove a 2023-spec Haas in wet conditions on Friday – his first time in an F1 cockpit since his fiery 2020 Bahrain accident.
It was a really nice day despite the weather, Grosjean smiled to L’Equipe. “We relived a bit what we experienced in 2016 – Ayao (Komatsu) was talking to me on the radio, I had my chief mechanic with me.
They made me do some qualifying laps in the afternoon and a test start.
He admitted the first laps were tricky. On the first lap I was a bit like an Indian in the city, Grosjean smiled again. Plus it was wet! I didn’t have to put the gas on full throttle once on that first lap.
The emotion peaked when Grosjean returned to the garage. When I came into the pits and all the mechanics formed a guard of honour, I wasn’t expecting that. Luckily I still had my helmet on because, to be honest, I shed a few tears.
On the new ground effect cars, he marvelled: “Even in the rain, the aerodynamics are amazing. There are corners where you think you won’t go flat out. And then yes.
On the other hand, they are huge. Sometimes I thought I was going to lick the kerb and boom, I drove over it.
When asked if the test rekindled thoughts of an F1 return, Grosjean paused. Experiencing this day showed me that I hadn’t lost and that I still knew how to do it, he said.
Yes, I could see myself coming back. But for that to happen, it would require specific conditions – a team that wanted me. You never know what life is made of.
(GMM)