Romain Grosjean will soon re-write his ending in Formula One with the Mercedes team after Team Principal Toto Wolff promised that his crash would not be his final act in the sport.
Grosjean’s return will see him jump behind the wheel of Lewis Hamilton’s W10 at the Circuit Paul Ricard next month – marking his first time in an F1 machine since his horrific crash last season in Bahrain.
The accident meant that Romain was ruled out of the final two races of the season in 2020, ending his story which spanned 179 starts and 10 podiums.
In a statement released by Mercedes this morning, the team confirmed that “in the aftermath of his accident, Toto Wolff made a commitment to Romain that his crash would not be his final act in F1.
“True to his word, Toto invited Romain to the Mercedes F1 base in Brackley on 30 March to undergo a seat fit and spend time on the team’s simulator in preparation for a specially-organised test at the Frenchman’s home circuit on 29 June – seven months to the day since his accident.
“He will also take part in a series of demo laps ahead of the French Grand Prix on Sunday 27 June.”
Speaking about the upcoming test, Romain Grosjean voiced his excitement about getting behind the wheel of a championship-winning car.
“I am so excited to jump back in an F1 car!
“It will be a special opportunity for me and to drive a World Championship-winning Mercedes will be a unique experience.
“I’m very grateful to Mercedes F1 and to Toto for the opportunity.
“The first I heard about the chance to drive a Mercedes was in my hospital bed in Bahrain when Toto was speaking to the media and made the invitation.
“Reading that news cheered me up a lot!
“F1 didn’t get the chance to race in France during 2020 because of COVID so driving a Mercedes at the French Grand Prix in 2021 and then completing a test at the Circuit Paul Ricard, my home track, will be so special.
“I can’t wait for the day to arrive.”
Toto Wolff added; “We are very happy to support Romain with this special opportunity.
“The idea first came when it looked like Romain would be ending his active career in Formula One, and we didn’t want his accident to be his last moment in an F1 car.
“I have known Romain since his days in Formula Three when he won the Championship.
“He enjoyed a long and successful F1 career and we wanted to make sure that his final memories would be at the wheel of a championship-winning car.
“I’m excited to see what Romain’s feedback on the W10 is.
“Romain’s accident reminds us of the dangers these guys face each time they climb into the cockpit but it’s also a testament to the incredible steps this sport has taken to improve safety over the years.
“I know the F1 community will celebrate seeing Romain back on track.”
