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Romain Grosjean says his test in a Mercedes Formula 1 car next month is proof of the world champion team’s class.
Grosjean will demonstrate the 2019 Mercedes during the French Grand Prix weekend at Paul Ricard on the last weekend of June, and then have a full test day in it during the following week.
The announcement of the test earlier this week fulfilled a promise Mercedes made in the aftermath of Grosjean’s horrific crash at the 2020 Bahrain GP, which ultimately marked the end of his F1 career as the burns he suffered meant he was unable to participate in the final two races of the season.
When unsure if he would be fit for the Abu Dhabi finale, Grosjean said if he couldn’t race there he would “call every single Formula 1 team and see if anyone would offer me a private test in January or so, to jump back in the car and have 10-15 laps for myself” as a farewell to F1 having lost his Haas seat. He subsequently secured a 2021 IndyCar drive with Dale Coyne Racing.
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff immediately stepped up when told of Grosjean’s hope, saying at the time: “If we are allowed to do this, and nobody within his universe of teams that he raced with would provide him with such an opportunity, we would do it”.
In an appearance on The Race IndyCar Podcast with hosts Jack Benyon and JR Hildebrand – to be broadcast next week – Grosjean said the fact that hadn’t just been a throwaway remark by Wolff meant a huge amount to him.
“It’s a classy, very classy move from Mercedes, from Toto mentioning it in the media and then making it happen,” Grosjean told the podcast.
“Mercedes, it is an incredible team. I am having one of the very rare opportunities you have in your life to drive one of the fastest cars ever built in Formula 1 – for fun, for yourself – with the best ever racing team in Formula 1.
“Mercedes, they’ve got that class image that they say something and they do it, and people are amazed by it.
“For all of us, it’s a beautiful story and obviously I can’t wait.”
Wolff emphasised to Sky Sports F1 at Barcelona on Friday that Grosjean’s post-race run would be “a real test day to give him all the kit so he can try out the car”.
He added: “It was clear after his massive accident that this will be the end of his Formula 1 career and I feel that can’t be the end.
“And then he made a joke and said ‘I’d like to drive the Mercedes’ and then we said ‘OK, drive the Mercedes’.”
During his appearance on The Race’s IndyCar Podcast, Grosjean joked that the Mid-Ohio IndyCar race that would immediately follow his Mercedes test might be a culture shock.
“Then I jump on the plane to go to Mid-Ohio so I told my engineer just keep me posted in Turn 1, remind me that it’s not a Formula 1 car, otherwise I may never make it!” he said.
Look out for Grosjean’s full interview on The Race IndyCar Podcast next week, as he opens up in detail about his start to life in IndyCar with Dale Coyne Racing and adapting to American motorsport.
