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Romain Grosjean will have to wait a little longer to get back behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car after Mercedes was left with no choice but to postpone the test that was set to take place at Paul Ricard.
Grosjean’s F1 career came to an end last year when Haas elected to sign an all-rookie line-up for 2021.
But his F1 stint ended even earlier than expected when he was involved in a horrifying crash at the Bahrain Grand Prix in November.
Grosjean was left with burns to his hands following the accident that he’d had to haul himself from. Although he aimed to return for the final two races, the doctors ruled him out.
However, Mercedes F1 team boss Toto Wolff publicly declared he’d give Grosjean a test in one of the squad’s title-winning Mercedes F1 cars, and he delivered on that promise last month with a full plan to put Grosjean in Lewis Hamilton’s 2019 W10 car.
Grosjean was set to drive two demo laps at the French Grand Prix ahead of a full test at the Paul Ricard venue on the Tuesday after the race.
When F1 was forced to bring its Paul Ricard weekend forward it meant the demo laps clashed with IndyCar’s Road America race, although Grosjean was still set to do the post-race test.
But Mercedes released a Tweet on Wednesday evening saying: “We’re disappointed to announce that Romain Grosjean’s Mercedes test has been postponed because of travel restrictions and quarantine requirements.”
Just waiting for the latest aero update to come 😜 https://t.co/iEui5BFvOI
— Romain Grosjean (@RGrosjean) June 16, 2021
The Frenchman has already visited the team’s Brackley base for his seat fit last month.
“I am so excited to jump back in an F1 car!” Grosjean said in a Mercedes press release at the time of the announcement. “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!”
Grosjean is racing in IndyCar at Road America this weekend.
The highlight of his season so far was a first pole position in only his third race – on the Indianapolis road course – and finished in second place to pick up his maiden IndyCar podium for Dale Coyne Racing.
