Formula 1 | Grosjean: Crash in Formula 1 is part of my career
Romain Grosjean, who has a priori finished his career in Formula 1, did not say no to a possible role at Andretti, his current employer in Indycar, a few days ago.
But can the Frenchman imagine more, if Andretti secures his place on the starting grid until 2026, crossing the Atlantic again and driving in a Grand Prix again?
When GQ magazine asked him if he had a 2021 sentence “All the good seats in Formula 1 are for sale” he meant he hoped to continue, he answers plainly.
“One thing I’ve learned in the last year is never say never. I told my wife I’d never live in the U.S. and I’d never race in the U.S. Series and I’d never do the Indy 500, and I did all three. That’s why And I think that’s fair: you never know what the future holds. I like being in IndyCar now. I like being with Lamborghini IMSA for endurance racing. It’s the right balance for me.”
“Of course, Formula 1 remains the pinnacle of motorsport. So, yes, if it was a team capable of winning, yes. Of course, like Haas, Andretti would have a lot to do in Formula 1. At the moment, I would. Say IndyCar I’d rather stay in , but then again, you never know. Sometimes you change your mind when things are done and concrete and in front of you.”
Popularity after a terrible accident
This end-of-career dynamic in Formula 1 was unfortunately clearly dictated by the crash in Bahrain at the end of 2020. Even if the Frenchman has no place left for 2021, this has probably kept him out of F1 for a while. would like But it also contributed to its immense popularity once it arrived in the United States.
“Yes, if I’m known especially in the US, it’s because of the accident, because a lot of Americans are new to Formula 1 as a public. And it went through Drive to Survive. That’s how I see my career. It’s 180 Grands Prix, 10 podiums and Haas’ best ever finishing position in Austria.”
“So, yes, the accident is part of my career, part of my life. I have a scar on my left hand that will stay forever. I mean, it’s a good reminder, but it’s more than that. I see it as part of my journey, just like any podium. It’s just a crazy thing that’s good in the end.”
Does it bother him that the perception, at least in the United States, is still focused on a highly traumatic event?
“No, I don’t care. It’s part of my career; it’s part of my life. Especially in the United States, because the public is so new to Formula 1, a lot of people remember that crash and they never saw my crash. In 2012 and 2013 podiums. I almost won three races in Formula 1 but it never happened for external reasons. But it’s quite funny. I’ve met people who know me from my Lotus days in Formula 1 and they say they’ve watched them all and “I watch a lot of young people, a younger audience, they’ve only seen Drive to Survive on Netflix, so they’re talking about Gunter Steiner and asking what he’s like in real life, and of course the accident.”
“But I think the crash was one of those events that marked the world. It was on almost every TV. It was very impressive. This is how I see it: The Phoenix. It’s a rise after something bad. . It’s definitely with fire.” unrelated, but it’s the way you can rise from something that can destroy you, but use it in a positive way and rise from it.”
Grosjean enjoys life more
How does he see anything positive in it?
“I think you enjoy life better after that. Because you had to lose him, you realize that everything can be gone at any moment. And you think carpe diem more, you enjoy life more. And for me, because I’d say it was a positive experience. It sounds a little crazy, but life has been better since then.”
How different is its reception in the US than before the crash and Netflix?
“A lot. It’s funny. Michael Schumacher used to come here on vacation because nobody knew who he was. And right now, I think it’s the country where I’ve taken the most selfies, photos and autographs.”
“We lived in Switzerland. In Switzerland, people don’t ask for much, so it was very quiet there, which is nice. But yes, Chicago, New York. We visited Washington and those big cities. And every time we are surprised by the number of selfies and photos I take. according to. Even in front of the Statue of Liberty. It’s pretty funny.”
