Romain Grosjean was centered on his debut entry into the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona, however admitted that he does not wish to write the ultimate chapter of his Formulation One profession simply but.
The Swiss-French driver spoke about his time with the IronLynx racing workforce – and the neon inexperienced Lamborghini Huracan that he set off in – simply earlier than taking the beginning within the iconic endurance race in an interview with GQ.
He admitted that his workforce’s automotive would not be the quickest – one thing he acquired used to in his days at Haas – and opened up about that dramatic fireball crash, his IndyCar profession, and adjusting to life in America after the recognition of Drive to Survive .
Romain Grosjean opened as much as GQ about his racing exploits within the US and that horror crash
This weekend, Grosjean raced in his first ever Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona in a four-man workforce
Within the race that completed up this weekend, Grosjean and his workforce completed third of their class – behind a Mercedes AMG GT3 from WeatherTech Racing and a Lexus RC F GT3 from Vasser Sullivan.
Grosjean admitted that getting handed by completely different vehicles was simply part of the game and the power to get overtaken with out shedding an excessive amount of time makes it a problem.
‘It is the great thing about endurance, that there is numerous completely different lessons and numerous completely different classes,’ Grosjean defined. ‘So yeah, there are vehicles which can be 10 to fifteen seconds quicker than we’re a lap, they usually’re coming in quick.
‘It is also a capability—to to not lose time while being overtaken by a quicker automotive. As a result of it is nice to be a tenth quicker than everybody else on a lap. Which means you acquire one second over 10 laps. However should you lose one second each time you are overtaken by a automotive, it is pointless.
‘So it is discovering the precise steadiness of the place you may be overtaken, how you do not lose time, the way you play that card one of the best you possibly can. So it is undoubtedly a problem, nevertheless it’s additionally the great thing about it.
Grosjean’s workforce completed thirty sixth total and third of their class on the Florida coast
Grosjean additionally touched on the fireball crash on the primary lap of the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix that marked the tip to his F1 profession.
He mentioned that his legacy amongst followers in the USA appears to stem largely from that incident, however he chooses to not let it outline his outlook on his profession.
‘The way in which I am recognized, particularly within the US, it is by means of that accident as a result of numerous the US viewers could be very new to Formulation 1 and got here by means of Drive to Survive,’ Grosjean admitted.
‘The way in which I see my profession is a little more than that. It is 180 grands prix, 10 podiums, one of the best ending place Haas has ever had in Austria.
‘So yeah, the crash is unquestionably a part of my profession, a part of my life. And I’ve acquired the scar from my left hand that is going to be right here endlessly. So it is a good reminder that is right here, nevertheless it’s simply not that.
‘It’s kind of greater than that. And I see it as simply a part of my journey, like several podium. It is simply one thing loopy, however turned out to be good.’
Simply over two years in the past, Grosjean escaped from a fiery wreck on the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix
Talking extra on that crash – and it is place amongst newer American F1 followers – he says he is accepted that the present’s recognition implies that many new followers will largely know him for the wreck and never his exploits.
‘I don’t care. It is a part of my profession; it is a part of my life,’ he mentioned. ‘Particularly within the US, as a result of the viewers could be very new to Formulation 1, lots of people do not forget that accident, they usually have by no means seen my podiums again in 2012 and 2013.
‘I nearly gained three races in Formulation 1, and it by no means actually occurred for out of doors causes. Nevertheless it’s fairly humorous. I met some those that know of me for the reason that Lotus days in Formulation 1 and say they have been watching all of it.
‘And I watch numerous youthful individuals, youthful viewers, they’ve solely seen Drive to Survive on Netflix. So that they speak about Guenther Steiner and ask how he’s in actual life, and naturally the accident.
‘However I believe the accident, it is a type of issues that form of marked the world. It was just about on each TV you would swap on. It was very spectacular. That is the way in which I see that: “phoenix.”’
‘It is the rise from one thing unhealthy. It isn’t essentially associated to the hearth, nevertheless it’s how one can rise from one thing that would destroy you however use it in a optimistic means and rise from there.’
The wreck left Grosjean severely injured, however he recovered and went again to racing in 2021
Grosjean loved some success in his first season with Andretti Autosport in IndyCar – ending thirteenth within the standings and grabbing a podium at Lengthy Seashore.
Whereas he says that he is not actively looking for an F1 seat, Grosjean says issues could change sooner or later.
‘One factor I realized final yr is to by no means say by no means,’ Grosjean mentioned. ‘I instructed my spouse I might by no means dwell within the US and I might by no means race in a US sequence and I might by no means do the Indy 500, and I’ve completed the three of them.
‘So I believe it is simply: You by no means know what the long run is like. Now, I get pleasure from being in IndyCar. I get pleasure from with the ability to do Lamborghini IMSA for the endurance races. It is the precise steadiness for me.
‘For certain, Formulation 1 stays the head of motorsport. So sure, if it was a workforce to win, sure. For certain, Andretti would have numerous work in the event that they make it Formulation 1, simply the way in which Haas was.
‘Proper now I might say I desire to remain in IndyCar, however once more, you by no means know. When issues are completed and concrete and in entrance of you, generally your thoughts adjustments.’
Whereas Grosjean says that he is glad together with his journey in IndyCar, he is holding the F1 door open
Grosjean additionally opened up about his new life dwelling in Florida, saying that the recognition of Drive to Survive means he will get acknowledged extra usually.
‘Michael Schumacher used to return right here on trip as a result of nobody knew who he was. And proper now, I believe it is the nation the place I take essentially the most selfies and footage and autographs,’ Grosjean joked.
‘We lived in Switzerland. Folks in Switzerland do not ask a lot, so it was very quiet there, which is good. However sure, Chicago, New York. We have visited Washington and these large cities.
‘And each time, we’re shocked by what number of selfies and footage I do. Even in entrance of the Statue of Liberty, and I used to be like, “Oh, come on. That is the Statue of Liberty. Who cares about me?” It is fairly humorous.’
Grosjean says that he will get extra acknowledged than he used to as he adjusts to the USA
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