Former Haas driver Romain Grosjean drove an F1 car for the first time in five years, since his fiery crash in the 2020 Bahrain GP. That race saw the Frenchman suffer with burns to his hands after his car split in half and caught fire.
Grosjean got back behind the wheel in Mugello before the Singapore GP, with his old team there cheering him on. Among those attending was his fellow compatriot, Esteban Ocon, who was happy to see Romain in an F1 car again.
Esteban Ocon is pleased to see Romain Grosjean in an F1 car again
For the first time since his horror crash, Romain Grosjean hit the track in an F1 car. Many members of the Haas team attended, including both drivers and team principal Ayao Kumatsu. Ocon said that the day was “awesome” and was an emotional day for everyone at the track.
Speaking to the media, the 29-year-old said, “We had most of our employees there – it was a big Haas family day. Everyone was there to witness Romain driving an F1 car five years after his accident in Bahrain, and it was a day full of happiness and emotions.
“I’m glad to have been there and witness it all. Romain didn’t lose anything! He was straight on the pace, he knew everything on the steering wheel – obviously, it’s only been five years.
“It was fantastic” 💪
Romain Grosjean reacts to his return to the F1 cockpit with Haas at Mugello – watch in full on our YouTube channel! 🙌#F1
— Formula 1 (@F1) October 1, 2025
“Definitely a great day, and this team is very special in that sense – there are emotions. We’re a small team but it’s really a big family, and even though it was five years ago, the team didn’t forget that Romain was there from the start, and that’s quite special.”
Grosjean competed in 179 races, recording 10 podiums. He joined the sport in 2009, replacing Nelson Piquet Jr at Renault. The 39-year-old then had to wait until 2012 to get back into an F1 car, spending four years at Lotus F1 before making the move to Haas in 2016.
What did Romain Grosjean do post-F1?
Since his horrific accident, Grosjean has not returned to F1, but has competed in other motorsport series. The Frenchman made his comeback as early as 2021 when he signed for IndyCar team Dale Coyne Racing. He wasn’t competing in the full season, but only in street and road course events. He recorded three podiums that year.
The 2022 season saw Romain sign for Andretti Autosport, where he recorded his highest points tally in the series with 328. He stood on the podium once but competed in all the season’s races. He stayed with Andretti for the 2023 season, recording two podiums and finishing the championship in P13, the same position as the previous season.
DRIVER NEWS: @RGrosjean will pilot the No. 77 for Juncos Hollinger Racing in 2024.#INDYCAR // @juncoshollinger pic.twitter.com/olo41hXkwq
— NTT INDYCAR SERIES (@IndyCar) November 2, 2023
Grosjean joined Juncos Hollinger Racing for the 2024 season, but the results dipped. The 39-year-old failed to stand on the podium and scored his lowest points tally in four years. Grosjean also completed 309 laps in the 2024 Le Mans race, driving for Lamborghini. Romain left IndyCar after the 2024 season and has competed in four IMSA SportsCar Championship races.
