Former F1 star Romain Grosjean open to sensational return

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Former F1 star open to sensational return

Romain Grosjean survived a horrific F1 crash in 2020.

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Tuesday 16 December 2025 09:57 Updated: 11:17

Former Haas driver Romain Grosjean has spoken about whether he would consider a return to F1 after reflecting on the future of his career in motorsport.

The 39-year-old last competed in F1 five years ago, moving away from the championship following the 2020 season where he endured one of the most horrific crashes in the modern history of the sport.

With just three rounds to go in the 2020 championship, Grosjean took to the track with Haas for the Bahrain Grand Prix, but shortly after lights out, his VF-20 dramatically burst into flames after crashing on the first lap.

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Grosjean cut across the track at the exit of Turn 3, making contact with the front wheels of Daniil Kvyat's AlphaTauri, before being sent hurtling into the barriers, splitting his car in half.

The Frenchman shocked the sport's commentators and viewers at home by escaping the incident with second-degree burns, and though he still deals with the impact of his injuries today, the horrendous crash could have been far worse.

Though Grosjean was replaced for the remaining Sakhir GP and season-ending Abu Dhabi GP by Pietro Fittipaldi, Haas' reserve driver at the time, he thankfully has not been put off motorsport as a whole and has continued his career on track.

Grosjean opens door to F1 comeback

Since 2020, the 10-time F1 podium finisher has gone on to race across the pond in IndyCar and currently competes in the IMSA SportsCar Championship for Lamborghini.

He also juggles his racing commitments with F1 punditry work for Canal+ and even found time earlier this year to return to the cockpit of an F1 car for the first time since his crash with Haas.

Grosjean's former team gave him the opportunity to take to the track at the Mugello Circuit in Haas' 2023 car to complete an official test as part of the testing of team's previous cars (TPC) programme.

And after the emotional comeback earlier this year, Grosjean has now spoken about how he could envision making a return to the sport.

In a recent interview, Grosjean was quoted by French publication AutoHebdo as saying: "I don’t know if I’ll ever return to Formula 1, in one way or another. It’s a world I understand very well, one I know well. I’m lucky to have some very good friends who work in Formula 1.

"I do about six grands prix a year as a consultant for French television, which gives me the chance to see all my friends again. But it’s true that if, in the future, a good opportunity arises to take on an interesting role in a team, it’s something I’d like to do," he admitted.

"It would be a great challenge, and I think I could contribute something. I wouldn’t say no.”

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