Romain Grosjean declares "never say never" to Indy 500 entry

Grosjean in IndyCar — Photo: © LAT Images

Romain Grosjean

Grosjean declares "never say never" to Indy 500 entry

Grosjean is racing in IndyCar this year after leaving F1

Sam Hall

Wednesday 12 May 2021 11:55

Romain Grosjean has left the door open to a future entry into the Indianapolis 500 but maintained any decision would be made as a "team" with his wife Marion.

After recovering from his horrific crash at last year's Bahrain Grand Prix, Grosjean is this year competing in IndyCar with Dale Coyne Racing with Rick Ware Racing.

The Frenchman will however miss the Indy 500, after agreeing a deal to only compete on road and street courses in his rookie year and not in the championship's oval events.

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Speaking on the Beyond the Grid podcast, Grosjean explained how he had only considered a move stateside late in the year after previously believing the majority of the season was contested on ovals.

“Even before the accident I wasn’t – I don’t know," he said. "I have never tried so I cannot say ovals are bad, but it is so far different to what we have in Europe. I wasn’t really attracted by it and therefore that is why I didn’t look earlier.

“But now that I am in there, I can tell you one thing, the circuits are really cool.”

Asked if being in the paddock had sparked a desire to compete in the Indy 500, Grosjean answered: “Well, let’s say never say never because last week the guys were racing in Texas and I was very moody.

“You are racing in a championship and then you see the guys racing and you are not there. Then Connor Daly crossed the start line upside down and Marion told me, ‘You see why?’.

“I’m like, ‘Oh, that’s not going to help me is it’.”

Should the opportunity to race at Indianapolis arise, the former Haas and Lotus driver will not make the decision alone.

He explained: “It is more like a team decision. Last winter we thought about many things and we need to do that as a team decision where everyone is comfortable with what we do.

“For now, we went to that step where I do all the road and street circuits but I don’t do the ovals and that is something we felt comfortable with.

"In the future, if I have the opportunity to be in one of the biggest teams, to fight for the championship, then things might evolve.

“But again, I have only done two races, we are only five months from Bahrain 2020 so time will heal a few things and we will see what is happening but for now superspeedways are definitely a no.”