The images are still in all memories.
On November 29, during the Bahrain Grand Prix, Romain Grosjean survived a spectacular accident by managing to extricate himself from his flaming Formula 1, 28 seconds after it crashed at 220 km / h in a security barrier and had been cut in half.
Two months later, the 34-year-old Franco-Swiss, announced this Wednesday on his Twitch channel that he was entering the American Indycar 2021 championship. A decision that may surprise.
Decryption.
Why the Indycar?
With ten podiums in 179 Grands Prix over ten seasons (2009 with Renault, 2012-2015 with Lotus and 2016-2020 with Haas), Grosjean's career in Formula 1 came to an abrupt end, even though the American team Haas had anyway announced before his accident that the French was not going to be renewed for 2021.
The IndyCar was Grosjean's “first choice”.
He had received the offer from Dale Coyne on October 31, the day before the Imola Grand Prix in Italy.
“I was ready to take a year off, unless there was a great opportunity.
The project with Dale Coyne Racing makes perfect sense.
It's a project where I feel I can have fun, have fun.
And that's something I want today.
"
Have fun, of course, but also have ambition.
“What I've missed the most in recent years is being able to fight to try to win races, so clearly find a championship where I can fight and try to win races every weekend, that is, 'it's great.
"
Where is he today?
Smiling during his speech this Wednesday, Romain Grosjean is in good shape.
And says it clearly: "The hand is fine.
There are hardly any open games.
There is still the top of the index which is a little open.
Afterwards, she is not very beautiful.
It's brand new skin, very pink and very thin.
The rehabilitation of the torn thumb ligament is going quite well.
I have a hard time with cool temperatures like we have now and when I bump into.
"
The first tests are scheduled for February 22: “I think that with racing gloves, it won't be a problem.
Will I be 100%, probably not yet.
For the first race, April 17th and 18th, I think I won't be so bad.
"
At the psychological level, Romain Grosjean is especially impatient to resume: “In terms of driving, it's excitement.
Apprehension, I don't know.
I'm waiting to be at the start of a Grand Prix to see how I feel in the peloton.
Riding alone, that can't be a problem.
Riding in a peloton is a question that remains open, only the race will be able to tell me.
"
His life after
Grosjean joins two other “Frenchies” in the United States, Sébastien Bourdais, four times ChampCar champion, the series that preceded the IndyCar (from 2004 to 2007), and Simon Pagenaud, crowned in IndyCar in 2016 and winner in 2019 of the 500 Miles from Indianapolis.
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But no question for him to move.
He intends to go back and forth to see his family as much as possible.
“We talked a lot as a family.
It is a collective decision.
I cannot go against the advice of my people.
It's a year where I'm going to travel a lot and I'll be away a lot.
For the family, it will not be easy.
They've been great to me and they know I'm the daddy and husband that I am because I also have motorsport and that's part of my passion.
“In town, the pilot is married to the presenter of TF1, Marion Jollès.
If other competitions are in his sights, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans which he "would like to do one day", Grosjean will not compete in the oval races, including the 500 Miles of Indianapolis, the most prestigious event ( and dangerous) of the series.
“I initially had to do the whole season, including the ovals, but after the accident I didn't feel like doing the two 'superspeedways' that are in Texas and Indianapolis, although I would definitely dream of winning the 500 Miles from Indianapolis, ”he said.
“I don't feel like doing it in relation to my family, to my children, who went through an indescribable thing in Bahrain, watching TV at home, and I don't want them to end up in the same situation again.
"
