Romain Grosjean eyes shock F1 return after emotional Haas test

Romain Grosjean says his surprise return to the cockpit of a Formula 1 car has reminded him that he still has what it takes to race at the top level.

The 39-year-old Frenchman, whose last F1 outing ended with his fiery crash in Bahrain in 2020, drove a 2023-spec Haas at Mugello on Friday in wet conditions. "It was a really nice day despite the weather," Grosjean told L’Equipe.

"We relived a bit what we experienced in 2016 - Ayao (Komatsu) was talking to me on the radio, I had my chief mechanic with me. They even had me do some qualifying laps in the afternoon and a test start." His early laps, however, were a shock to the system.

"On the first lap I was a bit like an Indian in the city," he laughed. "Plus it was wet! I didn’t have to go full throttle once on that first lap." The most emotional moment came when he returned to the pits.

"All the mechanics formed a guard of honour. I wasn’t expecting that. Luckily I still had my helmet on, because I shed a few tears." Grosjean praised the new ground effect cars.

"Even in the rain, the aerodynamics are amazing. There are corners where you think you won’t go flat, and then yes. But they are huge. Sometimes I thought I was just brushing the kerb and then boom, I was on top of it."

When asked if the test rekindled thoughts of a comeback, Grosjean admitted: "Experiencing this day showed me I haven’t lost it. Yes, I could see myself coming back. But it would require specific conditions, a team that wanted me. You never know what life is made of."