The evolution of Romain Grosjean’s future: the temptation of Haas Grand Prix and a perspective at Ferrari?

The long-standing partnership between Lotus and Romain Grosjean may soon be a thing of the past. Indeed, after four years with the Black and Gold team (in addition to his first seven Grand Prix races in 2009 for the Renault F1 Team, also based in Enstone), the Franco-Swiss driver seems close to leaving the nest.

As we revealed to you on Friday, Romain Grosjean now has clear ideas about his future.

His statements were confirmed and clarified by Cyril Abiteboul. Questioned yesterday by Canal+, the general manager of Renault F1 hinted that Romain Grosjean would not be part of the new Renault F1 Team adventure, should this team indeed come back together: “It’s a shame we couldn’t discuss this with him in time, but we weren’t ready for it. In this matter, everything is a question of timing. Romain is a great driver, he deserves a great team.”

The principal interested party also confirmed his remarks on the Canal+ show Formula One: “I believe that when you’re a driver you like to take risks, it’s part of our job.“, he stated.

“Today I am rather happy with the choice I made, I looked at all the possible options. At some point, you have to know how to move forward and say ‘come on, I’m going for it’. I won’t say more but in my mind it’s very clear, and I am happy with the choice I made.” Present by his side, Alain Prost also agreed with him while wishing him good luck in his new project.

However, such an outcome seems surprising in light of the situation in recent months.

The evolution of the situation: from hope for a return of Renault…

The situation seemed to be heading towards a Renault-Grosjean partnership in the middle of the summer. The driver hadn’t hidden his eagerness about Renault’s return as a manufacturer, even though he hadn’t refrained from openly criticizing it when the French engine failed him in qualifying or races: “If Renault comes back, it can be a very beautiful adventure.” The Frenchman even engaged in a fictional seduction game in front of the Canal+ cameras to encourage Carlos Ghosn, Chairman and CEO of the Renault group, to approve this return.

But precisely, the final decision seems to be taking its time.

**… to a worrying lack of guarantees: an uncertain and delayed purchase of Lotus by Renault?**

Romain Grosjean was therefore expected to be part of the Renault lineup if the purchase of Lotus was confirmed. His French nationality and his performances were his major assets. It should also be noted that Grosjean is sponsored by Total, a French oil company. His performances also already give him a solid reputation in the paddock (10 podiums in total, including four in the last six Grand Prix of the 2013 season). His standout performance at Spa this season further highlights his level of competitiveness.

But Lotus’s discussions with Renault seem to be stalling. Carlos Ghosn has still not officially confirmed the purchase of the team based in Enstone. Among the sticking points, Lotus is still burdened with millions in debt (around 25 million), which threatens it with liquidation at any moment. However, Renault does not want to cover the entire deficit. Furthermore, Renault wants to be considered in the category of historic manufacturers, on par with Ferrari, Mercedes, or McLaren and, consequently, receive a generous bonus paid by the FOM.

Yesterday, Cyril Abiteboul still mentioned that “we are really getting closer to a form of conclusion.” But what is it? “We continue to help Lotus, as it has been written, to keep them afloat. We are very close to a conclusion but for now, I have nothing to confirm on the subject,” he replied.

Direct consequence of these hesitations: Romain Grosjean is getting closer to the new Haas F1 Team… and to Scuderia Ferrari!

Lotus is therefore still currently in significant financial difficulty and does not know where it will stand next year. The first sign is the hasty contract extension of Maldonado at Lotus. Let’s remember that the Venezuelan provides a generous check to his team through the oil company PDVSA to secure his seat.

This artistic blur certainly led Romain Grosjean to refuse a contract extension with his current team. The two parties reportedly did not agree on the length of a new contract, while the current one runs until the end of the year.

As a result, new options have been studied. Well-placed sources reveal that the driver has reached an agreement with the leaders of the new American team Haas F1 Team for the 2016 season. Grosjean revealed in the paddock of the Italian Grand Prix: “Haas represents an interesting option to get closer to Ferrari. My priority is Renault, but I shouldn’t wait too long…” Indeed, Haas is looking for an experienced driver to lead its project. Given the current lineup and after the extension of Nico Hülkenberg, Grosjean seems to fit the profile best, as Günther Steiner, head of the American team, pointed out.

This new deal may nevertheless seem risky. The recent past of Formula 1 shows us that new teams have always struggled to climb up the grid. And even when a team like McLaren joins forces with its former historical partner Honda, the beginnings are also difficult.

But Haas is going to embark on the grand adventure of Formula 1 with a Ferrari engine. The two parties have indeed signed a multi-year partnership contract, involving close collaboration on the technical front. By signing with this team, Romain Grosjean is looking further ahead: he is joining the Ferrari galaxy to position himself well for when a seat becomes available, most likely Kimi Räikkönen’s at the end of the 2016 season. A prime position could even be reserved for him in the race for that famous red seat.

As early as this summer, Grosjean admitted to having discussions with Ferrari: “The paddock is a very restricted space, so you can always talk to anyone. The Ferrari motorhome is never far from ours!”

Thus, we are close to an announcement that will radically change Romain Grosjean’s career. After experiencing ups and downs with Lotus, our French representative seems to be turning his back on the Renault universe to better dream of a red suit. However, since the world of Formula 1 is often surprising, we still need to wait for the official statement to confirm all these hypotheses…