It’s always go time for Romain Grosjean. (Photo: Luis Torres | The Podium Finish)
When it comes to a racer who epitomizes inspiration, rugged determination and a passion for competition and life, look no further than Romain Grosjean.
Grosjean’s on track career is mainly defined as workmanlike, selfless and commendable. His resume is quite impressive with championships in French Formula Renault in 2005, the Formula 3 Euro Series in 2007, two GP2 Asia Series titles in 2008 and 2011, Auto GP in 2010 and a GP2 Series title, also in 2011.
Certainly, the 35-year-old, soon to be 36-year-old Geneva, Switzerland native made his presence known in Formula 1, notably with the Lotus F1 Team, now known as Alpine F1 Team, and the Haas F1 Team. In his 10 year F1 career, Grosjean tallied 10 podiums in his 179 starts, including a DHL Fastest Lap Award and 391 career points.
In the midst of his most recent F1 campaign in 2020, Grosjean was involved in a harrowing, opening lap accident at Bahrain International Circuit just past turn 3. The accident split Grosjean’s car into two distinct pieces while engulfed in flames.
For about 28 seconds, Grosjean endured the flames before climbing out of his car with second-degree burns on his hands. Surviving a very frightening, intense crash in his final F1 start to date, Grosjean rose from his injuries and adversities with a new lease on life, personally and professionally.
From that day onward, Grosjean has embraced the moniker of “The Phoenix.” The talented racer leapt to the NTT INDYCAR Series in 2021 in a partial schedule with Dale Coyne Racing with Rick Ware Racing. Despite the part-time schedule, Grosjean placed 15th in points with three podiums, nearly besting Scott McLaughlin for rookie honors.
This year, Grosjean races full-time for Andretti Autosport’s No. 28 DHL Honda Dallara, one of the top drives in INDYCAR. Through three races, Grosjean has a podium at Long Beach, a fifth at St. Petersburg, Flordia and a 26th at Texas, good enough for sixth in the points standings.
By all means, Grosjean takes pride with his racing career as well as his family life, as he and wife, Marion, raise their sons, Sacha and Simon, and daughter, Camille. Nowadays, Grosjean and his family reside in Miami after commuting between France and the U.S. last year.
Prior to the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach last week, I interviewed Grosjean to talk about his journey, racing with Andretti Autosport and adjusting to life in the U.S. As we had an engrossing conversation, this is the first of a two part interview for The Podium Finish. So, let’s get to it for Part I of “In the Fast Lane with Romain Grosjean” here on TPF!
Rob Tiongson : Romain, thank you for taking time today for The Podium Finish and The Podium Finish Live!. We’re two races in into your new racing home with Andretti Autosport, and you’ve got a top five at St. Pete, and that good run at Texas before the engine issue came up.
So, what’s your initial thoughts so far on racing for Andretti as you start your second season in INDYCAR?
Grosjean took on the high banked, unique Texas Motor Speedway for his first, genuine superspeedway race. (Photo: Luis Torres | The Podium Finish)
Romain Grosjean : Well, the season started pretty good in St. Pete. We were 5th. The good thing is that we weren’t happy with 5th. So I think we’ve definitely got more speed that we can unlock. But it was my first race with the car, so we learned a lot in St. Pete. And then Texas was always going to be a weekend where I just wanted to finish the race, get some experience. I think, if we had done so, we would have been top 10.
So it would have been good points, but motor racing, sometimes things fail on you and that happens. So, yes, ready for the next one. The start with Andretti has been good. We have only got one day of testing and one race yet on street or road course, so any time soon that we do some more testing, then we should be able to find a bit more in the car.
Tiongson : Absolutely. You’re definitely extracting the most out of that car, which has always been fast over the years, and certainly you’re picking up after your predecessor very well. Texas was your second start on a super speedway, but the first on a really big super speedway, to say the least. So how was it like to go full speed at a high-banked track like Texas compared to what you’ve done in INDYCAR, and even in F1?
Grosjean : It’s very different from everything I’ve done before. It’s very technical, and it changes so much through the race and through qualifying, and depending on the track temp, and the wind, and so on. So, very difficult to know exactly what you need to do, but we were doing okay. I think Texas is probably not the most exciting one, because you can’t get the high line to work as well as we would like to.
But over those 100 laps, I learned quite a bit. I think that’s going to be good knowledge for the Indy 500. And, yeah, I think we… same thing. We’ve got 100 laps. We’ve got a good idea of where we can make the car a little bit more to my liking, and move on from there.
Tiongson : Yeah, you mentioned about Indianapolis, which leads me into my next question, Romain, because you’ve got an interesting stretch with the street and road course races with Long Beach and Birmingham, and then the Indianapolis road course race, which you’re so familiar and so adept with. And then, of course, the traditional Indy 500 afterwards.
So I mean, how excited are you about taking on the Brickyard and competing possibly in the Indy 500 as well?
Not even Hollywood could write a better script to Grosjean’s incredible story. (Photo: Luis Torres | The Podium Finish)
Grosjean : Yeah, it’s going to be great. It’s going to be great. A lot of the drivers and the people in INDYCAR in the USA talk about the Indy 500. Obviously, I don’t know what it is. I’ve seen it on TV, but I’ve never lived the experience, so I’m excited about it.
But I also know that it’s a race where experience is key, and for me, it’s going to be about finishing in a good position so I can score good points, because they’re doubled up. So, every point that you score in Indy 500 is like you’ve done it for two races. And looking at the championship, where I want to go, we definitely need to make sure that we get some good points there, and we take on and win some races.
Tiongson : Talk about the support system you have at Andretti Autosport, because you’re just getting used to the ovals that are part of INDYCAR. How much is it helpful to rely on your teammates who have that experience at these tracks?
Grosjean : Yeah, it’s very good. At Texas, I was watching a lot what the others are doing setup-wise and driving-wise, and making sure that I can learn from all those guys. Colton, Alex, Simon, Helio. …they’re all winners. I mean, there’s three out of four, three Indy 500 winners, so they know what to do, and it’s very exciting to look at them and to try to learn.
Tiongson : I’m sure they kept teaching you a lot. And then, of course, when you’re excelling in those road course and street course races, I’m sure you’re just as helpful with them as well.
Grosjean : Yeah, it’s just great teamwork.
Tiongson : You’ve always been a good team player, to say the least. That’s what I loved about you in F1 and INDYCAR, to say the least. You’re also, though, very genuinely passionate and authentic with connecting with the fans.
So I’m kind of wondering, how much do you feed off the energy of those fans who are always like, “Go, Romain!” at the racetrack or on social media?
“When I need to go somewhere, they will give me the time to do that, but when I come back and I’ve got a bit of free time, I will give them back.” (Photo: Luis Torres | The Podium Finish)
Grosjean : The last two years have been incredible, honestly, with the fans in INDYCAR, and seeing, especially in St. Pete, so many DHL shirts worn by the fans and all their attention. It’s just great.
And the beauty about INDYCAR fans is that they understand that, if I don’t have the time right now, they will let me go, but whenever I come back and have got a little bit more time, then I’ll spend the time with them.
We’ve got a relationship where they understand that, when I need to go somewhere, they will give me the time to do that, but when I come back and I’ve got a bit of free time, I will give them back.
Tiongson : I think that’s really helpful, to say the least, because a lot of drivers don’t have to even do that. But the fact that you go out of your way to connect with them, that’s a lasting memory that they’ll have for the rest of their life. Is that a connection that you’ve had before when you looked up to drivers when you were growing up?
Grosjean : Not really, because I very rarely went to Formula One or racing when I was a kid. I went once to Monaco, and I remember meeting David Coulthard next to the toilets. It’s quite funny. I don’t know when that was, but I was between six and eight, and I still remember that.
But yeah, I think it’s… without the fans, we wouldn’t be doing what we do. So they’re a big part of our racing, a big part of what we… we’ve got people sponsoring the teams and helping us and making a living for us. So I think the fans are key, and whenever I can share with them. And they’ve been so nice, honestly, it’s just been incredible, and a great source of energy for me.
Tiongson : I love it. And I also love the fact that you’re so embracing of the US life and culture after living in France for a long time. How have you taken to life in America compared to what you were used to in France, and is it nice to not live in that bus and actually have a house that you can go home to?
Make no mistake that Grosjean is home as a formidable INDYCAR racer. (Photo: Luis Torres | The Podium Finish)
Grosjean : I love my bus, though. Every time I go back to my bus, it’s like a happy place. It’s funny. It’s almost like a vacation house that’s on wheels. But yeah, it’s been great also to settle in a home, and not have to travel across the world and get the jetlag. And with COVID, also, traveling has not always been the best. Getting a PCR test and getting to the airport and having all the papers checked and so on and so on has been quite challenging.
But right now, here we are in the States, so it’s easier to get to the place. Tomorrow, I’m coming to the factory, Andretti factory, for a couple of days, and just jump on a plane, go there, and easy. So it’s very easy, and the life in US… I mean, it’s funny that I’m, I don’t know, 6,000 miles from home or so, and I feel home. It just feels like I’ve got another home in the world.
Tiongson : That’s awesome to hear. I can relate to that, because I grew up in Boston, and I lived in the Philippines for four years, and that felt like home to me after a few months. So, it’s so cool to hear that. And I see there that you’ve got all your firesuits from throughout your career. I’m assuming you’re all settled and you don’t have any unboxing to do anymore?
Grosjean : No, it’s all good. A few small bits and pieces, but yes. I don’t like boxes, so I think within three or four days, everything was empty and kind of put in place, starting at 3:30 or 4:00 a.m. with the time difference, and finishing by 8:00 or 9:00 p.m. So it’s long days, but got everything going, and very, very happy where we are.
Editor’s Notes
Special thanks to Romain for taking the time for our enjoyable, insightful conversation for TPF! Also, special thanks to Lindsay Lindsey of Andretti Autosport for making this interview possible. Stay tuned for Part II of Romain’s “Hot Seat” conversation.
In the meantime, look for more content about Romain on TPF and follow his social media channels on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and his official website!
