Romain Grosjean says driving an underpowered Haas was "no real fun"
Romain Grosjean was a highly touted driver when he entered Formula 1. However, bad luck and inconsistency made sure the Frenchman never reached his lofty potential. In his 10-year career, Grosjean has finished on the podium on 10 occasions. The underperforming Haas team marred his final few seasons in the sport. The Frenchman suffered a plethora of retirements and uncompetitive races with the American team.
After his near-fatal crash at Bahrain last season, Grosjean was forced to retire from Formula 1. He is now set to make his debut in IndyCar.
Speaking to RaceFans.net, Grosjean said that he regrets missed chances in Formula 1. He further added that driving for Haas was not a fun experience:
"I was at the end of what I wanted to do there. Fighting with Haas to get out of Q1 when everything was fantastic is something that I had enough of. It was no real fun.”
Romain Grosjean left Formula 1 with regrets
Looking back at his Formula 1 days, Grosjean says he is proud of the length of his career and the 10 podium finishes he achieved. However, he has regrets about not winning the championship:
“You can’t stay 10 years in Formula 1 and not be happy about it." Did I regret that I never had the car to win races and championships? Yes. But was it in my hand? Probably a bit. Also probably not.”
Now that Grosjean has joined IndyCar, the Frenchman feels he has an opportunity to win a championship. Even though he will race in only 13 of the 17 races on the calendar, Grosjean believes that there is a realistic chance of winning the title. According to the Frenchman, he will perform better when he has the same tools as other drivers:
“The last time I got really the chance to have the same tools as the others was 2011 in GP2. I was close to win a few times in Formula 1, but I was also in the era with Raikkonen and Vettel who dominated everything. I was close few times, but not on an every-race basis.”
Grosjean will start his IndyCar journey this season. However, it remains uncertain if the Frenchman will continue beyond this year. When asked about his plans for the future, Grosjean said:
“I don’t have a direct answer. I can only tell you what I suspect. If I enjoy my time in the US, I can do a great job, I feel like this is what I want to do and I can race well and do my job properly, in a nice way, I would definitely stay."
Romain Grosjean had a frustrating end to his Formula 1 career. Despite finishing on the podium 10 times, the Frenchman could have achieved a lot more. Known for his blistering one-lap pace, Grosjean could never reach his potential in the sport.
It was recently revealed that the Frenchman would take part in a private Formula 1 test with a mystery team. Grosjean's last memory in the sport was that of his near-fatal crash. The Frenchman will be adamant to leave this picture behind and enjoy driving a Formula 1 car for one final time.
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