Will Romain Grosjean ever complete the Mercedes test that he was promised in 2021? Toto Wolff and Mercedes had promised the Frenchman a test after his horrific accident at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix. Following his frightening crash, Grosjean was fortunate to have escaped with only minor injuries. While that race marked the end of his Formula 1 career, it did not stop the 37-year-old from continuing his racing ambitions. Grosjean has been busy competing in IndyCar, among other categories, recently. As a result of his busy schedule, he has accepted that it is his fault that Wolff and Mercedes have not been able to fulfill their promise.
When asked about the promise Wolff made him, Grosjean replied (as quoted by racingnews365.nl), “We haven’t found the time yet, it’s my fault. It’s not simple. I’m heading for 30 race weekends next year“. The former Haas driver revealed that he will compete in 18 IndyCar races, seven in Endurance and another five with Canal+.
As for the test, Mercedes had offered Grosjean the opportunity to drive their 2019 championship-winning W10 in May 2021, a year after his shocking fireball crash in Bahrain. They had decided that Grosjean would carry out the test at his home circuit of Paul Ricard.
However, the test never took place back then due to travel restrictions. It seems that Grosjean is in fact glad that the test did not take place back then.
Romain Grosjean has deliberately postponed Mercedes test for selfish reasons
In the same interview, Romain Grosjean then also hilariously added that he had delayed the test deliberately due to selfish reasons. He stated that he is keen to test a “new-generation single-seater” with the latest ground-effect regulations.
Just waiting for the latest aero update to come https://t.co/iEui5BFvOI
— Romain Grosjean (@RGrosjean) June 16, 2021
However, the Frenchman made it clear that he is absolutely determined to conduct the test at some point and is just waiting for the right time. Grosjean also added that Toto Wolff has given assurances that Mercedes will make the test happen at his convenience.
While Grosjean may be selfish in his reasons to postpone the test, Mercedes will also benefit from the same. The team has had a disappointing few seasons recently and is desperate to return to winning ways.
Wolff has already confirmed that the Silver Arrows have decided to change the concept of the W15 completely after its predecessor failed to meet expectations. Hence, if Grosjean does end up testing the W15, he can use his F1 experience and provide the team with unique insights about where they can improve to find more pace.
However, the primary hurdle that Grosjean is facing at the moment is the lack of time. Since he is competing in 30 races across different categories, he needs to ensure that he prioritizes his health and fitness before taking part in a test for joy.
