Grosjean issues update on Mercedes F1 drive

Romain Grosjean has insisted that he is still pushing to complete his Formula 1 test outing with Mercedes.

Grosjean was due to exit F1 at the end of the 2020 campaign after announcing his departure from Haas, with few opportunities arising elsewhere on the grid for the following season.

At the Bahrain Grand Prix, the third-last round of the 2020 season, Grosjean suffered a horrific crash that left him engulfed in flames for almost half a minute.

The Frenchman escaped from the burning wreck but sustained burns, largely on his hands.

It cut short Grosjean's F1 career but Mercedes offered to give Grosjean a test outing in one of its cars, with a seat fitting completed at its factory.

However, Grosjean's busy post-F1 schedule which includes a full-time drive in the IndyCar Series has prevented the test from going ahead.

Speaking to GP Racing, Grosjean stated when asked if he still wants to test with Mercedes: “Yes, absolutely. We haven’t found the time yet – and yes, it’s all my fault.

“It’s not easy though – I’m looking at 30 race weekends next year. You guys complain about 24 in F1 and I have 18 in IndyCar, seven in endurance and five in F1 with Canal+. So it’s not easy to add a test.”

Grosjean wants to trial current generation of car

F1 regulations for private tests allow for cars that are at least two years old to be driven outside of official sessions.

Grosjean admitted that he has been purposely putting off the test in order to get a chance in the current generation of car that came into play in 2022.

“Also, very selfishly, I’m trying to delay it to the point where I can actually test a new generation of cars.

“But yeah, I’m still keen to do it and whenever I see Toto he always confirms that it’s going to happen. Yes, it would be very cool to get back in an F1 car.”

With his infamous Bahrain crash occurring over three years ago, Grosjean revealed that he still suffers pain in his hand from where he was burned.

“Some days it’s a bit painful, the left one. But I would say 95% of the time I don’t even think about it.”