Romain Grosjean signs with Haas F1 for next season

[Lorenzo Bonder]

French driver Romain Grosjean pens a 4-year contract with the rookie F1 American team Haas F1 starting in the Formula One Season 2016.

According to Autosport Grosjean called a press conference at Haas F1 headquarters in Kannapolis, North Carolina, USA next Tuesday, September 29th, to announce his departure from the Lotus F1 Team after five seasons with the team, when Lotus was previously named Lotus Renault GP in 2011, where Romain was a test driver (he was competing both GP2 and GP2 Asia series that year).

Attending the press conference as well are Guenther Steiner, Haas F1 Team Principal and Gene Haas, the team's owner.

The key selling points for this switch were the team's reputation in motorsport in the United States (currently in the NASCAR Sprint Cup as Stewart-Haas Racing) and their deep business/technical connections with Ferrari.

Grosjean believes that Haas could be midfield runner out of the box thanks to their collaboration (Haas-Ferrari), with the American providing the resources and facilities and Ferrari with the know-how, resulting in a new power unit to Ferrari which right now is pushing with Mercedes for the top spots. A great example of this power unit was last race in Singapore, where Vettel dominated the competition and scored his third win this season and still remains the only driver that managed to beat the Mercedes drivers to the top place in the podium.

Another deciding factor to Grosjean is the possibility of joining Ferrari in 2017, when Kimi Raïkonnen's contract expires, should the Italian team decides not to renew the contract with the Finnish driver. So with Ferrari as a key partner, it would prove pivotal to Romain get as much as data as possible with Haas and compare with Kimi during next season.

It is still undecided who will be Haas second driver for 2016. As mentioned in another news, Esteban Gutierrez would be taking the other seat for the American team, but no decision has been taken.

 

[Blkout]

I don't think its a bad move and the reason why is that I don't see Lotus improving next year, and while Haas is an unknown at this point, I just don't think they could be much worse than Lotus right now. Sure, I know some people will say there's Marussia and McLaren-Honda which are worse than Lotus and that's true, but I have enough faith that Haas will do better than Marussia or McLaren-Honda. And lets face it, who wants to be teammates with Maldonado.

 

[Rob]

Mr. Bonder. Great jump on this. I'm sure it's elsewhere (or is it?) but I read it here first.

This is just one of many decisions that Haas had made that really were smart. This team is flying under the radar because...well, I'll not go there. But F1 needs Haas more that Haas needs them. The only thing that worries me is politics, but I figure that if Gene can deal with NASCAR and the Stalinesque dictatorial B.S. that comes with it, he can deal with a misguided oligarchy just as well. And Ferrari, no doubt, has made the transition much easier.

The decision itself? Well, I don't know many who would say it's bad. Other drivers are simply too expensive, and Grosjean is a steal, I'm sure. He will be more happy getting paid as opposed to working for free. Also, he's a nice guy, it seems.

Americans don't exactly give France the respect it deserves these days, but we should. For many reasons. Ricky Bobby didn't race against someone from France by coincidence. However, Gene does not decide issues based on poll numbers or political correctness If he did, Tony Stewart would have been gone after the media circus. So, it's a good fit, even if unconventional. I'm just glad he hired a proven and likable guy. He survived the F1 media bullying and joking just like Haas and any American (I don't count Rossi as an American) driver or team had to or will have to do. It will be a good fit.

 

[Terry Rock]

I think it's the best move he could make...given the uncertainty surrounding Lotus.
At this point, who knows if they'll be on the grid next year.
Better to be 'inked' with a team linked to Ferrari and 'deep pockets' than one which is constantly struggling financially.

 

[mcnasty1]

Good move for haas excited for next season all ready....

 

[Deleted member 205301]

In my opinion, that's a better deal for Haas than for Grosjean.
ok He's hopping for a Ferrari seat, but still as Bottas, Hulk, and perhaps...Verstappen (we'll talk in time).
On anotehr side, Renault is still waiting for buying lotus, and maybe the deal won't never goes to an agreement...so...Romain could have done the best choice.

 

[Tume]

Kimi Raïkonnen's

D:

Kimi Räikkönen's

 

[Borbor]

MGrosjean is a steal, I'm sure. He will be more happy getting paid as opposed to working for free. Also, he's a nice guy, it seems.

Pretty sure whatever money Grosjean is bringing via Total will equal if not outweigh the "salary" that Grosjean is pocketing.

 

[Thomas Alderton]

so this means romains sponsor Total and others like it will come to Haas?

 

[Rob]

so this means romains sponsor Total and others like it will come to Haas?

Haas could care less about how much money any driver brings. Or what sponsors he has (Haas has plenty, I'm sure...he's a billionaire and knows industry leaders everywhere). That's why Maldonado was not even considered, and Lotus can't live without him.

 

[Ole Marius Myrvold]

https://www.haasf1team.com/news/haas-f1-team-selects-grosjean-driver

Oups? ;P

Live now BTW.

 

[Turk]

Seems like a bit of a gamble for Romain. Unless Haas can come in and humiliate teams like McLaren Honda by showing it's not as hard as it seems to throw an F1 car together. I would have thought Haas will need a year or two to get up to speed and Grosjean will just spend those two years in the same position as the McLaren drivers.

If it's a route to driving with Ferrari it makes more sense but spending two years in a slow F1 car isn't going to make you look to good when contracts come up.

It all depends on the Haas car I guess, I'd be surprised if they're any way competitive in the first year, it's not impossible that they could make a competitive car straight out, it just seems unlikely these days.

 

[Ole Marius Myrvold]

Isn't the HAAS F1 car supposed to be 60% Ferrari, 40% HAAS? That will most likely be pretty helpful.
The plan is to buy as much as they are allowed to, then make the rest themselves.

 

[Rob]

Isn't the HAAS F1 car supposed to be 60% Ferrari, 40% HAAS? That will most likely be pretty helpful.
The plan is to buy as much as they are allowed to, then make the rest themselves.

Yes, and that's probably a very conservative estimate when you consider what they are *actually* getting from Ferrari. Brilliant. As has been everything Haas has done, starting with the purchase of Marussia assets from the Court. There is no logic in declaring that Haas will be slow, then concluding that Grosjean will be slow. I'll take that bet any day.

This has been done before guys. And I'm sure Gene is aware of the blueprint. He has followed it to the letter so far. Red Bull finished 6th in the constructors in their first year. We all know what happened after that. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Bull_Racing

 

[Darth]

That's why Maldonado was not even considered, and Lotus can't live without him.

You summed it up wonderfully, Haas was great at not rushing for a driver and now
they have Grosjean and probably someone like Vergne or Guttierez. Shrewd business indeed,
things are already looking up for them.

 

[BoogerMac]

Here's the official announcement if anyone hasn't seen it yet: