Mercedes forced to postpone Grosjean’s farewell test

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Romain Grosjean

Romain Grosjean

Romain Grosjean’s Mercedes test has been postponed due to travel restrictions, with the aim now being for it to take place later this summer. 

After the Frenchman’s F1 career was brought to an abrupt end by his horrific crash at the Bahrain Grand Prix last year, Toto Wolff said that Mercedes would give him the chance to drive an F1 car for the last time if they could.

The Austrian and co followed through on their promise, confirming that he’d be driving the car in a one-off test and on the French Grand Prix weekend at Paul Ricard.

The latter had to be cancelled as the moving of the race clashed with Grosjean’s IndyCar commitments, but the former was still set to go ahead.

However, due to travel restrictions and quarantine requirements in place as a result of the pandemic, that is no longer the case.

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“We’re disappointed to announce that Romain Grosjean’s Mercedes test has been postponed because of travel restrictions and quarantine requirements,” the team said on social media.

Nevertheless, they haven’t lost hope of giving Grosjean a chance to drive the Silver Arrow, saying that they’re committed to finding a date later in the year in which he can do so.

“We’re committed to giving Romain his chance in a Mercedes F1 car and we’re working to reschedule the test later this summer,” they added.

Specifically, Grosjean will drive Lewis Hamilton’s car from the 2019 campaign, and says that having a go in a car that has won an F1 World Championship will be “special.”

“It is very special, you don’t really get many chances in Formula 1 to drive, first of all a world champion car and on top of that more for yourself than developing performance,” he told Sky F1.

“It is a very unique opportunity. I heard about it first when I was in my hospital bed in Bahrain fighting a bit of pain, and I cherished it a lot, and I’m so thankful and grateful that those words were kept and that it’s happening.

“When I was in the fire fighting for my life I thought about many things, and one of them was that I didn’t want to finish my Formula 1 career on such a note.

“And having the chance to drive the Mercedes with the most successful team in the sport’s history, that is very unique and something that is beautiful.”

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