The Frenchman’s last appearance in an F1 car came at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix, where he survived a fiery, high-impact crash that ended his season and, ultimately, his F1 career.
The incident saw Grosjean’s car pierce the barriers at 67G and erupt into flames, with the then-Haas driver escaping with burns to his hands.
Five years on, the 39-year-old will once again be back in Haas colours at the Italian circuit, the same venue where he finished 12th in Formula 1’s one-off Tuscan Grand Prix during the COVID-impacted 2020 season.
Grosjean spent five years with Haas between 2016 and 2020, scoring 104 points across 98 race starts and helping establish the American team in its early years on the grid.
After leaving F1, he embarked on a new chapter in IndyCar, racing with Dale Coyne Racing, Andretti Autosport and Juncos Hollinger Racing before moving into a reserve role with Prema for 2025.
Haas will reunite Grosjean with several familiar faces at Mugello.
Team principal Ayao Komatsu, who engineered Grosjean during his podium-finishing days at Lotus and later at Haas, will resume that role for the test.
Former race engineer Dominic Haines and long-serving mechanic Ian Staniforth will also be present, along with other members of Grosjean’s original Haas crew.
“I’m absolutely thrilled to be welcoming Romain Grosjean back into a Formula 1 car for the first time in five years but especially proud he’s returning in one of our cars – it’s only fitting,” Komatsu said.
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“Romain and I have worked together throughout his entire Formula 1 career so this test at Mugello is of particular significance to us both.”
For Grosjean, the opportunity represents both a reunion and a long-delayed farewell.
He had been set to test a Mercedes in 2021, but that plan was scrapped due to COVID restrictions.
On Friday, he will finally get to use the helmet his children designed for what was supposed to be his last grand prix in Abu Dhabi five years ago.
“I’m incredibly grateful to Gene Haas and to Ayao Komatsu for inviting me to participate in the TPC at Mugello,” Grosjean said.
“To say I’m excited to get back behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car would naturally be an understatement.
“I really can’t believe it’s been almost five years, but to come back and have this outing with my old team is truly something special.”
The Mugello test will also feature a debut run in F1 machinery for James Hinchcliffe, the Canadian six-time IndyCar race winner and F1TV broadcaster, who will sample the VF-23 for a feature to air during the United States Grand Prix weekend next month.
This article first appeared on Speedcafe.com, a sister site to MotorRacing.com.
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