Grosjean withdraws from Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

He will have tried everything but wisdom and prudence will have prevailed. Romain Grosjean will not be at the start of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix next week (December 11-13), for what was to be his last appearance in F1. 

The Frenchman will take the plane on Sunday evening to return home to Switzerland where he will continue to receive treatment for the burns he suffered on his hands, particularly his left, in the terrible accident from which he escaped in the first round of the Bahrain Grand Prix. Before that, he will say goodbye to his team in the Sakhir paddock.

Also injured in his left ankle, Grosjean hoped to be able to get back into his car in Abu Dhabi, whether in racing or testing, to see if his feelings behind the wheel were the same after the crash. The pilot Haas said he needed it personally “ to know how he would react ". He will be replaced again by reservist Pietro Fittipaldi, who already replaced him this weekend at the Sakhir GP. 

« I am very sad not to be able to start my last race in Abu Dhabi, commented Grosjean. We tried everything with the doctors to recover and repair my hand but the risk is too great for my recovery and my health. The decision was therefore made not to run. It’s one of the most difficult of my career, but it’s also the wisest. I will miss the team and I will be fully behind them ». 

« I am really sorry that Romain will miss his last race with Haas, commented his future ex-boss Guenther Steiner. But we all agree that this is the best solution for his treatment after the events of last Sunday. Romain has shown extraordinary courage and spirit in recent days. We know how much he wanted to get back into the cockpit of the VF-20 and we would have loved to have him with us. 

Romain believed in the Haas project from the start. He got involved with us even before we built our first car. His determination and efforts will have helped us achieve what we managed to do as a young team. We will be forever grateful to him. We are confident that these same qualities will help him get back on his feet. On behalf of Gene Haas, myself, and the entire Haas team, we wish him the best in his recovery. ». 

Grosjean did not want his F1 career to end on the frightening images of his accident in Bahrain. Mercedes, through the voice of its main team Toto wolff, has already offered to offer him a private test aboard one of his single-seaters so that the Frenchman can say goodbye to F1 in the best conditions. 

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- Romain Grosjean (@RGrosjean) December 6, 2020