Romain Grosjean
Junior Career
Grosjean's ascent through motorsport's junior ranks was marked by consistent excellence and championship-winning performances. He dominated the 2005 French Formula Renault championship at his first attempt, earning recognition that secured him a place in the prestigious Renault young driver programme.
His progression continued with the 2007 Formula 3 Euro Series drivers' championship, establishing himself as one of Europe's most promising young talents. The following year brought further success as he became the inaugural GP2 Asia Series champion in 2008, while also finishing fourth in his first year in the main GP2 championship.
After a brief Formula One debut in 2009, Grosjean returned to junior formulae with devastating effect. He captured the 2010 Auto GP championship at the first attempt, then achieved a remarkable double in 2011 by winning both the GP2 Asia Series and GP2 Series. This made him the first – and as of 2018, only – two-time GP2 Asia champion and the only driver to hold both the GP2 Asia series and main GP2 series titles simultaneously.
Racing Career
Grosjean made his Formula One debut for Renault at the 2009 European Grand Prix before being dropped and returning to junior categories. His Formula One career truly began in earnest when he returned to the sport in 2012 with Lotus F1 Team, partnering Kimi Räikkönen.
The 2012 season marked several milestones, including his first Formula One podium at the Bahrain Grand Prix and his first fastest lap at the Spanish Grand Prix. However, the season was also marked by controversy when he became the first driver since 1994 to receive a race ban after causing a multi-car pile-up at the Belgian Grand Prix.
Grosjean remained with Lotus through 2015, with his most successful year being 2013 when he secured six podium finishes alongside Pastor Maldonado. He then moved to Haas for the 2016-2020 seasons, before transitioning to IndyCar competition.
His Formula One career ended dramatically during the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix when he survived a horrific crash that saw his car separate in two and catch fire after penetrating a metal guardrail on the first lap. Grosjean sustained minor burns and credited the halo safety device with saving his life. He currently competes in the NTT IndyCar Series, driving the No. 77 Chevrolet for Juncos Hollinger Racing, though he does not compete in oval races.