Romain Grosjean has completed his first lap in a Formula 1 car since the shocking crash which ended his career in the series five years ago.
He has returned to his former Haas team to drive a two-year-old VF-23 chassis in a test at the Mugello circuit in Italy.
Grosjean successfully completed an installation lap in wet conditions at the flowing, 5.2-kilometre circuit earlier this morning. He raced at the track during his final F1 season.
Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu, who was Grosjean’s race engineer earlier in their careers, is serving as his engineer for the day. Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur is also attending the test.
Grosjean drove for Haas for five seasons, beginning in 2016. He scored the team’s first points on its debut in F1 and helped them to their highest constructors’ championship position, fifth, in 2015.
He was already set to leave the team at the end of the 2020 season when he suffered a horrific crash on the first lap of the Bahrain Grand Prix. His car struck an Armco barrier head-on and exploded in flames. Grosjean was able to climb out of the wreckage but suffered burns to his hands.
After leaving F1 he returned to racing in IndyCar and sportscars. His former IndyCar rival James Hinchcliffe is also due to have his first run in an F1 car at the same test today.
This article will be updated.
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Pictures: Grosjean testing for Haas at Mugello
