Haas to run Grosjean in NASCAR (2nd Update)
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| Romain Grosjean a Good 'Ol Boy? |
This rumor is downgraded to 'speculation' today. Haas Formula 1 driver Romain Grosjean concedes his hopes of competing in a NASCAR Sprint Cup event will have to be put on hold until next year.
Last month Grosjean declared serious intent of making a guest appearance in the series with the Haas F1 team's sister outfit Stewart-Haas racing. Grosjean recognizes, however, his chances of a drive this year are now limited, with the race at Watkins Glen on August 7, during the F1 summer break, his only realistic possibility.
But with six grands prix over the next eight weekends before the break begins, Grosjean now feels his best opportunity to prepare properly is to wait until next year. "I'm going to two races – Kansas [October 16] and Homestead [November 20] – as a spectator," said Grosjean.
"In terms of racing the only choice we have now is Watkins Glen in the August break, but it's a bit tricky during that. If it's not this year then I will practice over the winter, and next year we will definitely put it on the calendar. Yes, I want to do it, but it doesn't fit very well with the schedule, so its either Watkins Glen or next year. But I want to get in some days of testing. It's pointless being there to be last." Autosport
05/13/16
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| Will Bernie let Grosjean run an HScott Motorsports team car so F1 drivers look incompetent? |
Romain Grosjean believes that his best chance of making his NASCAR debut will come at the Sonoma road course race at the end of June. Grosjean expressed an interest in trying out NASCAR after joining Stewart-Haas Racing co-owner Gene Haas' new Formula 1 operation for its debut season in 2016.
"When it's going to happen, I don't know. It's 21 races, it's quite a tight schedule already in Formula 1. Of course you don't want to start on an oval, I wouldn't feel very comfortable."
Grosjean's best opportunities for a road course appearance come with the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma on June 26 and the Cheez-It 355 at Watkins Glen on August 7. However, the race at The Glen would cut into F1's summer break.
"That's a problem," Grosjean said. "Sonoma is better I think."
Should Grosjean be able to make his debut though, it would not come with Stewart-Haas Racing. NASCAR rules only allow four cars per team and no exceptions for rookie drivers as used to be the case. A possible scenario for Grosjean would be racing with the SHR-supported HScott Motorsports team. NBC Sports
05/09/16 Haas is working on a plan which would see Romain Grosjean make a NASCAR appearance, possibly as early as this year.
Since signing for F1's newest team Grosjean has said he would like to make an appearance in the stock car series, with team boss Gene Haas also co-owner of the Stewart-Haas outfit. The F1 team's chief operating officer Joe Custer says a plan is in motion to see if Stewart-Haas can accommodate the Frenchman at some point this season.
"It's definitely on our wish list," Custer told Motorsport.com. "We just have to make it work– whether it be this year, next year, whenever that is. We're not sure."
"There would be nothing more interesting than a current F1 driver having a good run in a NASCAR race. I thing that would be good for everybody. It would drive more interest."
Custer says the Frenchman would prefer to make his appearance on a road course rather than an oval, given his lack of experience in the latter.
"He's made it clear that he wouldn't want his debut to be on an oval — where he's never done it before. There's so much going on. We have to figure out the testing opportunities and all the things that would make it a success.
"That would be our first approach — it is to evaluate what would make this a successful event with sponsors and get everything else aligned right. That takes time."
Despite F1's record 21-race calendar there are opportunities for Grosjean this year. Two of NASCAR's road course races — Sonoma on June 26 and Watkins Glen on August 7 — occur on weekends without a grand prix.
While Sonoma comes straight after the Canada/Azerbaijan double header, the Watkins Glen race might be more favorable as it comes in the middle of F1's four-week summer break. Grosjean would run as a rookie, giving Stewart-Haas the option of running a fifth car for the event.
"We would like to have him test. He would be a rookie. I don't think there are any barriers to any of this. We just have to figure it out and get it on the schedule.
"Then, five cars or four cars? Or does he work with another team in the garage. All of that. We have to work out the details and have enough time to make it happen." espn.co.uk