It's not as unlikely as you might have first imagined - even if Renault buy Lotus...
Tuesday 22 September 2015 09:15, UK
Although the Frenchman said on Thursday he had made up his mind where to drive next season, he refused to quell suggestions that he is considering a switch to Haas.
While the ongoing uncertainty about Lotus's future is the foremost reason why Grosjean's future remains in doubt, here are five reasons why he could switch to Haas even if Renault buy the Enstone outfit...
Haas are no ordinary newcomers
The mistake in these considerations would be to regard Haas as just another new team to F1 who are set to follow in the modest footsteps of HRT, Caterham and Marussia.
Not only are Haas already an established power in the motorsport community, and supported by an eponymous billionaire, but their close affiliation with Ferrari serves as a near-guarantee of instant respectability. "We will take all the help they can give us," Gene Haas told CNN last year. "We'd be very proud to be a Ferrari B team."
Although the rules stipulate that Haas have to deliver their own monocoque, survival cell, roll structure, bodywork, wings, floor and diffuser, their deal with Ferrari extends beyond a multi-year engine supply as far as the provision of 'non-listed' parts – expected to mean the Scuderia's energy recovery systems and gearbox in addition to general technical support. As Toto Wolff, the Mercedes boss, recently alluded in his description of the Haas model being "clearly a very intelligent way of entering Formula One" which "opens up an avenue for new models of collaboration", this is no standard newcoming. Instead, consider it a new way of entering the sport that could become a forerunner of its type.
And Haas could spring a surprise or two in 2016.
Romain would be on Ferrari's radar for 2017
If, as believed, Romain has designs on replacing Kimi Raikkonen at Ferrari in 2017 then Haas, due to their aforementioned close affiliation with the Scuderia, would represent the perfect shop window. Ferrari will certainly be paying close attention to how the drivers fare at Haas next year and there could be no better audition for a 2016 seat if Grosjean can impress against a driver who is a known quantity at Ferrari - such as either Jean-Eric Vergne or Esteban Gutierrez, the two Ferrari reserves who are thought to be in direct competition for the second seat at Haas next year.
Remember, Romain openly admitted holding tentative talks with Ferrari prior to the Scuderia confirming they would retain Raikkonen for the final year of his contract.
Romain has nothing to lose
Despite Haas' close ties with Ferrari, it would inevitably be described as a gamble if Grosjean joined the debutants, especially if he does so after Renault complete their long-expected takeover. But would the bigger gamble be staying at a team which is likely to struggle in 2016 even if Renault's takeover brings financial stability? Engines remain the biggest performer differential in F1 at present and Renault's are currently no match for Mercedes' and Ferrari's. Indeed, Red Bull are so convinced that Renault will be unable to bridge the divide in the near future that they have even severed ties to Renault despite publicly acknowledging that it means they might not be able to stay in F1.
Despite his undoubted loyalty to 'Team Enstone', does Romain really want to stay at the team for what is likely to be, at best, a transitional year in 2016? The prospect of an ambitious new challenge in which the size of the potential peaks could match the inevitable early-years troughs may be more appealing than the routine of another frustrating season in the midfield.
F1 drivers don't want to be pigeon-holed
The other risk in staying at Team Enstone is that Romain could drive his career down a one-way street as a French driver at a French team. A transfer to Haas would, despite its probable moderate returns, at least serve to confirm that Grosjean has bigger ambitions in F1 than merely being the figurehead of 'France's national team'.
He could be Haas' team leader
Aside from the adventure of a new challenge and leap into the unknown, the positive appeal of joining for Haas for Grosjean is that he could do so as their undisputed number one driver. For the first time in his career, Grosjean could have a team around moulded around him. It's an opportunity which doesn't come along very often in F1 and in is arguably the best career opportunity Grosjean could hope to enjoy for 2016 in the wake of Raikkonen's retention at Ferrari locking-down the top end of the driver market.
