Factory Focus: Romain Grosjean

Even for those not in the know about motorsport, Romain Grosjean does not need introducing. He’s a survivor, a husband and father and, as has been the case for over two decades now, a racing driver at the highest level.

Professional, dedicated and passionate, Grosjean is part of Lamborghini Squadra Corse’s factory GT Prototype (GTP)effort in the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship in the United States, partnering team-mates Andrea Caldarelli and Matteo Cairoli in the #63 Lamborghini SC63.

The trio finished seventh in the 12 Hours of Sebring, marking the SC63’s first-ever championship points, and will team up again for the jewel-in-the-crown event of the endurance racing calendar in June: the iconic Le Mans 24 Hours.

Grosjean won just about everything there was to win prior to his F1 career: F3 Euro Series (2007), GP2 Asia Series (2008 and 2011), Auto GP (2010) and GP2 Series (2011). He was also a race winner in the FIA GT1 World Championship and got his first taste of the Le Mans and Spa 24 Hours in 2010.

While his career trajectory has not been straightforward, the best drivers never have it all plain sailing. Grosjean finally entered F1 on a full-time basis in 2012, amassing 179 Grand Prix starts across nine seasons and a total of 10 podium finishes.

This is part two of an already glittering career:

Describe your journey with Lamborghini Squadra Corse so far?
It all began at the end of the 2022 season, I was ready for a new challenge and to go back to Le Mans, and they were interested in me, and we got talking about joining the SC63 project. So, we agreed on a deal and that I would join for the start of the 2023 season, which was all about getting up to speed with the GT3 car and developing the LMDh car, all focusing on the 2024 season.

What excites you the most about the SC63 and the LMDh project?
I mean, just look at the car! It’s such a beautiful car with an interesting design and the best part is that we have a lot of potential in the car which we hope to extract over the course of the season, and in particular at Le Mans.

What is the bond like with your team-mates?
Yeah, it’s very good! I have known Andrea for a number of years now and we get along really well. And with Matteo, I got to know him a lot last year and I think that we already work really well together as a trio. With Andrea, we go all the way back to 2006 when we were racing together in Formula 3, and then our paths a few times after that, and now many years later, here we are together again which is exciting.

What is the worst rental car you ever had?
Ohhh! The worst one I ever had…probably a Yugo. It had no power, and every time you took a turn, you were sure it was going to roll. And I barely fitted inside it!

What are your hobbies away from the racetrack?
Spending time at home with my wife and kids, when I am not racing in IndyCar, IMSA and developing the SC63! I also fly a lot which makes my life a lot easier getting to and from races quickly, so that I am able to spend as much time at home with the family. I bought my plane in the summer of 2022 and I have got almost 400 hours of flight time now, so I keep on building my experience.

You have three songs: one that you know by heart, one you use for motivation and one that is your guilty pleasure. What songs are they?
I have a horrendous memory for songs, I cannot remember anything by heart. Maybe La Marseillaise!

One that gets me pumped before a race is probably Little Lion by Mumford and Sons.

And for my guilty pleasure…the one they use in Ted Lasso. I cannot remember the name of the song, but it’s the one at the end in the funeral scene. It comes on the radio all the time. I don’t like the song, but I keep hearing it and it’s too catchy.

We checked the song, and for those interested, it is Never Gonna Give You Up, by Rick Astley. Did Romain just “Rick-roll” Lamborghini? Perhaps so.

And as for La Marseillaise, Romain will get his chance to sing that as he stands for the French national anthem on his return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, having previously contested the race back in 2010.

With the #63 crew of Mirko Bortolotti, Daniil Kvyat and Edoardo Mortara alongside in the garage, Grosjean will be out to prove the SC63’s durability and performance at the wheel of the #19 SC63 at the Circuit de la Sarthe.