Mercedes F1 test drive 'still on the cards' for Romain Grosjean, despite comments made after Abu Dhabi

Romain Grosjean's dream of driving a Mercedes F1 car could still become true after reports emerged that the team were keen to give him the opportunity.

Speaking during an interview, Grosjean was asked about the test drive that has been rescheduled more than once already. He said:

“I sent a message to Toto (Wolff) after Abu Dhabi. Well, I left a couple of weeks, a few weeks going by, and then I sent a message to Toto, and he did reply. He started ‘Thank you,’ and then the last sentence was, ‘We need to get you in that car this year.’"

Grosjean then went on to add:

“Yes, it's still on the cards. There were a few things last year that didn't make it easy. This year I cannot go at the French Grand Prix because we're racing in Iowa the same weekend. But definitely Mercedes is keen to do it, I am keen to do it, even though my neck will be dying because I've lost part of the muscle there. You can ask Pato [O’Ward] what it was like [in an F1 car]."

The Frenchman had a standing agreement with the team to test the Mercedes W10 at the end of the 2020 season. However, a massive fireball crash at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix saw Grosjean leave the sport after a near-death experience.

The test drive was penciled in for sometime prior to the 2021 French Grand Prix at Paul Ricard. However, quarantine rules for individuals traveling from America to France curtailed these plans.

Grosjean had an impressive debut year in the IndyCar series with the Dale Coyne Racing squad. He will drive for Andretti Autosport in 2022, replacing 012 IndyCar title winner Ryan Hunter-Reay.

Lewis Hamilton's retirement would be 'an indictment of F1', claims Mercedes boss Toto Wolff

Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has stated that Lewis Hamilton's retirement from F1 would be 'an indictment' of the sport. The 37-year-old Briton has reportedly been 'disillusioned' ever since the controversial end to the 2021 season finale in Abu Dhabi.

During an interview with Kronen Zeitung in Austria, Wolff touched on the subject of Hamilton's return to F1, saying:

"I really hope that we will see him again. He is the most important part of our sport. It would be an indictment of Formula 1 as a whole if the best driver decided to quit because of harebrained decisions."

The seven-time world champion has a contract with Mercedes running through until the end of 2023. However, his decision to return to F1 reportedly hinges on the results of the FIA's internal investigation into the end of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.