Here's the thing about racing at the top level: when you no longer have the tools to fight, the magic fades fast. According to Crash.net, Romain Grosjean has declared that his time competing in single-seaters is likely at an end after he was unable to secure an IndyCar ride for the 2027 season.
The 40-year-old Frenchman made the jump to America's premier single-seater championship back in 2021. That move followed his final season in Formula 1, which notoriously concluded with a terrifying fireball crash at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix. During his stateside open-wheel career, the driver racked up seven podium finishes and three pole positions while driving for Dale Coyne Racing, Andretti Autosport, and Juncos Hollinger Racing.
Now, following a campaign racing for Dale Coyne in 2026 where he will not return to the squad next year, the grid has simply closed its doors for the upcoming season. Speaking to RACER, Grosjean laid out the brutal truth about his mindset. "The reality is, this is probably the end for me with single-seaters," he stated to the publication, adding that the intense lifestyle has simply become too much.
It was not a season devoid of highlights, mind you. He had the chance to lead the Indy 500, ultimately finishing in the top 10 after running in the top five for the majority of the final 60 laps. There was also a stunning podium in Markham, which he achieved with his machine that he memorably referred to as a tractor. But those moments of brilliance were violently offset by weekends like Milwaukee and Laguna Seca, where he qualified dead last, almost.
Knowing how fast he used to be at tracks like Laguna Seca, the frustration boiled over into a clear realization. Having enough of those moments where you simply do not possess the machinery to play forced his hand. Endurance racing is set to become his new priority, offering a chance to share the experience on a human side, have fun, and chase victories without the specific frustrations of open-wheel machinery.
Looking ahead, the driver with 10 podium finishes to his name in F1 is currently evaluating options for the 2027 season in sportscar racing, though nothing has been firmed up just yet. His background in the discipline includes competing in the GTD class aboard a Ford Mustang GT3 at the 24 Hours of Daytona this year. Before that, he drove prototype machinery in 2025 with Lamborghini in IMSA across five rounds, securing a best result of fourth at Petit Le Mans, as well as contesting the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2024 in a Lamborghini in the Hypercar class, where he finished 13th.
F1
F1
