After making his first laps of the wheel on an oval during the Gateway race, Romain Grosjean will do his first tests with the Andretti Autosport team on Wednesday at the legendary Indianapolis Speedway.
After a first season to see, Romain Grosjean changes gear. Author of two podiums and a pole position with Dale Coyne Racing, the French driver has officially joined the Andretti Autosport team to replace Ryan Hunter-Reay. A signing that is accompanied by a modified program for the former Haas driver in Formula 1 because, after having overlooked the ovals apart from that of Gateway, he will take part in all 17 races on the calendar. of the 2022 season. This means that he will be at the start of the five races scheduled on oval circuits, including the prestigious Indianapolis 500 Miles. It is with this objective in mind that Romain Grosjean recently joined Indiana to submit to the “rookie orientation program” during a test session scheduled for Wednesday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with prescriptions very strict to follow so that the organizers of the championship ensure that the Genevan is able to hold his place during the race.
First #IMS oval test for the newest @IndyCar vets. ⁰⁰See you on Wednesday for testing, @RGrosjean and @JimmieJohnson. ⁰⁰#INDYCAR | #IsItMayYet pic.twitter.com/dQaKXmAd6T
— Indianapolis Motor Speedway (@IMS) October 4, 2021
Grosjean will have 40 laps to go
These tests will be for Romain Grosjean the opportunity to get for the very first time at the wheel of the single-seater bearing the number 28 and with the well-known yellow and red livery. During this day of testing, the Frenchman will have to respect an unchanging schedule imposed on all Indy 500 rookies. First of all, the 35-year-old pilot will have to cover ten laps of the 2.5-mile oval ( a little over four kilometers) at a speed of between 330 and 338 km / h. Once this first stage, he will have to add fifteen laps at an average speed between 338 and 346 km / h. Finally, to validate his program, he will have to conclude with fifteen additional laps with an average speed above 346 km / h. Romain Grosjean should not be alone on the track on this occasion as NASCAR legend Jimmie Johnson will also be there., despite 18 races contested on this circuit in its old discipline. Behind the scenes, the French driver will be closely watched by his engineer at Dale Coyne Racing this season, his compatriot Olivier Boisson, who is expected to follow him at Andretti Autosport.
