Lotus driver Romain Grosjean might make a more than surprising move to F1 newcomer Haas next year, after four years with the Enstone-based team.
In a move that has “Alonso to McLaren” written all over it, Lotus’ star driver is said to be leaving a team that might be under Renault control next year, in favor of a 2016 Ferrari-powered rookie team.
Apparently, Haas has even called a driver announcement press conference at its Kannapolis headquarters on Tuesday, where Grosjean could feature next to team owner Gene Haas and team principal Guenther Steiner.
The fact that Ferrari’s power unit is hot on the trail of Mercedes in terms of speed might have played a role in Grosjean’s decision. The Ferrari ties might even open up a seat at the Scuderia for the Frenchman in 2017 – if the Italians don’t renew Kimi Raikkonen’s deal.
With a strong engine, Haas could actually be a midfield performer right away next season, which would put it level with Lotus/Renault, at least in theory. On the flip side, if all goes well for Renault, they will have a lot more resources at their disposal than any non-factory team. So once they fix their power unit issues, eventually they should be title contenders.
Story references: autosport
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