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Romain Grosjean is confident that he can secure a long-term future in Formula 1. The 32-year-old has had a mixed season so far in 2018, failing to score in the opening eight races. However, the Frenchman has scored in three out of the last four events, including a fourth place in Austria.
Question marks linger over the former Renault and Lotus driver's future, as Haas say it will evaluate its driver situation after the summer break. Charles Leclerc has been linked to the seat, as has Force India's Sergio Perez. But Grosjean is confident that he is doing enough to secure himself in F1.
"It hasn't been a great half of the season, but it is not all about what happened in those races," he said. "Obviously I want to be able to go back to being able to score points reasonably and not having any trouble, which I know I can. If the car is where it is today it is not by miracle, so it's a wider picture."
With a major rule change to surface in 2021, Grosjean expects to still be in the sport come that year. Despite being one of the older drivers on the grid, Grosjean says that he still has a lot of unfinished business with Haas.
"I'm not too unhappy with my career so far and I still believe I can be in Formula 1for quite a bit of time. I don't feel old and who knows what is happening in 2021 - no one wants to sign contracts beyond the end of 2020 right now. Let's see what Formula 1 becomes like and if there is a chance or whatever. Right now I am in a good team, I am very proud of what we have been doing over the past two and half years and I think we have got some more business to do together."
Grosjean had a short stint in F1 in 2009, before returning in 2012 at the age of 27. He pointed out that rookies today are much younger than that, and he believes he was thrown under the bus upon his return.
"I started at 27, so I started much later than everyone else," he said. "If you start at 18 and you go to 38 years old then you go for 20 years with 21 Grands Prix a season, that's 420 Grands Prix. If you start at 27 and you go to 37 or 38 then that is only ten or 11 years of career.
"At the end it is not a crazy amount compared to drivers who are 18 and then retiring at 28, sure that would be young to retire, but for me it's just that I got my first chance when I was 23, I got thrown under the bus and then I came back. It just took a bit of time."
Fergal Walsh
Grand Prix of Belgium
G. Zhou
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2GRX7
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How can he think, " It hasn't been a great half of the season, but it is not all about what happened in those races," ?!!! For a "B" team like HAAS, you've got to strike early, because you're not going to have the resources to develop the car like the "A" teams.
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