Former Formula 1 driver Romain Grosjean will return to racing in Europe next year with Lamborghini in sports car racing.
The Frenchman, 36, has competed in America’s IndyCar series since escaping from a huge fire following a crash at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix.
Grosjean will race at Le Mans 2024 for Lamborghini’s elite class ‘hypercar’ entry, run by the Iron Lynx team.
“It’s an honour to be joining Lamborghini,” he said.
Grosjean will race in a lower class GT3 Lamborghini in 2023 – starting with the Daytona 24 Hours in January – while developing the new Le Mans Daytona h (LMDh) hypercar, which will compete in the World Endurance Championship and American IMSA series in 2024.
Sports cars introduced a new hypercar class last year and has attracted several big manufacturers back to endurance racing, most of which will begin competing in 2023 in time for the 100th year anniversary of Le Mans 24 Hours.
“The new LMDh is a beautiful car,” Grosjean said. “I’m lucky to have seen it – and an incredible project in endurance. It’s becoming a very exciting category with all the constructors coming.”
Grosjean never won a grand prix during a 10-year F1 career – he finished second twice – before coming perilously close to losing his life in his final race.
He collided with a barrier on the first lap at Bahrain’s Sakhir circuit, his Haas car bursting into flames and wedging itself into the Armco.
Grosjean escaped with burns to his hands and gained the nickname ‘the Phoenix’ after he appeared from his car, which was engulfed in flames.
He will also contest his third season in IndyCar in 2023 racing for Andretti Autosport, the same team Britain’s Jamie Chadwick will join next year in the second-tier Indy NXT series.
