News Summary
- Romain Grosjean believes his single-seater career has probably ended after five seasons in IndyCar.
- The 40-year-old will not return to Dale Coyne Racing in 2027 and says discussions with other teams did not produce a seat.
- Grosjean wants to focus on endurance racing, particularly IMSA, rather than announce his retirement from motorsport.
Romain Grosjean has admitted that his career in single-seater racing is probably over after failing to secure an IndyCar seat for 2027. The former Formula 1 driver, who competed for Dale Coyne Racing in 2026, intends to prioritise endurance racing as he prepares for a different stage of his motorsport career.
In an interview with Marshall Pruett of RACER, Grosjean acknowledged that the physical demands of racing, an increasingly busy schedule and the frustration of competing without a sufficiently competitive car had influenced his decision.
“The reality is, this is probably the end for me with single-seaters,” Grosjean said.
The Frenchman stressed that he still wants to race competitively. His preferred direction is sports car racing, where sharing a car with teammates and fighting for victories would offer a different experience.
Grosjean explains why IndyCar became frustrating
Grosjean’s final IndyCar season featured contrasting moments. He led the Indianapolis 500, finished inside the top ten and secured a podium at Markham, but also endured difficult weekends when his machinery prevented him from fighting near the front.
His frustration became particularly evident at Laguna Seca, a circuit where he has traditionally been competitive. After qualifying near the back, Grosjean began questioning whether he wanted to continue in the category.
The driver told the absence of the necessary tools to compete had become increasingly difficult to accept. His comments suggest the decision is about more than simply losing his seat.
Grosjean will not return to Dale Coyne Racing next season. Although other IndyCar opportunities were considered, none resulted in an agreement.
His departure could make September’s Laguna Seca finale the last single-seater race of a career that began in 2003.
Endurance racing becomes Grosjean’s priority
Grosjean believes the transition is a natural one after 23 years in single-seater competition, including 179 Formula 1 starts and five IndyCar seasons.
He also wants to reduce the personal demands associated with a full IndyCar campaign. His family is established in Florida, where he has developed business interests outside racing.
The Frenchman already has experience in American endurance competition. He represented Lamborghini’s factory GTP programme in 2025 and returned to the Rolex 24 at Daytona in January 2026, driving a Ford Mustang GT3 for Myers Riley Motorsports.
IMSA is now his preferred destination, although he has not announced a full-season contract for 2027.
Grosjean has also left open the possibility of demonstration runs in Formula 1 machinery or other occasional appearances. However, he does not expect those activities to replace a competitive endurance programme.
A career that survived a dramatic F1 accident
Grosjean made his Formula 1 debut in 2009 and later raced for Renault, Lotus and Haas, earning ten Grand Prix podiums.
His final F1 season ended prematurely following a violent crash at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix, from which he escaped despite suffering burns to his hands.
He subsequently rebuilt his career in IndyCar, making his debut in 2021 and becoming a familiar figure in American open-wheel racing.
The move to endurance would not represent a retirement from competition. Instead, Grosjean is seeking a programme better suited to his current priorities and ambitions.
With IndyCar’s 2027 season beginning at St. Petersburg in March, the Frenchman now faces the task of securing a new opportunity in sports car racing.
GRANDE PRÊMIO continues covering IndyCar, IMSA and the international motorsport driver market.
