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 The 29-year-old has left Lotus, now reborn as the Renault works
team, for the U.S.-owned Ferrari-powered new kids on the grid and
has no regrets.
"It's the best chance to be world champion one day," Grosjean told
Reuters ahead of the Australian season-opener on March 20.
"I can get a different experience, I can learn more, I can be more
ready, you need to get the best car to be world champion. Is it
going to be with Haas one day? Is it going to be with another team?
I don't know."
Grosjean said he needed a new adventure after effectively spending
his entire F1 career to date with one team, and Haas offered it.
The newcomers are seen by many as a Ferrari 'B team', benefiting
from a close technical partnership with the sport's oldest and most
successful outfit.
With 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen out of contract at the end
of the season, and the Finn's seat among the most highly coveted,
being part of the 'Ferrari family' could be good for Grosjean.
The only driver on the starting grid with experience of the Renault,
Mercedes and Ferrari V6 turbo engines introduced in 2014, he would
love the chance but says it is just a dream at present.
"The social media was like ‘Ah, Grosjean signed for Haas, he must
have a contract with Ferrari signed already'. That is completely
wrong," he said.
"Since I was a kid, since I was five, I wanted to drive for Ferrari.
Is it going to happen one day? Is it never going to happen? I have
no idea.
SOMETHING UNIQUE
"It would be a dream. But right now I think the chance I have to
live something unique by taking a brand new team ... as close as we
can to the top team or top result would be a big achievement."
An eventual return to Renault, former champions returning as a full
manufacturer and eager to relive past glories, could be a future
option also but for the moment Grosjean is reveling in his new role.
"I want to be the driver that when you go to America everyone is
cheering for you because you brought the American flag up there. And
you live only once in your life," the Frenchman said.
A family man, proud to have beaten Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel
to become the first of the current crop of drivers to have two
children, Grosjean said his feet were firmly on the ground.
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The dream would be to score points in Melbourne and cement Haas
among the mid-field runners. That, said the veteran of 83 grands
prix with 10 podium appearances, was realistic.
"I think we could potentially be in the points early in the season.
From there we need to move from the points to the top five and then
to the podium and then the win. It's a long process, how long it is
going to take I don't know," he said.
"I think there are the resources capable of doing something like
that."
Grosjean's career has had plenty of ups and downs. He made his debut
with Renault in 2009 as a stand-in after a race-fixing scandal and
returned in 2012 after winning the GP2 support series in 2011.
Branded a 'first lap nutcase' by Australian Mark Webber in 2012
after multiple crashes that earned him a one-race ban, Grosjean used
sports psychology to get back in the right frame of mind and is a
genuinely quick talent.
Last season the Lotus cars were impounded by bailiffs and the team
locked out of paddock facilities with the Frenchman frequently
having to hand his car over to British reserve Jolyon Palmer in
Friday practice. This year promises stability.
"I think all the experience you have in your life makes you
stronger," said Grosjean.
"It was crashes, podiums, difficulties financially with the team ...
but here we are ready to have a new adventure and I'll try to lead
the team as much as I can."
(Editing by Tony Jimenez)
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