Grosjean in ‘shit situation’ with risk of F1 race ban

Romain Grosjean feels he is in a “shit situation” heading into this weekend’s Mexican Grand Prix as he sits two penalty points away from a Formula 1 race ban.

Grosjean was hit with a penalty point and a three-place grid penalty for causing a collision with Charles Leclerc on the opening lap of last Sunday’s United States Grand Prix, taking him up to 10 points for the 12-month period.

Any driver accruing 12 penalty points within 12 months receives an automatic one-race ban, with Grosjean not due to drop any points until the day after the race in Mexico.

Grosjean conceded he was worried about the possibility of a race ban, and questioned the nature of some of the incidents that had resulted in points being picked up throughout the last 12 months.

“Yes, I’m in a shit situation. I have two points left, OK, I get one back after the race, and two back after Brazil so then it will be a bit nicer,” Grosjean said.

“But sometimes you take a penalty point and you don’t know why. The blue flag in Singapore, why did I get two penalty points and five-second penalty? OK I blocked Lewis [Hamilton] and I apologised. I was in my fight as well.

“By the time I was in front of the Williams, the Williams didn’t let the other car by either so I couldn’t move straight away.

“Barcelona, two points three places, fair enough, I made a mistake.”

Grosjean added that he thought his first lap retirement as a result of the with Leclerc was enough of a penalty for the incident, denying him the chance to score a decent haul of points.

“I think I have got penalised enough because my race was ruined,” Grosjean said.

“You can go through it a hundred times. There are penalties you deserve. The points system, do we need it in F1, with supposedly the best drivers in the world? I don’t know.

“Put it in NASCAR. Guys will be banned three times a year.”

Grosjean also spoke about some possible inconsistencies in the way penalty points have been awarded, putting him in his current precarious position.

“Last year in Brazil with [Esteban] Ocon, Lap 1. Two points and five seconds, then have a look at what happened between Stroll and Hartley on Lap 1 in Canada, no penalty.

“Lap 1, start in Paul Ricard with Ocon. I go straight and don’t turn the wheel. OK Barcelona, I deserved. Singapore, I didn’t change anything, I was doing my race as well.

“That’s six points already that you could say… but it is what it is. I accept the penalties. I move on and ready to drive here and make sure I try to avoid as much as I can.

“[I] get one point back next week. Brazil same thing. And then it will pass.”