Each driver has constructed up a provide of instruments and methods of their respective arsenal, however Romain Grosjean has one that’s subtly distinctive.
The 38-year-old Swiss-born Frenchman has utilized the button on the steering wheel that gives him a drink – even when one isn’t relevant within the automotive – as a part of a knowledge level for areas to handle throughout debriefs.
Group members of Juncos Hollinger Racing (JHR) shared with Motorsport.com their studying of Grosjean’s method throughout offseason testing, once they seen he continued to hit the button regardless of not having a drink within the automotive.
It was solely then they discovered he makes use of it to dissect corners of every lap in an effort to provide extra detailed suggestions to the engineers for enhanced setups.
This method has helped Grosjean rating 5 top-10s, together with recording JHR’s best-ever results of fourth in June at Laguna Seca, by way of the 12 points-paying rounds. He additionally has two Quick Six appearances with the crew, qualifying a better of fifth every time (St. Petersburg, Toronto).
Grosjean informed Motorsport.com: “The drink button, when there’s no drink, it’s a mark on the information, so it’s straightforward for the engineer to seek out out as a result of you realize when do the debrief and also you do runs – you’re like, ‘Perhaps it was Flip 3 on lap 4 or…’ and as a substitute of making an attempt to recollect which quantity or which nook it was, let’s press the inexperienced button.
“Then you might have a mark on the information, after which while you simply open up the group information and also you see the place the mark is on, I do know what occurred after which you possibly can discuss it as a substitute of making an attempt to recollect the place it was and which it was on by any means and simply press the button, it’s there.
“I’ve a small mind, I assume, so this might make it straightforward!”
Romain Grosjean, Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet
Picture by: Geoffrey M. Miller / Motorsport Photos
So far as the origin of Grosjean’s good but easy idea, he doesn’t keep in mind precisely when however is aware of it began within the early days of his System 1 profession.
“We had the button, or possibly it was the acknowledge button for pitting, in System 1,” mentioned Grosjean, a five-time runner-up in IndyCar.
“Once they known as ‘pit’ so that you don’t essentially have to reply if you happen to had the acknowledge button. So, I believe I form of translated that into, ‘Okay, I can use the button to sign one thing.’”
A veteran of 179 begins, Grosjean transformed that trait in his transition to the IndyCar Sequence in 2021, the place he debuted with Dale Coyne Racing in a partial marketing campaign prior to 2 full-time campaigns with Andretti International.
When requested if it was a typical observe with drivers in Europe, Grosjean paused after which acknowledged: “It will depend on what crew, however no, I don’t suppose so. I simply attempt to make my life as straightforward as I can.”
Romain Grosjean, Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet
Picture by: Michael L. Levitt / Motorsport Photos
And Grosjean will probably be flattered by any present or potential drivers that undertake this methodology: “If I get seen in one thing, I’ll take it. That’s a great factor with IndyCar, I believe, we’re on the market making an attempt onerous to be the perfect driver and it’s not like we’re hiding issues from the others, so I don’t thoughts.”
Upon showcasing the button hack to JHR, although, he might see them implementing that as a useful resource for years to come back.
“I simply used my expertise and so they took it onboard and so they thought it was a fairly cool concept,” Grosjean mentioned. “So, I assume they’re going to make use of it sooner or later.
“However yeah, you realize, I’ve been doing this for 20-plus years and, in fact, you be taught yearly.
“That’s the fantastic thing about sport, is you might be previous with out being previous. I don’t suppose you lose your capability however you achieve increasingly more expertise.”
