Grosjean admits eye on Ferrari vacancy

Romain Grosjean is not ruling out a change of scene for 2018.

The Frenchman left Baku without even speaking with the media, after his 18-month struggle with his brakes at the new American team Haas culminated in a nightmare weekend.

Grosjean, 31, switched from Lotus to Haas last year amid speculation he was deliberately moving closer to Ferrari, the American outfit’s technology partner.

So with Ferrari yet to sign either of its current drivers for 2018, it might be said that Grosjean is close to the front of the queue at Maranello.

"I don’t know the answer (to that)," he said.

"Life is full of surprises. I think if you ask Valtteri (Bottas) what he was doing (in 2017) in December he would have said Williams and, next thing you know, he’s in a world champion’s car.

"So it’s a phone call (away) and the best we can do is the best job on track," Grosjean added.

Grosjean’s Baku media snub aside, it is often the Frenchman’s frustrated voice on the radio that is heard by the millions watching the grands prix.

"I’m frustrated sometimes," he admits, "because I love winning and that’s all that matters to me in formula one.

"Obviously you come from other categories where you’ve won everything and then you come to F1 and don’t get the chance. It’s like you’re starting the race ten seconds behind the others."

However, Grosjean said helping to get the Haas project off the ground has been "great", but he clearly has an eye on the driver market for 2018.

"I think it’s early days. We’re not even in July," he said.

"Who knows what the grid is going to look like next year. Valtteri is waiting on Mercedes, then there’s Kimi (Raikkonen) — what’s he going to do?

"Everyone since 2010 has said he’s going to be out of formula one and yet here we are and he’s 37 and still here doing a decent job. So I don’t know.

"If there is an opportunity, if there is a seat, I believe I’m in a good position," said Grosjean.