LONG BEACH, Calif. — The love affair between Romain Grosjean and IndyCar will proceed one other yr. The Frenchman will transfer to Andretti Autosport in 2022 to drive a full season, together with the Indianapolis 500.

Grosjean didn’t decide to ovals when he left Components One to drive for Dale Coyne Racing in IndyCar. He suffered critical burns in a season-ending F1 crash final November and did not need to put his household via the heartache of watching him race probably the most harmful self-discipline in IndyCar.

However this primary season has been so fantastic to Grosjean, who spent a month touring the nation in a motorhome together with his spouse and three kids, that his household is now absolutely dedicated. They’ll transfer to Florida subsequent yr for a French faculty he discovered for his kids and a brief flight to his new Indianapolis-based race staff.

Grosjean will drive the No. 28 sponsored by DHL and change Ryan Hunter-Reay, the previous IndyCar Collection champion and Indianapolis 500 winner who was not retained after 12 seasons. The transfer had been anticipated since July however was confirmed Friday on the Grand Prix of Lengthy Seaside, the ultimate occasion of the yr.

“It is a large honor to be becoming a member of such an excellent staff as Andretti, anybody within the motorsport world is aware of the identify Andretti,” Grosjean mentioned.

Grosjean, who tried his first oval in August by racing at Gateway exterior St. Louis, will make his Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval debut through the Oct. 8 take a look at day.

Grosjean’s nine-year F1 profession was coming to an finish earlier than his fiery crash in Bahrain final November. He missed the ultimate two races of the F1 season and was already effectively on his solution to exploring alternatives in IndyCar.

When he obtained a plan in place with Coyne, the staff proprietor needed him within the U.S. in January for his first take a look at – whereas Grosjean’s arms have been nonetheless therapeutic.

“He gave me the chance of coming in IndyCar and race with out even realizing if my left hand was capable of maintain a steering wheel or not. He gave me the prospect and mentioned ‘Let’s attempt,'” Grosjean mentioned.

He mentioned Coyne did not panic when Grosjean could not drive in January.

“I feel for everybody that wishes to begin in IndyCar, it is only a good place as a result of the staff is a giant household. You are feeling good. The boys provides you with every part you have to have a very good automotive,” he mentioned. “You in all probability do not feel the stress you may really feel in a prime staff as a result of the highest staff you in all probability have to ship, whereas with Dale Coyne you drift.”

Certainly, Grosjean scored his first profession pole in his third race, the highway course at Indianapolis, the place he completed second. He is since added podiums on the return to Indianapolis and final week at Laguna Seca, the place the group through the celebration gave him a standing ovation that almost introduced Grosjean to tears.

It is marked a renewal for Grosjean, who has nicknamed himself “The Phoenix” as a result of he walked out of the fiery wreckage in Bahrain and never solely survived however has settled into a much more fulfilling second profession.

He merely loves driving an Indy automotive and the ambiance of the sequence.

“It is the liberty of driving the automotive the way in which you wish to drive it,” Grosjean mentioned. “The power to take pleasure in each single lap that we do, take pleasure in the truth that you might be aggressive in any staff, makes it that with the ambiance within the paddock, clearly with the assist of the followers, been simply the entire package deal that I’ve loved quite a bit.”

Grosjean will land with one among prime groups following its cut up with Hunter-Reay, who received each the IndyCar championship and the Indy 500 driving for Andretti. The American turns 41 in December and final received a race in 2019.

He entered the yr with a transparent understanding he wanted to carry out to maintain his seat, however Hunter-Reay is sixteenth within the standings with no podium end and solely 4 laps led.

Andretti nonetheless has former Indy 500 winner Alexander Rossi below contract, in addition to Colton Herta, the winner final week in Laguna Seca. James Hinchcliffe is anticipated to get replaced by an Indy Lights driver subsequent season.

Group proprietor Michael Andretti on Friday was targeted on the addition of Grosjean, who will deliver his engineer with him from Dale Coyne Racing. Olivier Boisson, like Grosjean, is French.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Romain to the Andretti Autosport household,” mentioned Andretti. “He already had a formidable resume earlier than coming to IndyCar and watching what he is been capable of do in his rookie season right here has been thrilling. His huge motorsport expertise can be useful to the staff alongside our already robust 2022 driver lineup.”

This would be the twelfth season of partnership between Andretti and DHL, which may have a brand new driver in its yellow No. 28 for the primary time in 11 years.