Romain Grosjean made his long-awaited Formula 1 return at Mugello with Haas, five years after his 2020 Bahrain crash.
Rain also dominated the Tuscan circuit, limiting Pirelli’s crucial 2026 tyre development with both Haas and Ferrari.
The Frenchman’s comeback under the FIA’s Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) programme was the week’s headline, while tyre mileage for Ocon, Bearman, Leclerc and Zhou was cut short by autumn showers.
Key Points
- Romain Grosjean returned to Haas F1 machinery at Mugello, his first F1 outing since the 2020 Bahrain crash.
- Pirelli’s 2026 tyre programme disrupted by weather, with rain limiting dry-tyre mileage on both days.
- Thursday 25 Sept – Haas ran Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman in a VF-24 mule.
- Friday 26 Sept – Ferrari ran Charles Leclerc (morning) and Guanyu Zhou (afternoon) in an SF-25 mule.
- Lewis Hamilton missed the Mugello test to remain with his dog Roscoe, who is seriously ill.
- James Hinchcliffe made his F1 debut, sampling the Haas VF-23 for an F1TV feature.
- Pirelli will continue development after the Mexico City Grand Prix.
- For more on Pirelli’s earlier development work, see my Monza tyre test coverage.
Thursday – Haas Open the Test
Haas kicked things off on Thursday. Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman shared the VF-24 mule, built to accommodate 2026 tyre prototypes.
Ocon completed 40 laps, best in 1:21.943. Bearman added 30 laps, topping at 1:34.381.
The real story was the rain. Mugello’s skies turned mid-morning, forcing a switch from slicks to intermediates. Bearman gave the new wet-spec tyres their first proper workout, producing a dataset Pirelli wouldn’t have planned for but certainly welcomed.
Friday – Ferrari in the Wet
Ferrari followed on Friday. Charles Leclerc handled the morning session, Guanyu Zhou the afternoon.
Lewis Hamilton had been expected to take part, but withdrew to remain with his bulldog Roscoe, who is seriously ill with pneumonia. Ferrari reserve Zhou stepped in, extending his programme across the afternoon.
Rain again ruled the day. Leclerc managed only 25 laps, all on intermediates. His quickest time was 1:34.914. Zhou salvaged mileage. He completed 75 laps across intermediates, full wets, and even a short slick run. His best lap came in at 1:22.012.
Pirelli’s Motorsport Director Mario Isola summed it up bluntly:
“Unfortunately, the weather didn’t help … it would have been useful to get in some consistent running to define the hardest compounds.”
Still, the engineers banked rare real-world data on intermediate and wet compounds. With final slick work set for Mexico, Pirelli leaves Mugello with at least something in hand.
Grosjean’s Return – Five Years On
But Mugello’s real headline wasn’t about lap times.
Romain Grosjean, 39, returned to Haas for the first time since his fiery Bahrain crash in 2020. That accident, a 67G impact followed by a fireball, ended his F1 career on the spot. At Mugello, he finally got the chance to write the missing chapter.
Haas prepared the VF-23 under the FIA’s Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) programme. The symbolism was impossible to miss. Grosjean’s children’s helmet design, drawn in 2020 for what should have been his final Abu Dhabi farewell, finally got its moment on track.
The people mattered just as much. Ayao Komatsu, now Haas Team Principal, returned to his old role on the radio. Dominic Haines, Grosjean’s race engineer in 2019–20, was present as Heritage Chief Engineer. Long-time number one mechanic Ian Staniforth was there too. A reunion of faces who had lived through Grosjean’s 98 races with Haas.
Grosjean was visibly emotional:
“To say I’m excited would be an understatement … to come back and have this outing with my old team is truly something special.”
Komatsu admitted it mattered for him too:
“Romain and I have worked together throughout his entire Formula 1 career … this test is of particular significance.”
When Grosjean rolled back into the garage after his first laps, the team applauded. He admitted afterwards: “They made me cry … I was rusty at first, but then everything came back.”
It wasn’t about pace. It was about closure.
Hinchcliffe’s First Taste
Friday also delivered a lighter subplot. Six-time IndyCar race winner James Hinchcliffe, now an F1TV broadcaster, drove the Haas VF-23 for the first time. His debut in Formula 1 machinery will form part of a feature airing at the United States Grand Prix weekend.
Mugello in Perspective
Two days. Both rain-affected. Haas on Thursday. Ferrari on Friday.
The data sheets weren’t what Pirelli wanted. Still, the wet-weather insights had value. The bigger story was human. Grosjean back in an F1 car. Haas mechanics clapping in the garage. And a helmet drawn by his children finally on track.
This follows on from Pirelli’s Monza test earlier this month, giving engineers a wider dataset ahead of Mexico City.
The tyres will move on. The story will stay.
FAQs
What is the FIA’s Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) programme?
TPC allows teams to run F1 cars at least two years old for testing and development purposes. It’s often used for young driver outings, heritage runs, or special cases like Grosjean’s return.
Why is Pirelli testing 2026 tyres now?
The 2026 technical regulations bring revised tyres alongside new chassis and power units. Pirelli is running a global development programme with multiple teams using mule cars adapted for the new specification.
Why was Mugello chosen for testing?
Mugello’s fast, flowing corners and high loads make it one of the most demanding circuits on tyres. It provides extreme stress on compounds — though autumn rain reduced slick mileage this week.
When will the 2026 tyres be finalised?
After further tests, including two final days scheduled following the Mexico City Grand Prix, Pirelli will homologate the full compound range ahead of 2026.
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