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VIDEO: Grosjean Bangs Wheels With NASCAR Legend Jimmie Johnson in a Hairy Moment

Published 09/20/2021, 4:38 AM EDT

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USA Today via Reuters

Romain Grosjean put on a sensational drive to finish on the podium in IndyCar at the Laguna Seca. The Frenchman left himself a lot of work as he started the race from P13 and put on some scintillating passes to get his third podium of the season.

One of the passes saw Grosjean overtake NASCAR champion, Jimmie Johnson, while he was on two-wheels. Romain was running in third place was coming to lap Johnson, but in his eagerness to get through he went airborne whilst passing him at the WeatherTech raceway.

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I’m sorry we made contact with Jimmie: Romain Grosjean

In his post-race interview, the former Formula One driver apologized to Jimmie for making contact in the race. He mentioned the NASCAR champion didn’t see him coming and could not avoid the clash.

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“I’m sorry we made contact with Jimmie.

“I was definitely going in, I think Jimmie probably didn’t see me. He was pushing hard to protect [second-placed teammate] Alex [Palou] from me, which is the game. So we made a bit of contact,” said Grosjean.

Johnson was left surprised by Grosjean’s move and feared he might receive a penalty for the clash.

“I thought our day was over. I couldn’t believe he threw it in that late on me. Luckily, we both saved it! I thought I’d lost my wrist too, as the [steering] wheel went whipping around. I was worried about a penalty, but instead, we got a career-best finish,” said Johnson.

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Frenchman gets emotional while thanking the fans

Romain Grosjean got emotional after his drive to the podium and thanked the fans for the ovation. The former Haas driver described the importance of having fans watching and applauding him in the race.

“(The fan reception) is difficult to describe, really,” Grosjean said.

via Getty

“It’s difficult to describe. It’s just been incredible. I had a podium when I got the ovation (at the IMS road course) and I almost cried, and I don’t cry very often. It’s been more than anything I could imagine.

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“Without the fans, we wouldn’t be racing. Without the fans, there wouldn’t be any TV viewership. If there’s no viewership, there’s no sponsor. If there’s no sponsor, there’s no job. They are a very important part of what we do.

“But what they give me back is just incredible. So, I wanted to share with them the podium,” said Grosjean.

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Grosjean is in his rookie season in IndyCar and has performed really well. It is expected that he will sign with Andretti Racing for the 2022 season.

What do you think of the Grosjean’s move? Let us know.

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Written by:

Devang Chauhan

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Devang Chauhan is an F1 author at EssentiallySports. Having completed his graduation in Journalism and Mass Communication, he has a keen eye for writing engaging and detailed articles on F1. Previously a writer for Sports Social's 'Chase Your Sport' Magazine, Devang has been an ardent follower of the sport for over a decade and has attended two editions of the Indian Grand Prix.
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