Romain Grosjean's tenure at Haas F1 might have started on a high with sixth place in the 2016 Australian Grand Prix, but it's been a hard slog since then.
Troubles with reliability and brakes have been particular bug bears for Grosjean, who is currently in 13th place in this year's drivers championship. It's a long way from his ultimate dream of being world champion.
"Yes, I want to be world champion," he admitted. "That is why I am racing. And that is why I’m getting frustrated.
"If I cannot fight high enough at the front I get frustrated, because I love winning," he told the official Formula 1 website before the summer shutdown.
"To think that my last win [in GP2] was in 2011 – that is six years ago. That really hurts. But since then I’ve never had the car to win."
The reality of Haas being the youngest team on the grid with some way to go until it's truly competitive is beginning to sink in. Does that mean Grosjean is starting to eye alternative routes to the title?
"Well, yes," he said when asked if he would consider a change of teams. "If one day there is the chance to be world champion, then great. When the stars align and you get the chance to drive the car that you want to drive."
Grosjean pointed to the sudden elevation of Valtteri Bottas from Williams to Mercedes over the winter as an example.
"Life can be full of surprises. Take Valtteri and how his fate changed from the 1st to the 7th of December last year. Things like that do happen."
Grosjean even went as far as hinting that he wouldn't rule out a return to his old team Renault if that got him where he wanted go go.
"Going back to Renault one day would be lovely," he said. "But it should be the time when we really could be world champions together.
"That would be a superb situation, but right now it is a bit premature," he added. "I haven’t talked with Renault.
"But [Haas] is doing well and I want to help it grow bigger," he continued. "Right now I am part of a great project.
"I am very proud of what we have done together. And we want to become better, of course," he insisted.
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