Manhole Cover Throws Wrench in Romain Grosjean's Bid to Return to Andretti, IndyCar

Sunday’s Honda Indy Toronto marked the 10th event on the 17-race NTT IndyCar schedule and the only IndyCar race held outside the U.S. borders.

A good chunk of the 11-turn, 1.786-mile racing pavement was repaved for the event, but there were still plenty of bumps and raised manhole covers that caused cars to bounce around, if not catch air and wreck.

A perfect example of that was Andretti Autosport’s Romain Grosjean. He was cruising around when his car hit a manhole cover on Lap 43, with the impact knocking the steering wheel out of Grosjean’s hands, causing him to drive head-on into a retaining wall, ending Grosjean’s day.

The Swiss driver who came to IndyCar from Haas F1 Team finished 22nd. Even though he had back-to-back runner-up finishes at Long Beach and Birmingham earlier this season, it’s been rumored Grosjean may be on the chopping block at Andretti Autosport at season’s end.

He certainly didn’t help his potential IndyCar future—at least staying with Andretti, that is—with Sunday’s wreck, marking his fourth DNF in this season’s 10 races to date.

Also of note, since his back-to-back runner-up showings, Grosjean has finished 20th or worse in four of the last six races (with a best showing in that stretch of only 11th in the Indianapolis Grand Prix).