HOW DID FIREBALL DRIVER GET OUT ALIVE?
Miracle as Grand Prix star escapes serious injury in 140mph crash
IT was the shocking moment that had Formula 1 fans shrieking in horror... then gasping with relief.
Romain Grosjean veered across the track into a crash barrier at 140mph during yesterday’s Bahrain Grand Prix.
Inexplicably, the barrier gave way, snapping Grosjean’s car in two.
The half of the car containing the driver then exploded in a fireball. But, remarkably, after nearly 20 seconds the 34-year-old Frenchman managed to scramble clear as medical teams rushed to his aid and stewards doused the flames.
As many observers said it was a miracle he had survived, let alone escape serious injury, Grosjean was flown to hospital with nothing worse than suspected broken ribs and burns to his hands and ankles.
The race was stopped immediately after the crash, which occurred on the first lap, but restarted after a 90-minute delay to repair the barrier, with world champion Lewis Hamilton winning – his 11th victory of the season.
Grosjean, who started towards the back of the grid, appeared to cut across the front of Russian driver Daniil Kvyat, clipping the front of his AlpaTauri and hurtling into the barrier.
Alan van der Merwe, who was driving the medical car that follows the drivers at the start of a race and was one of those first on the scene, said he had ‘never seen so much fire’.
He added: ‘We took a moment or so to process. Romain started getting out, which was amazing after an accident like that. There was some relief when we got back here and he was OK. Everything worked as it should. Without one of those things, it could have been a very different outcome.’
Last night experts said Grosjean owes his life to huge safety improvements in the past 25 years, and in particular the halo, a titanium structure that loops over the cockpit and is designed to protect a driver’s head.
It has been mandatory in all F1 cars since 2018 following the death of Jules Bianchi after a crash at the Japanese Grand Prix.
Sky Sports commentator and former F1 driver Martin Brundle said the Haas car ‘pierced the barriers like a can opener’ adding: ‘ They’re constantly trying to improve the structural stability of the chassis and that’s just saved his life. That is extraordinary.’
Former world champion Damon Hill said it was ‘a miracle’ that Grosjean survived.
However, some raised concerns that the barrier had failed and the car had caught fire.
Hamilton was seen shaking his head after watching a replay of the collision while waiting for the race to restart. He tweeted: ‘I’m so grateful Romain is safe.
‘Wow... the risk we take is no joke, for those of you out there that forget that we put our life on the line for this sport and for what we love to do.’
After the race he said: ‘It was such a shocking image to see. It could have been so much worse.’