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Three years after Grosjean's horror crash - where is he now?

Becky Hart Wednesday 29 November 2023 20:17

Three years ago today, Romain Grosjean survived being engulfed in a fireball after crashing his Haas at the start of the Bahrain Grand Prix.

His car ripped in two as it pierced through the barriers, trapping him inside an inferno.

Miraculously, he walked away from the crash with only severe burns to his hands and a sprained ankle, having lost his race boot as he struggled to escape the cockpit of his burning car.

He was helped by Dr Ian Roberts, who had selflessly run towards the flames to try and find the F1 driver amidst the wreckage, instructing the one brave marshal who had been trying to extinguish the giant flame ball exactly where to aim.

Romain Grosjean escaped the crash with burns to both his hands

The smouldering wreckage of Romain Grosjean's Haas was winched into the air

Is safety in F1 improving?

While crashes of that magnitude in F1 are thankfully rare, with the halo device protecting Grosjean and others during collisions, there is still work to do for the sport as a whole.

Carlos Sainz suffered significant car damage after running over a loose water valve cover in Las Vegas and was fortunate to walk away after onboard footage showed his car jumping up and slamming back into the ground.

Meanwhile, driver safety was a big concern after the Qatar Grand Prix was run in extreme conditions.

All the drivers felt the heat in the Qatar Grand Prix

As for Grosjean, that crash was the last F1 action he ever saw, with Haas not renewing his contract after opting to go a different way with their driver line up for the next season.

He did return to racing fairly swiftly the following year, in a testament to both his physical and mental strength. These days he races in IndyCar and will be at a new team for 2024 after switching from Andretti Global to Juncos Hollinger Racing.

"I've been closely following JHR's ascension in the past few seasons. The team has showcased significant growth, and I am eager to contribute my experience as we aim for a strong 2024 season," said Grosjean in a statement.

F1 Carlos Sainz Haas Bahrain Grand Prix Romain Grosjean