Nov 3, 2019; Austin, TX, USA; Haas Ferrari driver Romain Grosjean (8) of France waves to the crowd during the driverÕs parade before the United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

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The Day a Phoenix Rose in Formula 1- Revisiting the Horrific Crash of Romain Grosjean at the 2020 Bahrain GP!

Imagine yourself in a car, spinning towards the wall at 300kmph. What would you do?

Romain Grosjean did have not any idea on what was about to come at the first lap of the 2020 Bahrain GP. It was just another race for him in his Haas-VF20. All of a sudden, Daniel Kvyat made contact with him and he found himself flung into the barriers. Grosjean’s crash turned an exciting race into a scary incident real soon.

His Haas was split into two. But, the worst was yet to come. Grosjean’s car leaked fuel and the high temperature of Bahrain coupled with the heated engine ignited it. His car shot up into flames like a rebellious fireball.

A heart-warming moment ❤️

Romain Grosjean meets the people who saved his life on Sunday#SakhirGP 🇧🇭 #F1 @RGrosjean pic.twitter.com/WbZ9zIgfgj
— Formula 1 (@F1) December 3, 2020

The incident was serious enough to cause a one hour long red flag at the circuit. The front end of his car remained lodged in the barriers as the marshalls tirelessly worked to to bring the race back to safe conditions.

Grosjean’s crash was the first time an incident of this huge scale took place at Bahrain. It reminded the viewers of the spine-chilling tragedy that fell on Niki Lauda. Fortunately, for the entire F1 community and Romain Grosjean himself, he did not have to face any such repurcussions.

Romain Grosjean’s Crash at Bahrain in 2020

F1 cars are incredibly stable due to downforce while racing. But, a minor incident or contact can send them flying over the race track. The same happened to Grosjean when he got struck by Kvyat. There was nothing he could do about it. When he struck the barriers, it was estimated that he suffered an impact of 67Gs. For reference, a normal human can only sustain 5-6Gs before passing out.

Albeit, Grosjean escaped out of the cockpit unscathed and remained conscious throughout the incident. He only took 28 seconds post-crash to exit his car unaided. Alan van der Merwe and Ian Roberts helped Romain Grosjean leave the scene safely. He only suffered minor burns to his ankles and hands before getting air lifted to the nearby military hospital.

Editor’s Note: Viewer Discretion advised, potentially disturbing content ahead!

We are so thankful that Romain Grosjean was able to walk away from this. We did not need a reminder of the bravery and brilliance of our drivers, marshals, and medical teams, nor of the advances in safety in our sport, but we truly got one today#BahrainGP 🇧🇭 #F1 pic.twitter.com/z8OeTU5Nem
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 29, 2020

He had to undergo surgeries for his injury later on in December. Grosjean retired from Formula 1 after his crash and retirement from Bahrain. He was promised a ride in the 2019 Mercedes W11 by Toto Wolff. But, the COVID-19 restrictions in 2021 did not allow him to use this opportunity. Grosjean is a reserve driver for the IndyCar team Prema Racing in 2025.

How did “Halo” Become the Saviour of Romain Grosjean?

The “Man who walked Fire” stood strong as the example of the greatest invention in Formula 1. The Halo fitted above the cockpit of the F1 car. Intially, the Halo was publicly criticised by every single driver on the paddock. But, the very year it was introduced it saved the life of F1’s budding talent, Charles Leclerc. The Halo has been tested against severe situations and it has performed perfectly every single time.

Displayed for the first time in history…
What remains of @RGrosjean's @HaasF1Team VF-20.

Exclusively at #F1TheExhibition in Madrid from March 2023.

Find out more 👉 https://t.co/4dqFoqLEbp pic.twitter.com/OuqUALbjpX
— F1 Exhibition (@F1Exhibition) February 21, 2023

It was the Halo which sheltered our French hero’s body from coming into contact with the barrier during the crash. The Head and Neck Safety device also played a vital role in saving Grosjean.

Let us all take a moment to remember and applaud the bravery of Romain Grosjean as we head into the Bahrain Grand Prix 2025 weekend. Grosjean is not only a survivor, he is a testament to the strength and talent that a Formula 1 driver holds.

Follow Formula 1 on The Playoffs to know more about the F1 paddock and snippets from the previous F1 races.

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I work as a Writer at The Playoffs specialising in NHL, Formula 1 and Motorsports. I got into online journalism a couple of years ago. I used to be an intern for a website managing their Formula 1 content and then I served an entire year as a contractual writer.