Grosjean speaks about his accident: “No other possibility but to get out of there”

Barely two days after a horrific accident at the start of the Bahrain Grand Prix, Romain Grosjean (Haas) spoke to TF1 this Tuesday, December 1. The French pilot gave his first version of the facts, with the smile and the philosophy of a man happy to live “like a rebirth”.

First of all, Romain Grosjean remembers the whole sequence " from beginning to end ". “I didn’t lose consciousness. To get out of the bucket, I was able to remove my belt, the steering wheel was no longer there, probably flew away during the impact.

#EXCLUDED @TF1LeJT

“I was more afraid for my loved ones than for myself (…) I really saw death coming”

The 1st itw of @RGrosjean since his spectacular accident #F1 at the Bahrain Grand Prix

#Le13H de @pernautjp Cc @MonsieurSylvain >https://t.co/1VBbIgSFH1 pic.twitter.com/Hpvlh0qZBO

- TF1LeJT (@ TF1LeJT) December 1, 2020

I saw my visor all orange, the flames around me, and Niki Lauda's accident came to mind. (burned on the face and disfigured after a serious accident at the German Grand Prix on August 1, 1976. Editor's note), I didn't want to end up like that. I had to go out (from the passenger compartment), for my children.

In the end, my hands were burned and I had a big sprain, even though I thought I had broken my foot. I was more afraid for my loved ones, my children first of all, but also my father and my mother, I wasn't really afraid for myself. I saw death coming, I had no other option than to get out of there. »

Hospitalized in Bahrain, the Frenchman was able to see the images of his crash again, a literally incredible vision. “It was the biggest crash I've seen in my life, with the car catching fire, exploding, and the battery catching fire so that added a lot of energy to the impact.

Even in Hollywood, this doesn't exist. I stayed in the flames for 28 seconds but it seemed much longer to me, even though I tried three times to get out of the tub. After this accident, I am happy to be alive”

The man with 179 departures F1 also thought strongly of his family. “My 5-year-old son, Simon, is sure that I have magical powers, he spoke of a magical love shield. He said that's what protected me, that I knew how to fly outside the car. These are very strong words from children. “My big boy”, Sacha, 7 years old, is more rational. He tries to understand the accident. And the youngest drew me a drawing for Dad's sores on his hands. »

Indeed, Romain Grosjean only suffers from burns on his hands and a sprain, a miracle! “It's going very well considering the accident and the circumstances, I have Mickey hands but otherwise I'm fine, he laughs. (The bandages) it's not pleasant but It's not painful so I'm not complaining about it. »

Before leaving Formula 1 for good, Romain Grosjean wants to return to action for the Abu Dhabi final (December 11-13). “I told him to rest and that we will talk about it next Monday, explains his boss Günther Steiner. No rush. He is resting and, at the start of next week, we will decide together, but he wants to run. He is determined "