megapanalo Romain Grosjean relives F1 race that changed his life

Updated:2024-12-01 04:23    Views:85

FILE PHOTO: Formula One F1 – Bahrain Grand Prix – Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain – November 29, 2020 Flames seen from the crash scene after Haas’ Romain Grosjean crashed out at the start of the race Pool via REUTERS/Kamran Jebreili/File Photo

DOHA–Romain Grosjean has no doubt his children saved his life.

Four years on from a Formula One crash in Bahrain that ripped his car in half and nearly killed the Frenchman in the fireball that followed, the former Haas driver can recall every second.

Article continues after this advertisement

He has a ‘tattoo’, the flame-scarred left hand that still gives him some pain in cold weather, as a daily reminder of how lucky he is to be alive.

FEATURED STORIES SPORTS Aaron Black returns and sparks Meralco’s come-from-behind victory over Phoenix SPORTS Upsets unlikely in Final 4 but UST, Adamson will try anyway SPORTS LIVE: UAAP Season 87 basketball Final Four November 30

READ: I’m no hero, says F1 medic who helped save Romain Grosjean

“Whenever things don’t go my way, I look at it and I say ‘well, you know, it could have been worse. It could be that I’m not here’,” the 38-year-old told Reuters in an interview from his home in Miami.

Article continues after this advertisement

“I guess that for sure changed my life — (I’m) trying to enjoy it a bit more than before and realising that it can slip away very quickly.”

Article continues after this advertisement

Grosjean, a father of three, said there was a point where he almost lost hope because he was stuck in the cockpit and his hands were burning.

Article continues after this advertisement

“But then thinking about the kids, I realised they cannot grow without (their) Dad. That’s where I find the extra strength to go again and break the headrest that I believe was keeping me stuck in the car,” he said.

READ: F1 safety systems praised as Romain Grosjean survives fireball in miracle

Article continues after this advertisement

“I think very methodologically trying to escape was what I was doing. Like you do a mathematics problem, you take the first part, the second part and the third part.

“At one point I thought that was just it. And then thinking about the kids, I was like ‘Well, no, it cannot be’.”

The 2020 accident at Bahrain’s Sakhir circuit ended Grosjean’s Formula One career but he hopes to extend his time in IndyCar and is not ready to retire.

“What I know, and that is a view I had even before my accident and even probably that reinforced it, is that life is worth living,” he said.

“I’m not going to stop doing things because they could potentially be dangerous because then what’s the point of living?”

F1 EXHIBITION View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Romain Grosjean (@grosjeanromain)

For the Netflix generation, drawn to F1 through ‘Drive to Survive’, Grosjean is the man who walked through fire rather than a driver who took 10 podiums and received a one-race ban in 2012 for a first corner pile-up while with Lotus.

The burnt-out survival cell of his Haas car is now on display, a remarkable tribute to the sport’s safety measures as well as a stark reminder of the dangers, in a Formula One exhibition at London’s ExCel Centre until March 2.

The halo head protection device, that Grosjean had previously opposed, was ultimately critical to his survival.

“I don’t think I want to go and see it, but I think it’s important to show people that Formula One… is also a job that puts a life on the line,” said Grosjean of the charred carbon fibre wreck.

“Now when there’s an accident, I always ask more like, is everyone okay? I’m a bit more worried than I was before, more worried than I was before for my competitors because I know what it’s like to be in a big one.”

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff offered Grosjean, who missed the final two races of the 2020 season, a farewell test but that has yet to happen due to COVID and the Frenchman’s busy schedule.

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again. Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

SIGN ME UP

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

“He (Wolff) reminds me all the time. He says ‘we need to make it happen’. And I say ‘yeah, Toto, it’s on me… I’ve been very, very busy and not the time to do it’.

“They haven’t forgotten. They haven’t given up. And that’s very nice to see.”megapanalo

READ NEXT Romain Grosjean relives F1 race that changed his life Lando Norris boosts McLaren F1 title hopes with sprint pole EDITORS' PICK PhilHealth to cover oral health care Chelsea Manalo is Miss Universe 2024 Best in National Costume Despite scrapped House hearing, VP Duterte still no-show at NBI Taal Volcano: Phivolcs detects another phreatic eruption, 4 quakes LIVE: UAAP Season 87 basketball Final Four November 30 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder eliminate Lakers in NBA Cup MOST READ LIST: Comelec voter education, ACM demo roadshow Dec 2 kick-off areas Neri Naig’s fellow celeb endorser, politicians also face complaints — lawyer South Korea scrambles jets as Chinese, Russian warplanes approach Singapore hangs 4th person in three weeks Follow @FMangosingINQ on Twitter --> View comments

• megapanalo
• F1
• Romain
• Grosjean
• relives