F1 Exhibition to display remains of Romain Grosjean's fiery car crash from 2020 Bahrain GP
Roman Grosjean's crashed chassis from the 2020 F1 Sakhir GP will be put on exhibition for fans visiting the Formula 1 Exhibition in Madrid next month. The former Haas driver had a horrifying crash in the first lap, where his car lost control and ended up in the barriers.
The crash caused a massive inferno as the car broke into two parts, but Grosjean miraculously escaped the crash. The remains of the car have been kept under wraps for three years but will be now displayed for the first time following a close collaboration between Haas and the show’s producers.
The chassis will be displayed for the first time at the Formula 1 Exhibition in Madrid.
"It saved my life" - Romain Grosjean
For the first time, the remains of Grosjean's car from his dramatic 2020 crash in Bahrain will go on display. Fans visiting the brand new @F1Exhibition in Madrid will be able to see it. Opening 24 March 🗓
#F1 https://t.co/pSHWxpcFuI
Reminiscing the crash at the 2020 Sakhir GP, Grosjean said:
“From my point of view, it was a big accident, but I didn’t realise the impact or how violent it was from the outside. It was only the next day when I asked someone to show me what it looked like that I realised. My wife was actually watching that race with my dad and my kids. They will remember that moment their entire life. They were just spectators waiting to hear something. … waiting to see something from Bahrain.”
Formula 1 is placing Romain Grosjean's burnt-out car from his 2020 crash on display next month in Madrid.
Grosjean struck the guardrail at 120mph with an impact of 67G and sat at the center of a ~1000°C fire for nearly 30 seconds.
It's a miracle he survived 🙏 https://t.co/QzBkTNDjyM
He added:
“I had to break the headrest, punching it with my helmet and then I eventually managed to get my helmet through and stand up in the seat. I realised my left foot was stuck into the chassis, and I pulled as hard as I could on my left leg. My shoe stayed in the chassis, but my foot came loose, so I was free to exit the car."
Romain Grosjean reveals how F1 safety measures saved his life
F1's safety measures have been constantly under the microscope for the most part.
Talking about the Bahrain incident, Grosjean talked about how F1 safety measures played a role in saving his life on that fateful day. The halo of the F1 car was still intact, and the chassis was still in place as he detailed:
“It was 120 kilos of fuel plus the battery – both were on fire. Dr Ian Roberts, Alan (van der Merwe) from the medical car and one fireman were trying to open a gap in the fire to help me get out. I believe that helped me at least to get a vision of where I had to go and where the exit was."
He added:
“The survival cell is there for you in case of a huge impact. I was intact inside the shell. The chassis is still in one piece; the halo is there, and apart from the damage and burn, it is still as it should be. I guess that saved my life.”
The race would prove to be the last one for Grosjean in F1, as he sat out the rest of the season and did not have a seat with any team the next season.