Grosjean, the car burned in the 2020 accident in the Bahrain GP on display in Madrid – Corriere.it

Fans who will be visiting a Madrid the first F1 Exhibition — a show that with high-level technologies and large-scale interactive displays will tell the past, present and future of Formula 1 — they will become the first witnesses of the remains of the Haas with which Romain Grosjean was involved in a dramatic accident in 2020 during the Bahrain GP
where he hit the wall at almost 180 km/h during the first lap of the race. From there the car that splits in two and the endless 28 seconds in which the French driver remained at the mercy of the flames before being able to save himself. Inside a purpose-built room (entitled Survival, survival), the chassis will be accompanied by a large video installation showing never-before-seen footage of the accident. The room is one of seven experiences set up with the intention of offering the most engaging adventure possible in the world of Formula 1.

Grosjean: So I saved myself

In a short film released in the last few hours on the official F1 profile, Grosjean shared his recollection: I didn’t realize the impact or how violent it could look from the outside. I only realized this the next day when I asked to review the pictures. My wife was watching that race with my father and my children. They will remember that moment for a lifetime. The French driver, who is racing in the American IndyCar championship today, then explained how he managed to save his life by getting out of the burning car: To get up I had to break the headrest, hitting it with my helmet. His left foot was stuck in the frame so I pulled my left leg up as hard as I could. I lost my shoe, but that’s how I managed to leave the cockpit. 120 kilos of fuel plus the battery had caught fire. The medics from the medic and a firefighter cleared a path through the flames so I could see where to go. The survival cell remained intact inside the shell. The frame is still in one piece, the Halo is beyond damage and burns. I guess all this saved my life.