REVEALED: F1 driver Romain Grosjean’s helmet visor MELTED as he sat in the burning wreckage of 140mph horror crash that split his car in half at the Bahrain Grand Prix, with 34-year-old set to leave hospital tomorrow after treatment for his burns
- Romain Grosjean’s helmet visor melted as he sat in his burning car on Sunday
- The Frenchman’s car burst into flames as it smashed into a barrier in Bahrain
- It split in half and he was lucky to be pulled from wreckage with minor injuries
- Grosjean posted a video message from his hospital bed, praising the car’s halo
A Formula One doctor has revealed Romain Grosjean’s helmet visor melted while he was sat in his burning car at Sunday’s Bahrain Grand Prix.
The French driver was lucky to walk away largely unscathed after his Haas car smashed into a barrier at 140mph on the first lap of the race. On impact, Grosjean’s car burst into flames, tore through the barrier and split in half as he was left in the burning wreckage for around 30 seconds before managing to escape to safety.
A statement from the team on Monday morning said they hope Grosjean will be discharged from hospital on Tuesday with his treatment ‘going well’.
Shocking images show the moment Romain Grosjean managed to pull himself from the burning wreckage on Sunday after he was exposed to the flames for almost 30 seconds
The French driver was lucky to walk away largely unscathed after his Haas car smashed into a barrier, burst into flames and split in half on lap one
An F1 doctor has revealed that the visor on Grosjean’s helmet melted as he sat in the wreckage
His ‘halo’ — the titanium and carbon device around the cockpit that protects a driver’s head — had bent the barrier and, seemingly, saved his life.
Grosjean was quickly flown by helicopter to BDF Military Hospital, 10 miles north in West Riffa, with burns to his hands, which were bandaged on Sunday night.
But Ian Roberts, the British medical delegate who was quickly on the scene to help Grosjean to safety, has revealed the wreckage was so hot that the visor on the Frenchman’s helmet completely melted away.
‘He was very shaky and his visor was completely opaque and melted,’ he said, according to GpFans via The Sun.
‘I had to get his helmet off just to check everything was okay.
‘He had some pain on his foot and hands so from that point we knew it was safe enough to move him into the [medical car], a bit more protection, get some gel on his burns then get him into the ambulance and off to the medical centre.’
Speaking on Good Morning Britain on Monday, Roberts added: ‘There was a massive flame and we arrived to a very odd scene where you’ve got half a car pointing in the wrong direction and just across the barrier a mass of heat.
The Haas driver’s car exploded during the Bahrain Grand Prix with the Frenchman stuck inside
The Frenchman’s car hit the wall at 140mph and burst into flames in sickening fashion
‘Then looking to the right at that point, I could see Romain trying to get up. We needed some way of getting to him, so we got the marshal there with the extinguisher.
‘The extinguisher was just enough to push the flame away as Romain got high enough, so I could reach over and pull him over the barrier.’
Haas’ statement on Monday read: ‘Haas F1 Team drive Romain Grosjean is continuing his convalescence at the BDF hospital having remained there overnight following Sunday’s incident at the Bahrain Grand Prix.
‘Treatment on the burns Grosjean sustained on the back of both his hands is going well.
‘Grosjean was visited by Guenther Steiner, team principal of Haas F1 Team, on Monday and it is anticipated he will be discharged from the care of the hospital on Tuesday, 1st December’.
Grosjean later shared a video saying he was fine after his horrific Bahrain Grand Prix crash
On Sunday night, Grosjean sent a video message from his hospital bed.
Somehow he only required bandages to his burned hands. He was also hooked up on monitoring tubes and kept in overnight for observation.
He said: ‘Hello everyone. I just wanted to say I am OK, well sort of OK. Thank you very much for all the messages.
‘I wasn’t in favour of the halo some years ago but I think it’s the greatest thing that we brought to Formula One and without it I wouldn’t be able to speak to you today.
‘So thanks to all the medical staff at the circuit and at the hospital. Hopefully, I can soon write you some messages and tell you how it’s going.’