Grosjean escapes fireball shunt at Bahrain GP
Haas Formula 1 driver Romain Grosjean has escaped from a huge fireball crash that stopped the Bahrain Grand Prix on the first lap.


Photo by: Motorsport Images

Photo by: Motorsport Images

Photo by: Motorsport Images

Photo by: Motorsport Images

Photo by: Motorsport Images

Photo by: Motorsport Images

Photo by: Motorsport Images

Photo by: Motorsport Images

Photo by: Motorsport Images

Photo by: Motorsport Images
The Frenchman was involved in a coming-together with a number of other cars as they battled for positions at Sakhir's first corner.
Coming out of the opening sequence, Grosjean's car speared towards the inside barriers – and on impact there was a fireball explosion.
The race was immediately stopped, and Grosjean was able to inform his team on the radio that he was okay.
Television footage of Grosjean showed him sat in the medical car, and he was later led towards an ambulance.
Coming out of the opening sequence, Grosjean's car was tipped into the barriers as he clipped the front of Daniil Kvyat's AlphaTauri.
Grosjean was a passenger as the Haas car speared into the barriers on the right, and it was split in two as it impacted with the barriers.
The cockpit segment went through the barriers, with the rear part of the car bouncing back towards the track.
With the car split in two, burned fuel erupted as the car came to a standstill.
With the car still in flames, Grosjean was able to get himself out of the cockpit and he was assisted by medical staff to get over the barriers and away from the fire.
The Haas team confirmed that Grosjean had been taken to the medical centre but had escaped serious injury.
A statement said: "Romain has some minor burns on his hands and ankles but otherwise he is OK. He is with the doctors just now."
The Bahrain GP looks set for an extensive delay with the Grosjean crash having badly damaged the crash barriers, which will need repairing before any restart.
Following evaluation at the medical centre, it was decided that Grosjean should be transferred to a local hospital.
Haas said that as well as burns, Grosjean had suspected broken ribs, but that diagnosis would only be confirmed later once he had been checked at hospital.

The Bahrain GP as it happened
Grosjean "lucky by being unlucky" in horror Bahrain GP crash

Latest news
Live: Watch the first round of WSK Champions Cup
Grand opening of the WSK season for the first round of the WSK Champions Cup from 25 to 29 January at South Garda Karting.
Rolex 24, Hour 12: MSR Acura leads AXR Cadillac at half-distance
Meyer Shank Racing’s Simon Pagenaud led the field as the clock ticked past the halfway mark in the 61st Rolex 24 Hours, with the AXR Cadillac of Alexander Sims, the WTR Acura and the #6 Porsche in hot pursuit.
Rolex 24, Hour 9: Cadillac back in charge, scare for MSR Acura
Chip Ganassi Racing's #01 Cadillac V-LMDh led the Rolex 24 at Daytona at the nine-hour mark, as the Meyer Shank Racing Acura dropped back following a spin for Helio Castroneves.
Rolex 24, Hour 6: Acura leads Cadillac at quarter-distance
Filipe Albuquerque led the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona in his Wayne Taylor Racing Andretti Autosport Acura ARX-06 after six hours, chased by Pipo Derani’s Action Express Racing Cadillac V-LMDh.
Why Vasseur relishes 'feeling the pressure' as Ferrari's F1 boss
OPINION: Fred Vasseur has spent only a few weeks as team principal for the Ferrari Formula 1 team, but is already intent on taking the Scuderia back to the very top. And despite it being arguably the most demanding job in motorsport, the Frenchman is relishing the challenge
The crucial tech changes F1 teams must adapt to in 2023
Changes to the regulations for season two of Formula 1's ground-effects era aim to smooth out last year’s troubles and shut down loopholes. But what areas have been targeted, and what impact will this have?
Are these the 50 quickest drivers in F1 history?
Who are the quickest drivers in Formula 1 history? Luke Smith asked a jury of experienced and international panel of experts and F1 insiders. Some of them have worked closely with F1’s fastest-ever drivers – so who better to vote on our all-time top 50? We’re talking all-out speed here rather than size of trophy cabinet, so the results may surprise you…
One easy way the FIA could instantly improve F1
OPINION: During what is traditionally a very quiet time of year in the Formula 1 news cycle, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has been generating headlines. He’s been commenting on massive topics in a championship that loves them, but also addressing necessary smaller changes too. Here we suggest a further refinement that would be a big boon to fans
How can McLaren keep hold of Norris?
Lando Norris is no longer the young cheeky-chappy at McLaren; he’s now the established ace. And F1's big guns will come calling if the team can’t give him a competitive car. Here's what the team needs to do to retain its prize asset
What difference did F1's fastest pitstops of 2022 make?
While a quick pitstop can make all the difference to the outcome of a Formula 1 race, most team managers say consistency is more important than pure speed. MATT KEW analyses the fastest pitstops from last season to see which ones – if any – made a genuine impact
When F1 'holiday' races kept drivers busy through the winter
Modern Formula 1 fans have grown accustomed to a lull in racing during winter in the northern hemisphere. But, as MAURICE HAMILTON explains, there was a time when teams headed south of the equator rather than bunkering down in the factory. And why not? There was fun to be had, money to be made and reputations to forge…
What Porsche social media frenzy says about F1’s manufacturer allure
Porsche whipped up a frenzy thanks to a cryptic social media post last week, and though it turned out to be a false alarm, it also highlighted more just why manufacturers remain such an important element in terms of the attraction that they bring to F1. It is little wonder that several other manufacturers are bidding for a slice of the action.
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.