Romain Grosjean told AFP he ‘saw death’ after he left hospital on Wednesday following his dramatic escape from a fiery high-speed crash in last weekend’s Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix.
Haas driver Grosjean somehow wrenched himself free from his blazing car with just burns to his hands and a broken left foot after a collision with Daniil Kvyat on the first lap of Sunday’s race, and was treated in a military hospital in Bahrain.
“I saw death too closely. You can’t live that and be the same man,” Grosjean told AFP.
The 34-year-old Frenchman was stuck in his car for nearly half a minute before getting out alive, largely thanks to the car’s survival cell, his so-called ‘halo’ device.
He described to AFP the crash, which he said “was not the most violent” of his F1 career and the subsequent fire from which he managed to flee with minor injuries.
“I undid my seat belt right away and I tried to get out of the car, but I realised my helmet was hitting something,” Grosjean said, his voice trembling.