Romain Grosjean, a French-Swiss driver for the Haas F1 team, will be discharged from the hospital tomorrow after narrowly escaping an accident at the Bahrain Grand Prix.
On the opening lap of the race, Grosjean made an impact with the wheel of Daniil Kyvat's car and swerved into the barriers on the side of the track. At 137mph! The car impacted the barriers with a force of 53G and split in half instantly. The front portion of the car pierced through the barrier and erupted in flames, the first F1 car to do so since 1989, with Grosjean still inside the cockpit. Fortunately, Grosjean managed to pull himself out of the wreckage and climb over the barriers into safety. He was immediately treated by the emergency services and luckily managed to escape with only a few burns and no severe damage.
The halo is a titanium device that shields the cockpit and is intended to protect the driver from debris while racing. It is very strong, and according to F1, can withstand the weight of a double-decker! Grosjean opposed the Halo when it was first introduced in 2018, however, in a message from his hospital bed, he said 'I wasn't for the halo some years ago, but I think it's the greatest thing we've done for Formula One and without it I wouldn't be able to speak to you today.' The quick response of the safety car team was also a major factor in the Frenchman's survival.
