The wrecked Haas chassis from Romain Grosjean’s violent, fiery crash in the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix is to go on display next month.
Grosjean struck a barrier on the inside of turn three head-on at a speed of 192kph, sustaining a 67G impact. The engine and rear assembly was torn from the car and it exploded into flames.
It took Grosjean 28 seconds to climb out of the blaze, during which time he suffered burns to his hands. The strength of the VF-20 chassis, and in particular the presence of the halo cockpit protection device, was widely credited for saving Grosjean’s life.
The extensively damaged structure hasn’t been seen since the race in December 2020. It will be put on display at the Formula 1 Exhibition in Madrid next month.
“From my point of view, it was a big accident but I didn’t realise the impact or how violent it was from the outside,” Grosjean, who now races in IndyCar, recalled.
“It was only the next day when I asked someone to show me what it looked like that I realised. My wife was actually watching that race with my dad and my kids. They will remember that moment their entire life. They were just spectators waiting to hear something, waiting to see something from Bahrain.”
The chassis will be shown in a dedicated room, under the title ‘Survival’. Previously unreleased footage of the crash will be presented alongside it.
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
“I had to break the headrest, punching it with my helmet and then I eventually managed to get my helmet through and stand up in the seat,” Grosjean explained. “I realised my left foot was stuck into the chassis and I pulled as hard as I could on my left leg. My shoe stayed in the chassis but my foot came loose so I was free to exit the car.”
“It was 120 kilos of fuel plus the battery – both were on fire. Dr Ian Roberts, Alan [van der Merwe] from the medical car and one fireman were trying to open a gap in the fire to help me get out. I believe that helped me at least to get a vision of where I had to go and where the exit was.”
“The survival cell is there for you in case of a huge impact. I was intact inside the shell. The chassis is still in one piece, the halo is there and apart from the damage and burn it is still as it should be. I guess that saved my life.”
Pictures: Grosjeans’ Bahrain crash chassis
The F1 Exhibition will open in Madrid…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at RaceFans…