Romain Grosjean speaks for the first time, praises controversial part for saving life

Formula 1 driver Romain Grosjean has spoken for the first time in hospital to praise the controversial car part that saved his life.

Romain Grosjean survived the crash with only burns to his hands and legs. Photo: Getty, Instagram.

Formula 1 driver Romain Grosjean has spoken from hospital to declare the controversial “halo” saved his life during his 220km/h fireball explosion at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

The French driver admitted on Monday he was never a supporter of the part when it was introduced three years ago.

He is now.

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Grosjean’s Haas team confirmed the 34-year-old is in a stable condition at the Bahrain Defence Force Hospital where he is being kept overnight for further treatment on the burns to his hands and ankles.

Grosjean was also reported to have suffered an injury to his ribs, but X-rays showed he escaped the flaming wreck without any fractured bones.

It is a genuine miracle that he walked away with non life-threatening injuries when his car was incinerated and split in half as it thundered into the railing at Turn Three on the opening lap of the race.

Romain Grosjean was in the middle of the fire for several seconds before clearing the scene of the crash.

Miraculously, Grosjean climbed out of the Haas car through flames and was dragged away by marshals before being taken in a helicopter to hospital.

His survival cell was seen wedged into the railing once the fire was put out and the debris that was left from his smoking wreck of a car was cleared.

The “halo” safety device — the protective arch that sits above the drivers’ cockpit — was the difference between Grosjean living or dying.

“I wasn’t for the halo some years ago, but I think it’s the greatest thing that we’ve brought to Formula 1, and without it I wouldn’t be able to speak with you today,” Grosjean said with a smile as he spoke to fans for the first time while sitting up in his hospital bed.

The controversial part originally divided the Formula 1 grid with many commentators declaring the protective lid went against the traditions of the open cockpit racing series.

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Romain Grosjean driving with the “halo” device sitting above the cockpit.

It was announced in 2017 that the part would be rushed in for the start of the 2018 Formula 1 series in a bid to improve driver safety.

The device was proposed and created in the aftermath of the death of Jules Bianchi who died in 2015 from head injuries sustained in a crash at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix.

Each halo device is reported to cost teams up to $45,000, while teams spent more than $1 million testing the device when it was first introduced, prompting most teams to re-design their chassis to accommodate the safety structure.

While there were also worrying safety failures at the Bahrain track, the Formula 1 grid was united in its praise for the “halo”.

Formula 1 managing director Ross Brawn said: “The halo saved the day and it saved Romain.

“There was controversy in developing it initially, but there can’t be any doubt now so hats off to those who pushed for the introduction.”

On Monday morning (AEDT), the French driver’s mother Christine sent a brief and poignant message that summed up the value of the device.

“They introduced the halo after my son’s accident and now the halo has saved Romain’s life today,” she wrote, according to reports.

“This is great. I’m glad that he is ok.”

All that was left of Romain Grosjean’s car. Getty Images)

Formula 1’s official safety chief and medical car driver Alan van der Merwe, who was at the scene of the Grosjean crash just seconds after it occurred, said the incident could have been catastrophic if not for the halo.

“It was a big surprise for us as well, we’ve never seen that much fire in 12 years,” he said

“Romain started to get out of the car himself which was pretty amazing after an accident like that. It was a relief to see he was okay. It just goes to show all the systems we’ve developed worked hand in hand — the halos, the barriers, the seatbelts, everything all worked as it should.

“Without just one of those things, it could have been a very different outcome.”

Champion Lewis Hamilton also praised the sport for getting it right in its series of recent safety upgrades.

“I’m so grateful Romain is safe,” Hamilton wrote on Twitter.

“Wow... the risk we take is no joke, for those of you out there that forget that we put our life on the line for this sport and for what we love to do.

“Thankful to the FIA for the massive strides we’ve taken for Romain to walk away from that safely.”

Grosjean is expected to be released from hospital in coming days.

— with AFP