Crash... 28.8 seconds trapped in flames.
The images went around the world, the trembling voice of Julien Fébreau pleading for help still resonates.
On November 29, 2020, the final Grand Prix of the Formula 1 championship in Bahrain (Middle East) took a frightening turn.
Barely had the race started, Romain Grosjean lost control of his car and hit a triple safety barrier at 192 km/h.
A shock equivalent to fifty-three times its weight of 71 kg.
The vehicle in the colors of the Haas team instantly catches fire.
The race stops, and so does time.
After half a minute, the driver managed to get out of his car, still burning, and walked supported by the emergency services to the ambulance.
His loved ones watched the accident from behind their television screen.
The Franco-Swiss pilot is a miracle.
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Today, the scars from severe burns on his hands and ankles remain visible.
Four years later, the man we nicknamed the
“
Phoenix
”
returns this weekend for the first time to Bahrain since his accident.
As a consultant alongside Canal+.
Not shy of secrets, the racer converted to IndyCar, an American automobile competition, tells us exclusively about his return, the impact of his accident on motorsport, and his busy year both on the circuits and in front of the cameras.
Interview.
LE FIGARO/TVMAGAZINE. - What memory do you have of your accident?
Romain GROSJEAN.
-
I remember everything.
But what I keep in mind is the impact my accident had on people and Formula 1 in terms of safety.
What regulations have changed?
First, the gloves.
The latter are thicker and more resistant to fire.
Of course, they are a little less pleasant to wear but safer.
Then, my accident revealed a fragility in the fuel door.
Since then, the design has been redesigned and studies show that if it happened today, there would no longer be the same firepower.
You haven't been back to Bahrain since your accident, how are you feeling?
I'm happy to come back.
The last time, it was not in the best circumstances but Bahrain remains a place that I have always loved and which has worked quite well for me thanks to good memories: my first podium in Formula 1, nice rankings.
So I have no particular apprehension.
On the other hand, I hope to see the people who rescued me again.
It would be a great pleasure.
For the rest, I am especially happy to find all the Canal + teams and to participate in the system.
What will be your role this weekend?
I will not be a commentator but a consultant!
I am lucky to have a lot of expertise in Formula 1 so I will adapt easily and do what is asked with great pleasure.
All the posts are fun to do!
Also read: 45 Grand Prix, new features, new documentaries: what to remember from the new releases on Canal +
When you are a commentator, what do you like about the exercise?
This gives me the opportunity to share my knowledge and vision of motor racing with viewers.
The challenge is to use terms that everyone can understand and bring the race to life from the inside for those who know the discipline well.
How would you describe your duo with
Julien Fébreau
?
Fluid
(laughs
).
With Julien, we are very friends, in addition to having known each other for a long time.
There is a good balance because we are both able to know when each person is going to speak.
Plus, he's the commentator's Rolls-Royce, I'm really lucky to be with him.
Does your past as a Formula 1 driver give you access to exclusive information?
Obviously yes.
Then, as a consultant, we do not necessarily repeat the information as we heard it.
But this allows us to guide our comments and rely on facts that we know to be true.
“Since I had my accident in Bahrain, my wife has forbidden me to say that I am unlucky”
Romain Grosjean
Do you miss Formula 1?
No way.
I had the chance to be a pilot for ten years.
It’s an exceptional privilege but I think I had reached the end of my story a little.
Afterwards, if I had received a call from Mercedes, Ferrari or Redbull, things would have been different (
laughs
).
But in the conditions I was driving at the end, I didn't want to do it anymore.
I can even say that I would not have had as many opportunities today if I had stayed in Formula 1.
Since your accident and your final race, you have borrowed the nickname “Phoenix”. What does this represent?
Obviously, it is the story of fire and being reborn from its ashes.
But behind this, this pseudonym has evolved.
This sums up coming out of a difficult experience and turning it into a positive experience, rediscovering the taste of winning races.
I see this nickname as a sporting renaissance, even if it is not in F1, the desire or the taste for victory is more important than the discipline in which I race.
How do you view the upcoming championship?
I fear that Redbull will be dominant once again because they have not rested on their laurels!
The car is undergoing a huge evolution and if they got things right like last year, then they are the big favorites.
As for the other teams, it will be very tight.
There are some pretty interesting technical choices.
And what about the 100% French Alpine team with drivers Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly?
It's great !
I hope they will manage to progress a little.
I am very happy to see a French team because France, in general, has a big place in motorsport.
What will your year look like between Canal + and your career in IndyCar?
A very busy year with eighteen IndyCar races, six of which were with Lamborghini.
Five Grands Prix with Canal + as consultant.
This will represent 31 weekends dedicated to motor racing out of 52. I take great pleasure in everything I do so I don't see it as a constraint but as an opportunity.
What can we wish you?
In Formula 1, I dream of a great fight for the title.
On a personal level, a little bit of luck in IndyCar (
he suddenly stops)
, finally some success in my sporting results.
Since I had my accident in Bahrain, my wife has forbidden me to say that I am unlucky!
(laughs)
.