Grosjean ‘saw death coming,’ thought of his children and Niki Lauda in crash

MANAMA, Bahrain – Romain Grosjean will spend another night in hospital recuperating from his fiery Bahrain Grand Prix crash, however the Frenchman is keen to race within the Formula One finale in Abu Dhabi. He told a French broadcaster he “saw death coming” as he was trying to escape his burning car – and that “for my children, I told myself which i had to get out.”

Grosjean, 34, limped from the horrific crash with burns to his hands although not a broken bone in his body. He was set to be discharged from a nearby hospital .

He broke through the barriers on the opening lap of Sunday's race, which tore his car in 2 before it caught fire. In his first interview because the crash, he told French broadcaster TF1 he'd time to think about his children – and even concerning the former F1 racer Niki Lauda, who nearly died and was badly burned in the 1976 German Grand Prix in the Nürburgring.

“It felt much longer than 28 seconds,” Grosjean told TF1. “I see my visor turning all orange, I see the flames on the left side from the car. I figured in regards to a many things – including Niki Lauda – and that i believed that it wasn’t easy to end up like that, not now. I couldn’t finish my story in Formula 1 like this.

“For my children, I told myself which i needed to escape. I put my hands within the fire, so I clearly felt it burning on the chassis. I acquired out, i quickly felt someone pulling around the suit, so I knew I had been out.”  

Grosjean, who's out of a drive and set to leave F1 next season, is going to be replaced by Haas’ Brazilian reserve driver Pietro Fittipaldi, for the second of Bahrain’s two races this weekend.

He has put up several posts from hospital on his social networking including one on Tuesday showing him, his hands and left foot swaddled in bandages, doing squats. 

His Haas team boss Guenther Steiner said he's working to be back to full fitness prior to the Dec. 13 season-ending race in Abu Dhabi, that is likely to be his F1 swan song.    

“That is his aim now. He just attempts to improve to stay in the vehicle in Abu Dhabi. I think that shows that he wants to keep on doing the work you realize,” Steiner said.

Haas announced Russian Nikita Mazepin among its two drivers for that 2021 season.

Mick Schumacher, son of seven-time world champion Michael, may be the favorite to land the 2nd seat in the American team, with Grosjean’s teammate Kevin Magnussen also leaving the team after the growing season.