Accident Grosjean's shocking account of the accident: "I wondered where the burning was going to start, if it was going to hurt."
The miracle Of the protective halo at 27 seconds between the flames
Romain Grosjean
will return to drive a Formula One thanks to the promise made in his day by the head of the Mercedes team,
Toto Wolff
, after the serious accident at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix, when his Haas car crossed the barrier and exploded on fire.
While recovering in the hospital, the Frenchman received a promise from Toto Wolff to have a new opportunity to drive a Mercedes Formula One car and will now fulfill his promise by organizing a test session for him to drive the W10 of
winning
Lewis Hamilton
. of the title in 2019, at the Paul Ricard circuit, on June 29, 2021.
Romain Grosjean will get behind the wheel of a Formula One car for the first time since his dramatic accident and the flight from the flames of his Haas, which captured world attention in November 2020 and the 35-year-old was lucky to escape alone. with severe burns to the hands.
Despite his valiant efforts to recover, Romain was excluded from the final two races of the season and the door appeared to be closing on a historic Formula 1 race spanning 179 starts and 10 podiums.
Following the accident, Toto Wolff made a promise to Romain that his accident would not be his last act and true to his word, Toto invited Romain to the Mercedes F1 base in Brackley on March 30 for a seat adjustment. and will spend time in the team simulator in preparation for
a specially organized track test on June 29
, seven months after his accident.
He will also participate in a series of
demonstration laps before the French Grand Prix on Sunday 27 June
.
Grosjean is currently racing in the IndyCar series for Dale Coyne Racing with RWR.
"I am very excited to get back into an F1 car! It will be a special opportunity for me and driving a World Championship winning Mercedes will be a unique experience," acknowledged Grosjean, to recall that "the first time I heard about The possibility of driving a Mercedes was in my hospital bed in Bahrain, when Toto spoke to the media and made the invitation. Reading that news was very encouraging. "
"F1 did not have the opportunity to race in France during 2020 because of COVID, so driving a Mercedes in the 2021 French Grand Prix and completing a test at the Circuit Paul Ricard, my home circuit, will be very special. I can't wait for the day to come, "says Grosjean.
"We are very happy to support Romain with this special opportunity. The idea came when it seemed that Romain would end his active career in Formula 1, and
we did not want his accident to be his last moment in an F1 car,
" explains Toto Wolff.
"We wanted to make sure his last memories were behind the wheel of a championship-winning car.
Romain's accident reminds us of the dangers drivers face
every time they get into the cockpit, but it's also a testament to the incredible steps the sport has taken to improve safety over the years, "says Wolff.
And reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton, whose car Grosjean will drive, said in the team's press release that he is very happy "to see Romain back in an F1 car after his accident last year."
"
When it happened, we all prayed for him and seeing him pull through and recover so well was such a relief
. I'm looking forward to seeing him back in France and welcoming him to the team for the weekend, although I better watch my W10!" Hamilton jokingly commented.
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