The 2020 Bahrain GP remains one of the most talked about races in F1’s history. Sadly, the incident that immortalized the race was Romain Grosjean’s infamous fiery crash. The race though had another nervous moment that could have resulted in a disaster. However, it went unnoticed. The one involved was Lando Norris.
Norris was in the thick of it following the restart of the race after Grosjean’s crash. The McLaren driver had to quickly take evasive action as he found a marshal on the track.
Describing the incident in his biography written by Ben Hunt, Norris said, “I panicked. It was the last thing I was expecting. The guy didn’t look both ways before he crossed the road. It was all very dark, and he was wearing black, and all I could see was a bouncing fire extinguisher.”
The incident happened following Sergio Perez’s ouster from the race. Perez, who looked destined to grab P3, suddenly saw his car catch fire. The marshal hopped on the track to extinguish the fire but ignored the protocol. Resultantly, Norris had a heart-in-mouth moment in a race that had already had its fair share of drama.
Norris’ incident draws a grave similarity to a 1977 crash. A fire extinguisher, carried by a marshal, struck British driver Tom Pryce. The injury resulted in Pryce’s death.
Grosjean’s crash shifted the attention towards FIA’s longstanding commitment to drivers’ safety. From the Halo to fire-resistant clothing, several factors were responsible for saving the Frenchman’s life. Rightly so, the ruling body earned much praise. However, Norris’ incident went under the radar and many pressing questions were left unasked.
The outpour of emotion following Romain Grosjean’s crash
Roman Grosjean was scrapping to get through the field on the first lap when he clipped Daniil Kvyat’s AlphaTauri on Turn 3. Following the contact, he skidded through to crash into the barriers.
The high-speed shunt saw his car dismantle into two pieces and burst into flames instantly. The Haas driver miraculously emerged from the flames to jump out of the car that was stuck between barriers.
The broadcasters repeatedly played the disturbing footage, causing a major outpour of emotion. Grosjean’s family and millions of fans following the race from home went through some major distress.
Letting his displeasure known following the crash, Daniel Ricciardo said, “I don’t want to comment too much on the race. I want to express my disgust and disappointment with F1. The way the incident of Grosjean was broadcast over and over, the replays, it was completely disrespectful for his family, for all our families, watching.”
Following the race, Lewis Hamilton was asked if an incident like that would make him stop racing. Hamilton believed he wouldn’t stop racing following a crash like that. However, he felt it was time for Grosjean to ponder over the question owing to his added responsibility to his wife and kids.
