“It wasn’t my time to die” – Romain Grosjean speaks out on what went through his mind as he miraculously came out of the fire, and the “magical love shield”.
Romain Grosjean has spoken out on the unfathomable escape at the Bahrain Grand Prix. He calls it a miracle, detailing how he got out of the fire. He revealed the people who motivated him to get out of it – Niki Lauda and his family.
Romain has been voted as the #BahrainGP Driver of the Day.
Thank you for your votes ❤️#HaasF1 pic.twitter.com/F9hTKxo9mR
— Haas F1 Team (@HaasF1Team) November 29, 2020
“I don’t know if the word miracle exists or if it can be used, but in any case, I would say it wasn’t my time.”
“It felt much longer than 28 seconds. I see my visor turning all orange, I see the flames on the left side of the car. I thought about a lot of things, including Niki Lauda, and I thought that it wasn’t possible to end up like that, not now. I couldn’t finish my story in Formula 1 like that.
“And then, for my children, I told myself that I had to get out. I put my hands in the fire, so I clearly felt it burning on the chassis. I got out, then I felt someone pulling on the suit, so I knew I was out.”
Romain Grosjean indeed has “magical powers”
Grosjean shared the heartwarming story of his son, Simon, after he survived. The five-year-old believes his Dad has “magical powers” and a “magical love shield. We completely agree with Simon there.
“These are very strong words from the children. My eldest, Sacha, who is seven years old, is more rational, he tries to understand. And my little one has drawn a picture, ‘for daddy’s sores on his hands’.”
“I was more afraid for my family and friends, obviously my children who are my greatest source of pride and energy, than for myself in the end.”
Biggest crash I’ve seen in my life – Romain Grosjean
The scenes at Bahrain seemed straight out of a high-intensity Holly flick, only it was not. George Russell too spoke about this, and the dangers associated with motorsports. For Grosjean, it is no less than a “second birth”.
“Even in Hollywood, we’re not able to do images like that. It’s the biggest crash I’ve ever seen in my life. The car catching fire, exploding, and the battery that burst into flames too, so it added a lot of energy to the impact.”
“It was almost like a second birth. To come out of the flames that day is something that will mark my life forever.”
“I have a lot of people who have shown me love and it has touched me a lot, and at times I get a bit teary-eyed.”
Grosjean might have taken part in the last race of his F1 career unless he can recover fully in time for the Abu Dhabi GP. If not, it’ll be a sad way of exiting a sport which he has been an amazing ambassador of.
