The crash of Haas driver Romain Grosjean on the Bahrain circuit will be remembered by many Formula 1 fans and experts. Looking back to the moment, the Frenchman, who is without a seat for the 2021 F1 season, says he hopes his terrible experience can bring about a positive change in the sport.
"If in the future I can save a life through my experience, as Jules did for me, then I will have a strong motor racing legacy," Grosjean says to Formel1.de. "That would probably be my greatest pride.”
The fatal crash of Jules Bianchi on Suzuka in 2014 was one of the driving forces behind the introduction of the halo. As a safety measure, the halo met with a lot of resistance at first, but it is now believed that it saved Grosjean's life in Bahrain.
The real heroes
When people now call him a hero, Grosjean refers them to Ian Roberts and Alan van der Merwe, who helped free him from the burning Haas. "They are the real heroes." Grosjean says. "They were heroes, but they say, 'No, no. We were just doing our job. And I feel the same way.... People say about racing drivers: What you do is usually extraordinary. But no, no. Doctors save lives. They are exceptional. Firefighters are exceptional."