29 November, 2020. It is a date which will forever be etched in the mind of Romain Grosjean, and the wider Formula 1 community.
That was the date when his horrifying crash in Bahrain occurred. Grosjean, thankfully, and miraculously, escaped with only burns to his hands. Just over five years on, he held the crash helmet which he wore that day, his children playing a key role in this reunion.
Romain Grosjean: ‘We should make the most of our lives every day’
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On the opening lap of the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix, Grosjean, on the straight out of Turn 3, clipped Daniil Kvyat’s AlphaTauri. It sent Grosjean’s Haas car into the barrier, the car splitting in two on impact, as the wreckage burst into flames with Grosjean inside.
In those moments of dread and fear for Grosjean’s welfare, he soon emerged from the flames and was pulled to safety by medical personnel quickly on the scene.
Grosjean suffered second degree burns to his hands, though the outcome could have been far worse in such a terrifying incident.
He quickly praised the Halo cockpit device for protecting his head in the incident.
“I wasn’t for the Halo some years ago, but I think it’s the greatest thing we brought to Formula 1. Without it, I wouldn’t be able to speak to you today.”
A little over five years later, Grosjean posted a picture on Instagram of him holding the helmet he was wearing in that crash.
In the accompanying text, he expressed further gratitude, this time to helmet manufacturer Bell Helmets, and safety equipment manufacturer Alpinestars.
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“5 years after November 29 2020, I got reunited with my race helmet,” Grosjean began.
“I didn’t know if I was ready to see it, but my kids really wanted to understand how I got so well protected in the fire and what did happen that night.
“I’ll forever be grateful to @bellracinghq and @alpinestars for protecting me so well in that moment.
“Life goes and we forget, but that reminds me how much we should make the most of our lives every day.”
Grosjean signed off his post with #thephoenix, the moniker which he has carried with him since the crash, a reference to the phoenix, a mythical, immortal bird which rises from the ashes, reborn.
While Bahrain 2020 marked Grosjean’s final grand prix start, he took part in his long-awaited F1 farewell run in a Haas private test at Mugello in September 2025.
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