Although Romans Grožāns, the driver of the Haas Formula 1 team, will also spend the night in a hospital in Bahrain, recovering from the burns on Sunday, the worst is behind him and the experienced driver has commented on what happened from his point of view.
“I don’t know if miracles exist and if the word can be used here, but I would say it wasn’t my time yet. It seemed to be longer than 28 seconds. Through the windshield I saw that everything around was orange. I noticed a flame on the left side of the car. I started thinking about a lot, including Nikija Lauda. I don’t think everything can end like this. Not now. I couldn’t put an end to my Formula 1 story this way. Then think about your children. I told myself I had to get out. I put my hands in the flames. I immediately felt a burn on the chassis. Dune out. I felt that someone was pulling me out, then I knew I had been outside, ”Romens Grožāns remembers the horrific accident, who spent less than half a minute in the flames.
It should be mentioned that the Nicki Lauda mentioned by Grozny was in a similar situation when his Ferrari car caught fire in 1976, but at that time Lauda’s life was in danger not because of burns, but after breathing toxic gases while in a formula cockpit. Fortunately, Grožāns managed to avoid such problems.
In his first statement, Grožāns maintained a sense of humor, noting that he now resembles the popular animated film character Mikipeli, as each finger is embedded separately. Meanwhile, Grozny’s five-year-old son Simon is convinced that he has ‘magical abilities’ that have protected his father with a ‘shield of love’.
“These are very strong words from a child. My eldest son, Sasha, who is seven years old, is more rational and tries to understand what happened., ”Says Grožāns, adding that the youngest son has also dedicated a drawing to him.
“My main fears were for my family, friends and, of course, my children, who are my main source of pride and energy, not in myself. I think I will also have to work psychologically, because I saw death approaching. Even in Hollywood, such views cannot be seen. It’s the most spectacular accident I’ve ever seen in my life. The car caught fire, exploded, and the battery caught fire, which increased the impact poweru. ”
Despite the serious accident, 34-year-old Grožāns has expressed a desire to return to the wheel of Formula 1 next week, when the last stage of the season will take place in Abu Dhabi. “I am glad that I have survived, and now I look at a lot differently. At the same time, there is a need to get back in the car, if possible already in Abu Dhabi, to end your F1 story in a different way. ”
In recent years, the results of the Haas team and Roman Grožāns have deteriorated. This year he scored only 2 points, thanks to the ninth place in the Nürburgring. Grozny has no contract for next season, so Abu Dhabi was expected to have his last F1 start in his career.
“This is just like my second birthday. Getting out of the flames will leave a mark for the rest of my life. A lot of people have shown me their love, sometimes making tears run into my eyes.“
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