Lewis Hamilton wins Bahrain Grand Prix as Romain Grosjean survives fiery horror crash
Phil Duncan
·41 min read
Fire marshals put out a fire on Haas F1's French driver Romain Grosjean's car during the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit in the city of Sakhir on November 29, 2020 - AFP /BRYN LENNON
Grosjean, 34, scrambled to get out of his burning car for almost half a minute before eventually leaping away and into the arms of Formula One doctor, Englishman Ian Roberts, one of the first men on the scene.
On the opening lap, Grosjean moved to his right at the third corner, before hitting the front-left wheel of Daniil Kvyat's AlphaTauri, and penetrating the steel barrier at 140mph. The force of the impact, which registered at 53G, split his machine in two.
Grosjean's cockpit instantly burst into flames, and the sport held its breath as television cameras cut hastily away from the extraordinary accident and the race was immediately stopped.
After a number of minutes, Grosjean's Haas team mercifully reported that their driver was out of the cockpit. He was then pictured sitting in the medical car before limping towards an ambulance, aided by Roberts and medical car driver Alan Van Der Merwe. He had leapt out of his burning machine with his racing boot missing from his left foot.
We are so thankful that Romain Grosjean was able to walk away from this. We did not need a reminder of the bravery and brilliance of our drivers, marshals, and medical teams, nor of the advances in safety in our sport, but we truly got one today#BahrainGP 🇧🇭 #F1pic.twitter.com/z8OeTU5Nem
Grosjean was airlifted to the BDF Military Hospital, 10 miles north of the Bahrain International Circuit, with burns to his hands and ankles and suspected broken ribs. It is also understood he might have broken a bone in his foot following one of the biggest accidents in Formula One's recent memory.
"It is a miracle he is alive," said 1996 world champion Damon Hill, whose Williams team-mate Ayrton Senna perished at the San Marino Grand Prix 26 years ago.
Hamilton, who was leading the race at the time of the incident, was seen shaking his head as he watched a replay of the jaw-dropping accident from inside the Mercedes garage as the grand prix was suspended.
Seven-time world champion Hamilton tweeted: "I'm so grateful Romain is safe. Wow. The risk we take is no joke, for those of you out there that forget that we put our life on the line for this sport and for what we love to do.
"Thankful to the FIA for the massive strides we've taken for Romain to walk away from that safely."
Speaking after the race, Hamilton reflected: "It was such a shocking image to see.
"When I get in the car, I know that I am taking a risk and I respect the dangers.
"I don't know what G he pulled but I am just so grateful the halo worked and the barrier didn't slice his head off or something. It could have been so much worse.
Debris following the crash of Romain Grosjean of France and Haas F1 is pictured during the F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain at Bahrain International Circuit on November 29, 2020 in Bahrain, Bahrain - Clive Mason - Formula 1
"But this is a reminder that this is a dangerous sport. We are pushing to the limit, but you have to respect it. That accident will be investigated and there will be a lot of work put in to make sure it doesn't happen again."
There will now be question marks as to how Grosjean's car managed to penetrate a steel barrier.
But the halo device – the driver-cockpit protection system controversially introduced in 2018 – appears to have played a major role in the Frenchman's remarkable escape.
South African Van Der Merwe praised the safety measures the sport has taken.
"We just took a little time to process what was going on," he said. "I am sure it was only a second or so but it felt like ages and then Romain started to get out of the car himself which was pretty amazing after an accident like that.
"There was some relief when we got back here and he was OK.
"It just goes to show that all the systems we developed worked hand in hand, the halo, the barriers, the seat belt, everything worked how it should and without just one of those things, it could have been a very different outcome."
The race started again following a 90-minute stoppage, but there was further drama after just eight corners when Lance Stroll was flipped upside down.
LEWIS: “[The Grosjean incident] was such a shocking image to see. When we get in the car we know we are taking risks. I’m so grateful the halo worked” #BahrainGP 🇧🇭 #F1pic.twitter.com/JVA6JP69qu
Kvyat attempted to pass the Canadian driver at the right-handed turn eight, but sent him on to the roof of his Racing Point. Stroll clambered out of his cockpit, reporting that he was "OK" over the radio, and the safety car was deployed. Kvyat was hit with a 10-second penalty, while Stroll was given the all-clear following a visit to the medical centre.
Hamilton completed two regulation stops for new tyres and comfortably kept Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who finished second, at bay.
The Briton has now led more laps this season than of any year in his F1 career, while claiming his 11th triumph of 2020.
If he wins the final two rounds here in Bahrain next Sunday and at the season-decider in Abu Dhabi on December 13, he will match Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel's joint record for the most number of victories in a year.
Racing Point's Sergio Perez was denied a podium after an engine failure just three laps from the end. Alexander Albon finished third for Red Bull as the race ended under the safety car following Perez's retirement. British driver Lando Norris took the flag in fourth.
Bahrain Grand Prix
05:48 PM
Okay, that's it from me today
No more updates on Grosjean other than his burns to hands and feet and a suspected broken rib. I expect there might be a few more but we will find out in due course. We have to be very thankful that he is still with us today. Thanks for joining me today and I hope you, like me, will be thankful for the safety standards that F1 has introduced, though of course questions remain over the structural integrity of the barrier that Grosjean crashed into.
05:33 PM
Updated driver standings: Top 10
Gutting for Perez, who would have been heavy favourite for that fourth place but now we have just 17 points separating fourth from ninth...
05:27 PM
The most interesting thing that does is to the constructor standings
So how does that look now?
A very bad day for Racing Point, a great one for McLaren and an okay-ish one for Renault.
05:26 PM
Verstappen reacts to a very good second place
Another one!
MAX: "It was scary at the start - we saw a red flag and a lot of fire. Thankfully Romain seems to be ok.
A crazy, crazy start to the race but no doubt that Hamilton was superb all weekend. Verstappen second, Albon third, Norris fourth and Sainz fifth. Great afternoon for McLaren. Sainz with a great drive from 15th on the grid.
Above all, we can be so thankful that Romain Grosjean walked away from the horrific crash early in the race.
05:12 PM
FINAL LAP
The race will finish behind the Safety Car then. No surprise there. Leclerc will almost certainly claim a point now.
05:09 PM
Lap 56 of 57 - Think we'll finish behind the SC now
Anyway, here's the order after Perez's retirement.
HAM
VER
ALB
NOR
SAI
GAS
RIC
BOT
OCO
LEC
05:08 PM
Lap 55 of 57 - SAFETY CAR
Perez tries to keep going but has to pull over. With flames bursting out the back of his Racing Point. Not a great afternoon for the team, Stroll out early on and Perez, on for a podium, another DNF. That gives extra points to McLaren, too.
05:07 PM
DRAMA! PEREZ GOING SLOWLY
His engine looks like it's about to blow... but maybe not? Yep. It surely is. White smoke coming out of it. That's going to give way very shortly indeed. Albon's going to take third place here but will there be a safety car?
05:06 PM
Lap 53 of 57 - Running order
Gasly struggling with traction. Where will he finish now? Ricciardo looming behind and Bottas not too far away either...
HAM
VER
PER
ALB
NOR
SAI
GAS
RIC
BOTO
OCO
LEC
KVY
GIO
RUS
VET
LAT
RAI
MAG
OUT: STR, GRO
05:05 PM
Lap 52 of 57 - Whatever happens in this race now...
...I must say it's nonsense of the highest order that Perez does not have a race seat this year. He's on course to score his second podium of the season and if he does that it will be the 12th podium of the teams he has driven for, with him taking 10 of them!
05:03 PM
Lap 51 of 57 - Sainz keeps his powder dry in turn one...
...but does the old switcheroo in turn two and three to slide past easily and into P6.
05:01 PM
Lap 50 of 57 - This race has not really erupted in the way we hoped
Sainz now within DRS range of Gasly. Should be an easy job on the pit straight but how much will Gasly fight it? Don't think his race is with Sainz but perhaps the few drivers behind him; Ricciardo, Bottas, Ocon.
05:00 PM
Lap 49 of 57 - Looks like a pointless afternoon for Ferrari
After third and fourth in Turkey. Leclerc 9.9s behind Ocon though with six laps fresher tyres. Not sure that's going to be enough. Don't think Gasly pitting would even make a difference as he's 27s ahead and has a stop in hand if he needs it.
04:58 PM
Lap 48 of 58 - Albon now six second sbehind Perez
Not going very well for his hopes of a second career podium. Sainz closing in on Gasly. "Yeah, Gasly will be easy," he says on the radio. He's on hard tyres which are 14 laps older. Decent race from Sainz, this, after starting 15th. McLaren have been tidy in race trim this weekend.
04:56 PM
Lap 47 of 57 - Verstappen comes out in traffic
But comfortably ahead of Perez.
Here's the top 10:
HAM
VER
PER
ALB
NOR
GAS
SAI
RIC
BOT
OCO
04:54 PM
Lap 46 of 57 - Hamilton extending his lead now
4.9s the gap now. Can't see any big changes from here on in, unfortunately. Would a late SC change things? Maybe. Verstappen stops again... bolting on mediums, I guess, to try and get the fastest lap. He had a pit stop on Perez so may as well.
04:53 PM
Lap 45 of 57 - This has hardly been convincing from Albon
He's now 30 seconds behind his team-mate and with Bottas's problems should be in third here, not behind Perez. But that's how it's been all season...
04:52 PM
Lap 44 of 57 - Albon drops back slightly...
Russell now in P14, but points not really a possibility for him today. Norris having a quiet but decent afternoon in fifth.
04:50 PM
Lap 43 of 57 - Bottas gets Ocon for ninth
Ricciardo the next man, 4.5s ahead up the road. Hamilton's lead now four seconds. Don't think Verstappen has the pace. Well, it's evident he doesn't.
04:49 PM
Lap 42 of 57 - Where's the action out there?
16 laps left and Norris closing in on Gasly for fifth. Bottas on the back of Ocon for ninth. Russell likewise Magnussen for 14th. Albon and Perez lapping fairly similarly at the moment, with the gap still just over three seconds as it has been for a while.
Sergio Perez of Mexico driving the (11) Racing Point RP20 Mercedes leads Alexander Albon of Thailand driving the (23) Aston Martin Red Bull Racing RB16 during the F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain at Bahrain International Circuit on November 29, 2020 in Bahrain, Bahrain - Joe Portlock - Formula 1
04:47 PM
Lap 41 of 57 - Top 10
HAM
VER
PER
ALB
GAS
NOR
SAI
RIC
OCO
BOT
04:46 PM
Lap 40 of 57 - Hamilton leads by 3.6s
Sainz frustrated as he comes out behind Leclerc after his stop. Perez now a pit stop behind both the leaders. Sainz overtakes his team-mate for next year again, this time through turn 11. He's up into P7 now with Lando Norris 9.6s ahead. Decent afternoon for McLaren this, with only one Racing Point scoring points and Renault behind them with both cars.
04:44 PM
Lap 39 of 57 - Podium on for Albon here?
He's only three seconds behind Perez now. Albon has just taken fourth place from Sainz with a lunge down the inside of turn one. With DRS, of course.
04:42 PM
Lap 38 of 57 - Think if Red Bull would have not messed the stop up...
...Verstappen would have been in DRS range of Hamilton after the stops. Ah well. Ocon defends from Ricciardo, who doesn't try anything too bold from a long way back in turn one. He gets DRS on the second straight and goes around the outside of turn four. Nice work.
04:41 PM
Lap 37 of 57 - Hamilton and Verstappen on the same tyre compound to the end now
And 3.7s in it. Verstappen with the fastest lap of the race last time around. Perez comes out in P5 behind the McLarens who will stop again. Looking like another solid podium for Perez here. Renaults squabbling again, this time Ocon takes the place - 10th.
Hamilton, on his out lap, posts the fastest final sector of the day. Can't see him losing this one.
04:39 PM
Lap 36 of 57 - Hamilton comes out in the lead
A second ahead of the one-stopping Perez. Verstappen under four seconds behind Hamilton now, though. So he has actually gained a bit of time in all that. Bit odd...
Perez comes into the pits now.
04:37 PM
Lap 35 of 57 - Slooow stop for Red Bull
Five seconds for Verstappen, pretty much. If they were trying the undercut on Hamilton it's not going to work. That has cost him probably three seconds. Will comfortably be second after it all shakes out. Anyway, he's onto the hards. Albon stops as well and goes onto the hards as well. What will Perez do? Hamilton reacts too by coming in and he'll go onto the hards, of course.
04:35 PM
Lap 34 of 57 - Running order
HAM
VER
PER
ALB
NOR
SAI
RIC
OCO
GAS
BOT
LEC
RUS
VY
GIO
VET
RAI
LAT
MAG
OUT: STR, GRO
Hamilton's tyres look a little bit angry but probably the marbles that have collected on his front tyres. His pace is fairly decent, as normal. Now Verstappen comes into the pits...
04:34 PM
Lap 33 of 57 - Hamilton extends his lead to 5.7s
Bit of stasis in proceedings now. After a very frantic first two laps...
04:33 PM
Lap 32 of 57 - Hamilton leads Verstappen by 5.1s
All three holding station out front. Giovinazzi is within DRS range of Kvyat but that is the closest fight on the track as it stands. It may come to life a bit more once the different strategies play out... but possibly not.
04:31 PM
Lap 31 of 57 - You'd think Bottas would be scything through the field now
He's not. He's in 11th after two stops... and is trying to get past the Ferrari of Leclerc which is squirming on corner exit.
04:30 PM
Lap 30 of 57 - Top 10 and gaps
I am not sure this is going to be much of a contest for victory as it stands. Hamilton looks pretty comfortable.
HAM
VER +5.1
PER +21.9
ALB +26.6
NOR +40.0
SAI +44.0
RIC +49.7
OCO +52.0
GAS +56.5
LEC +59.4
04:28 PM
Lap 29 of 57 - HAM leads VER by five seconds
And Giovinazzi takes Raikkonen for 14th. Russell now in 12th, having been caught and passed by Bottas a few laps ago. "Why are we racing each other?" Daniel Ricciardo asks. They have been racing each other for quite a few laps now, but Ocon is let through. They are on slightly different strategies though. Fair enough.
04:26 PM
Lap 28 of 57 - Hamilton now matching Verstappen's pace
One stop might be pushing it for those on the hards. Magnussen has just pitted after 24 laps of his so that suggests 30 might be a limit on slightly lighter fuel loads.
04:24 PM
Lap 27 of 57 - Verstappen is catching Hamilton
But it's by the odd tenth or three per lap when he needs more. Or does he? I suspect Sainz's run on the softs early on - and on heavy fuel - will mean Hamilton will be able to bolt on a set of those for the final 10 or 15 laps.
LAP 27/57
Sainz has got past Ricciardo (📸) and then Ocon and moves into P6 👏
With Norris currently P5, these could be crucial points for McLaren in the battle for third in the constructors' title race #BahrainGP 🇧🇭 #F1pic.twitter.com/3SQhLrOKl3
Are points on? They're not not on. He's in P13th, about to move up to P12 as Bottas pits. Only five or six seconds off 10th place, though, with Magnussen needing to stop again.
04:21 PM
Lap 25 of 57 - How's Verstappen's pace?
Another 0.6s out of Hamilton but still 4.4s behind. Norris easily up the inside of Bottas and goes up into P6. McLaren turning this around from a slightly mediocre Saturday afternoon. Perez now 14s behind Verstappen and not in the same race, really.
04:20 PM
Lap 24 of 57 - Albon takes Gasly for fourth
Better race for him, looking decent. He's 3.3s behind Perez but will have to stop again for certain. He is on the mediums, as opposed to the hards for Perez. So Hamilton and Albon on the same strategy at the moment and Verstappen and Perez on the same too - switching to the hards and not having to make another stop, though they may choose to.
04:18 PM
Lap 23 of 57 - Top 10
HAM
VER
PER
ALB
GAS
BOT
NOR
OCO
RIC
SAI
04:17 PM
Lap 22 of 57 - Verstappen on the pace now
He's going for it. "Full send," as he says. Fastest lap of the race, taking a second out of Hamilton. Perez takes Gasly - yet to stop - for third place.
Hamilton retakes the lead, then. He wasn't out of it for very long. A few cars now between Verstappen and Perez, who goes onto the hards. Verstappen also went onto the hards, so this could be a bit more interesting. Are these two going to try a one-stopper? Hamilton has to two-stop now, as he still needs to use another compound of tyres.
04:13 PM
Lap 20 of 57 - Verstappen inherits the lead
With Perez second. Wonder if we'll see any divergent strategy here. Albon pits from fourth and comes out in seventh, five seconds behind Leclerc. How will his pace be on those fresh mediums? And what will his strategy be now? Onto the hards in another 15 or 20 laps?
04:11 PM
Lap 19 of 57 - Norris pits from fifth
Seems like Hamilton will be coming in for his first stop. He has a big buffer to the rest of the field and should come out in fifth ahead of Sainz. Indeed Hamilton does come in, switches to the medium tyres.
As does Raikkonen. Sainz still out there on the softs, though and in fifth. He's lapping two seconds off the pace of Hamilton and a few tenths off the pace of his team-mate ahead of him, Lando Norris.
04:08 PM
Lap 17 of 57 - Are we now seeing the true pace?
Hamilton takes 0.8s out of Verstappen that last time around. He's now 3.5s behind. Perez a further 5.7s behind him and Albon 3.6s behind that. It's quite fairly well spread out at the front. And everywhere, to be honest. Ricciardo pulls the trigger and pits, coming out last on the road. He's on the hard tyres. Wonder if those eight or nine laps without racing will have turned this into a one-stopper?
04:06 PM
Lap 16 of 57 - Full running order
HAM
VER
PER
ALB
NOR
OCO
SAI
RIC
GAS
LEC
KVY
RUS
RAI
BOT
LAT
GIO
MAG
VET
04:05 PM
Lap 15 of 57 - Bottas now in P14
Raikkonen has a damaged front wing and will surely have to pit. That will move Bottas up to 13th if he does. Fairly steady out at the front, but I don't think we have seen the true pace of the front two.
04:03 PM
Lap 14 of 57 - Think Vettel has spun at the back
He's off the back of the pack now and in last place, five seconds behind Magnussen. Hamilton stretches his lead a little over Verstappen. 2.4s now. Albon not quite onto the back of Perez now.
04:02 PM
Lap 13 of 57 - Leclerc going backwards now
Gasly ahead and soon Kvyat will do the same. Kvyat has picked up a penalty for that incident with Stroll.
Yellow flags again, what's happened here?
04:01 PM
Lap 12 of 57 - Hamilton leads Verstappen
Sainz, with DRS on the pit straight, absolutely mugs his team-mate for next year Charles Leclerc for seventh. Late braking in extremis. Soft tyres working well. The move continues towards turn four and Leclerc nearly goes around but has a poor exit and is vulnerable to Ricciardo... who then gets Leclerc at turn eight! Great racing, this! Gasly onto the back of Leclerc now.
Hamilton leads Verstappen by 1.8s, Perez a further 3.7s behind.
03:59 PM
Lap 11 of 57 - DRS now enabled
It's pretty powerful on the pit straight. Here's the order. Verstappen 1.4s behind and he's not happy with the driveability of his car it seems.
HAM
VER
PER
ALB
NOR
OCO
LEC
SAI
RIC
GAS
KVY
RUS
RAI
LAT
VET
BOTO
GIO
MAG
OUT: STR, GRO
Perez falling behind Verstappen by a fair chunk now.
03:57 PM
Lap 10 of 57 - Hamilton ha snot exactly stormed off
Verstappen just over a second behind. Perez has dropped off the back of Verstappen, though with Albon 1.2s behind. Bottas on the back of Vettel now for 15th. Ocon closing up on the back of Norris now.
Leclerc and Kvyat under investigation for something. No idea what.
03:55 PM
RACE RESUMES!
Will Verstappen be close enough to send it down the inside? Why not try? Can Perez get a good tow from behind both of them? We shall see!
Hamilton nails his restart and leaves Verstappen for dust. Perez gets a good tow but isn't close enough to sneak one down the inside. Ocon and Leclerc go side-by-side into turn one and two but Ocon robustly defends and keeps sixth place... nice work.
Hamilton leads Verstappen and Perez. Ricciardo tries to go down the inside of Leclerc but now Sainz will have a much better exit down the straight... Ricciardo locks up and Sainz nabs the place. Sloppy few corners from the Aussie.
Not quite the Maldonado/Gutierrez incident from a few years back. Mercedes say Bottas picked up the puncture from debris of the Grosjean crash earlier on. Wonder how much of it there still is out there. No news on the SC coming in or not yet. We're nearly onto lap nine..
Ah, here we are! SC in this lap. Will we get our first full lap at racing speed? It's been a strange old race so far.
03:51 PM
Lap 6 of 57 - Perez took second at the restart
But Verstappen sent it down the inside and Perez had to back off. Braked later and ran him out of room. Fair enough. Looks like at least another lap under the SC.
03:47 PM
Lap 5 of 57 - Safety Car
The JCB has Stroll's Racing Point attached and is now removing it from the theatre of conflict. Hopefully we will be racing again in a lap or so.
Vettel complaining on the radio about Leclerc shoving one up the inside of him. Bottas comes out ahead of Giovinazzi and behind Vettel. He's on the hards.
03:43 PM
Lap 3 of 57 - Safety Car - Hamilton leads Verstappen
Kvyat put one up the inside of turn eight and his front left went across Stroll's rear right and tipped him over...
03:42 PM
THE 2020 BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX RESUMES!
Hamilton nails his start again and Perez makes a good start too. Perez very close to getting second but Verstappen keeps it in the end, though has to get on the brakes again to avoid hitting Verstappen...
Stroll has spun at the back and we have a safety car...
Stroll is on his own at the back, nobody else there. Stroll's car has gone over! Upside down in the racing point. He's out of the car thankfully and this is another odd one.
They leave the pit lane and re-order themselves into the correct order for the restart.
03:32 PM
All credit to the medical staff
But if Grosjean had been unconscious or had been unable to get himself out of the car then we would be looking at a graver outcome.
A fire is pictured following the crash of Romain Grosjean of France and Haas F1 during the F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain at Bahrain International Circuit on November 29, 2020 in Bahrain, Bahrain. - Getty Images Europe
03:27 PM
Grid restart order...
HAM
VER
PER
BOT
ALB
RIC
NOR
OCO
GAS
VET
STR
LEC
SAI
GIO
KVY
RAI
MAG
RUS
LAT
03:26 PM
Order will be reshuffled slightly
It will be the order when the red flag was called.
03:25 PM
RACE TO RESTART AT 1535 GMT
10 minutes. Should be another formation lap and then a standing start in the a slightly different order. Norris will be allowed to change his front wing. He's in ninth, where he started.
03:21 PM
Reminder of the order
We've been stopped for just over an hour now.
HAM
VER
PER
ALB
RIC
BOT
GAS
OCO
NOR
LEC
GIO
STR
SAI
MAG
VET
LAT
RAI
RUS
KVY
OUT: GRO
03:20 PM
For those that do not know
The safety and medical cars form up at the back of the grid and follow the cars around in the event of instances like this. They were there within 10 or 15 seconds, I believe.
03:17 PM
Not that there was any real debate on the halo any more
Gunther Steiner goes over to thank Alan van der Merwe, driver of the medical car
Of course, he managed to get an f-bomb in there as well. Understandable under the circumstances.
"Thank you. Honestly, I was surprised how you guys f------ reacted"
03:07 PM
Far be it from me to say it
But I don't think anyone would begrudge Grosjean walking away from F1 after that one. He's out of a seat next season so would have only had another two races to go. If he has broken ribs — and potentially worse — then he may not even be able to race in the race next week and then in Abu Dhabi.
03:06 PM
Russell on Grosjean's crash
Massive relief to see Romain is ok. Huge credit to all the teams, the FIA and F1 for all the safety measures we have in the sport today 🙏
We've been under the red flag for about 50 minutes now
No update on when the race might resume but frankly there are greater concerns than getting the race going again. They've put some concrete barriers where the hole in the barrier is but will probably have to put some additional protection in front of it. It's not the usual place you tend to crash, half-way down the straight after turn three.
02:59 PM
The moment the medical car stops to aid Grosjean
Stewards watch as Haas F1's French driver Romain Grosjean's car burns during the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit in the city of Sakhir on November 29, 2020 - AFP
As I said before, it looked like Grosjean was in there for a good 20 seconds before he managed to climb out. And here's a video, too.
CL: "This was a big one, this was a big one, is he okay?" Engineer: "I'll come back to you". CL: "I've seen it in the mirrors. Who is it? E: "It's Grosjean. Still no information. I will let you know." CL: "No, please. ----"
02:52 PM
Hamilton posts a message on his Instagram Stories
I'm so grateful Roman [sic] is safe, wow. The risk we take i no joke for those of you out there that forget that we put our life on the line for this sport and for what we love to do. This is a reminder to us all. Thankful to the FIA for the massive strides we've taken for roman [sic] to walk away from that safely.
02:50 PM
This, if you can make it out, is what's left of the front of Grosjean's Haas
You almost have to look very closely to see it. You can see the halo, which has likely played a significant role in Grosjean's safety today.
Debris following the crash of Romain Grosjean of France and Haas F1 is pictured during the F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain at Bahrain International Circuit on November 29, 2020 in Bahrain, Bahrain - Rudy Carezzevoli
...and this is the rear end.
Debris following the crash of Romain Grosjean of France and Haas F1 is pictured during the F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain at Bahrain International Circuit on November 29, 2020 in Bahrain, Bahrain. - Clive Mason - Formula 1
02:45 PM
You have to think that this is going to shake the rest of the drivers
And anyone else involved. A lot of concerned and emotional faces out there.
Extraordinary picture of Romain Grosjean's F1 car in Bahrain. Car sliced in half and engulfed by fire. Driver somehow appears unscathed – testament again to the halo pic.twitter.com/9BDNHcmFbi
It's not just the fire but the massive hit of the initial impact. We're seeing more video footage and he was in that burning car, under the barriers for a good 20-30 seconds I think. It's sobering, so utterly sobering to watch it.
02:40 PM
Some more images
I can't believe how he's walked away from that.
Fire marshals put out a fire on Haas F1's French driver Romain Grosjean car following a crash during the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit in the city of Sakhir on November 29, 2020 - TOLGA BOZOGLU ) Flames on the crash site of French Formula One driver Romain Grosjean of the Haas F1 Team during the start of the Formula One Grand of Bahrain on the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain, 29 November 2020. Formula One Grand Prix of Bahrain, Sakhir - 29 Nov 2020 - Kamran Jebreili/Pool/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Romain Grosjean of France and Haas F1 is pictured walking from his car after a crash during the F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain at Bahrain International Circuit on November 29, 2020 in Bahrain, Bahrain - Dan Istitene - Formula 1 Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain - November 29, 2020 Stewards clear the debris from the track alongside the damaged barrier caused by the crash of Haas' Romain Grosjean at the start of the race Pool via REUTERS/Tolga Bozoglu - TOLGA BOZOGLU
02:36 PM
A miminum of 45 minutes delay here
I would not be surprised if it was much longer than that. The repair job on the barrier is like nothing I've seen before.
Gunther Steiner gives us an update. Grosjean had light burns on his hands and ankles and he's going through the normal checks.
"I want to thank the rescue crews that were there, it was very quick. The marshals and FIA people did a great job because it was scary," he says.
My word, they have just shown a replay of Grosjean's crash
His car was ripped in two, half-way as it hit the barrier — after coming across the front of Kvyat — and went up into a huge ball of flames. Replays show the marshal and members of the medical team helping Grosjean leaping over the barrier with the flames literally metres away from him.
The state of the barriers is absolutely wrecked. I have no idea how he has walked away from this relatively unscathed. That could have so easily been absolutely awful. A tragedy.
02:21 PM
RED FLAG - Order
HAM
VER
PER
ALB
RIC
BOT
GAS
OCO
NOR
LEC
GIO
STR
SAI
MAG
VET
LAT
RAI
RUS
KVY
OUT: GRO
02:19 PM
That is the most worried I've been for a driver's safety for a long time
That was scary.
📻 We’ve heard over the radio that Romain is out of the car and ok. #HaasF1#BahrainGP
Such an odd one. Looked like he hit the barrier that was jutting out a bit and it just burst into flames. Thankfully we can breathe a sigh of relief that he's not seriously injured, but he's slowly and quite unsteadily getting out of the medical car.
02:17 PM
Lap 1 of 57 - Hamilton leads Verstappen and Perez under the Red Flag
The McLaren of Lando Norris has a damaged front wing, dragging on the ground. We haven't cut back to Grosjean at any point which is extremely concerning. But David Croft on Sky Sports says he's out of the car. It looked awful, though. The cars come back into the pit lane at the end of the first lap...
Grosjean is indeed in the back of the medical car and that is great to see. Really great.
02:15 PM
THE BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX IS GO!
Latifi very slow to join the grid, leaving Hamilton and the rest waiting...
Hamilton has a great start but Bottas gets bogged down and drops back. Good starts for Perez, who tries to go up the inside of Verstappen in turn one and take second but he can't quite do it...
There's someone around at the back goes sideways into the barrier and bursts instantly into flames...
That looks horrible. Oh no... It's Grosjean...
RED FLAG
02:12 PM
The formation lap is go!
Everyone away cleanly. Everyone on the mediums bar Leclerc on the hards, Sainz on the softs and Grosjean and Latifi on the back row on the hards.
Got to think that in a race of predicted high tyre degradation that Pérez will not have a very good chance of finishing the best of the rest behind the top three...
02:00 PM
10 minutes until lights out
Sooooo much talk about tyres on the pre-race show on Sky Sports. Surely we have to move on from rubber being the most interesting thing about an F1 race? Surely soon.
He extended his run of out-qualifying his team-mate to 36 yesterday, which is astonishing. That said, he still has not scored a single point in any of those races. Not entirely his fault but you wonder when that run might come to an end. It'll be a significant monkey off his back once it happens.
01:42 PM
2020 Raw Pace Rankings
Mercedes - 100.000%
Red Bull - 100.884%
Racing Point 101.349%
McLaren - 101.477%
Renault - 101.517%
Ferrari - 101.534%
AlphaTauri - 101.782%
Williams - 102.750%
Haas - 102.868%
Alfa Romeo - 102.868%
These figures are calculated by taking each team's quickest lap in qualifying and then expressing it as a percentage of the overall fastest in qualifying. We've removed the wet qualifying in Styria and Turkey as this skews things a little. Mercedes have taken every single pole in dry conditions, so they lead the way. Red Bull on their own in second but Racing Point, McLaren, Renault and Ferrari all within 0.2% of each other. AlphaTauri are not too far off, either.
Then we have the three backmarkers, with Williams ahead largely because of George Russell's brilliance on Saturdays.
Battle for fourth is incredibly tight. Money would be on Perez, though. Don't think Leclerc will have the car underneath him in the next two races to be able to challenge Ricciardo or Perez, especially next week on the super-fast outer layout of the Bahrain circuit.
01:16 PM
What can Albon do from fourth?
Again yesterday was one of those good/bad sessions from Albon. Yes, he was fourth and ahead of the midfield, which is where he should be. But again he was over 0.5s away from Max Verstappen. That is not really any meaningful improvement and that is how it has been most of the season. Therefore go to another track and a slightly worse performance would put him a few places behind.
Alexander Albon of Thailand and Red Bull Racing looks on in the Pitlane before the F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain at Bahrain International Circuit on November 29, 2020 in Bahrain, Bahrain. - Getty Images Europe
If he was two to three tenths behind that would be progress and different. I don't see that he has done anything to justify his place in that team and it would be mad for him to continue there for 2021, especially when Sergio Pérez is available for next year. Indeed, that is exactly what I wrote earlier in the week.Simply, he is not offering what Red Bull should be getting from him or indeed anyone else.
01:09 PM
Looks like a certain two-stopper
Which is nice. Wonder if anyone will try a three-stopper? Possibly. Someone no doubt will try and go medium/hard or hard/medium for a one-stopper, too. But it may be a poor choice.
Antonio Giovinazzi (Ita) Alfa Romeo Racing 1:29.491
Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Alfa Romeo Racing 1:29.810
Kevin Magnussen (Den) Haas F1 1:30.111
Romain Grosjean (Fra) Haas F1 1:30.138
Nicholas Latifi (Can) Williams 1:30.182
12:31 PM
Good afternoon F1 fans
And welcome to our coverage for the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix from Sakhir. It is a familiar situation going into the race today with Lewis Hamilton leading Valtteri Bottas on the front row and Max Verstappen's Red Bull in third. It was a close run thing in qualifying as to whether Verstappen could split the Mercedes cars but he couldn't. But only just.
Bottas has struggled in comparison to Hamilton all weekend — and all season in fairness, though not exactly in qualifying, where he has been quite strong — but he was at a bit of a loss as to find out why the gap was so big. He spoke directly after qualifying about where he felt it went wrong.
I don’t really know actually. It felt good and that’s the problem, when it feels good and that you are extracting everything out of the car but the lap time is not there. That’s the most confusing part. Yeah, I can’t really say much at the moment. There were no mistakes and the last lap I thought was really good. It’s just like small things here and there. There’s no one clear corner, so I need to find out, but at least it’s another front row lock-out for us.
British Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes-AMG Petronas (R) and Finnish Formula One driver Valtteri Bottas of Mercedes-AMG Petronas (L) after the qualifying session of the F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain at Bahrain International Circuit near Manama, Bahrain, 28 November 2020. Lewis Hamilton took pole position while Valtteri Bottas second. The Formula One Grand Prix of Bahrain will take place on 29 November 2020 - Hamad I Mohamed/Pool/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
He starts second, at least. Hamilton, meanwhile, spoke of the pressure being off after his championship was confirmed at the last race. That seems a little odd as Bottas has barely been within a win of him in the standings all season, but there we are.
To be out here in Bahrain and put laps like that together… I came today and I was like ‘let’s just have fun and enjoy’. That’s the most important thing: to enjoy what you are doing. I think with the pressure a little bit off, it’s a bit of a release to go and drive like I just did.
You would say that it does not look good for Bottas, really. He has been close to or ahead of Hamilton in qualifying most weekends but Sundays have been a weakness. Even when he has been ahead, he has struggled to stay ahead and in varying ways. The big question is whether Verstappen has the ability to disrupt one of if not both Hamilton and Bottas. There's a good chance of overtaking generally, but especially in the first lap.
Both championships are done and dusted, so let's hope for some gloves-off action at the front.
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