SAKHIR, Bahrain: Motor racing chiefs announced on Thursday the launch of an investigation into Romain Grosjean鈥檚 fiery Bahrain crash, saying the forensic probe would take 鈥渁round six to eight鈥� weeks to complete.
The French Formula One driver somehow wrenched himself free from his blazing Haas car with just burns to his hands and a broken left foot after a collision with Daniil Kvyat on the first lap of Sunday鈥檚 Grand Prix. He left hospital on Wednesday.
In the immediate aftermath of the shocking smash there was widespread praise for modern safety measures in the sport, but also concern over what F1鈥檚 motor sport managing director Ross Brawn described as 鈥渦npredictable鈥� failures.
The International Automobile Federation (FIA) said it had 鈥渋nitiated a detailed analysis of Romain Grosjean鈥檚 accident at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix.鈥�
The FIA鈥檚 safety director, Adam Baker, said: 鈥淲ith so much data available in Formula 1, it allows us to accurately determine every element of what occurred and this work has already begun.
鈥淲e take this research very seriously and will follow a rigorous process to find out exactly what happened before proposing potential improvements.鈥�
The FIA probe will look at a range of factors including Grosjean鈥檚 helmet, safety harness, headrest, in-car extinguisher and the Halo cockpit protection.
The Halo device is widely considered to have helped save Grosjean鈥檚 life as his car was sliced in two after careering into a barrier.
鈥淭he 鈥榟alo鈥� saved the day and it saved Romain,鈥� Brawn said on Sunday.
鈥淭here was controversy in developing it initially, but there can鈥檛 be any doubt now, so hats off to those who pushed for the introduction.鈥�
But he added: 鈥淭he fire is worrying. The split in the barrier is worrying and the barrier coming apart, but we can be happy with the safety of the car 鈥� that got us through today, but things failed in an unpredictable way.
鈥淲e haven鈥檛 seen anything like that for a very long time, but the barrier splitting normally results in a fatality.鈥�
At the circuit new safety measures have been introduced to reduce the risk of a repeat crash at this Sunday鈥檚 Sakhir Grand Prix.
Two rows of tires wrapped in a conveyor belt have been installed in front of a reconstructed guardrail at the exit of Turn Three.
Several drivers expressed serious concerns at the failure of the barrier and the manner in which it was punctured.
In other changes to the circuit, where this weekend鈥檚 Grand Prix will be using the shorter 鈥渙uter loop鈥�, a kerb has been removed at Turn Nine 鈥� which was used as Turn 13 last Sunday 鈥� and a tire barrier in the approach to that corner has been extended and enlarged to four rows in depth.
Grosjean left hospital on Wednesday and in an Instagram post he highlighted the professionalism of a marshal with an extinguisher and the FIA doctor in the following Safety Car, who was on the scene very quickly.
鈥淚 told him he was a hero,鈥� said Grosjean.
鈥淗e went into the fire as much as he could to save me. I felt Ian鈥檚 hands pulling me over the barrier and I knew I was safe... life will never be the same again.鈥�
Grosjean is resting and healing from burns at a hotel in Abu Dhabi where he hopes he will be fit enough to race in the season-closing race next weekend.