Grosjean leaves hospital and targets comeback in Abu Dhabi

After leaving the Bahrain Defence Force Hospital today, Haas F1 Team driver Romain Grosjean says he is targeting a return at next weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Grosjean was involved in an incident on the opening lap of the Bahrain Grand Prix. While trying to overtake Daniil Kvyat, the Frenchman clipped the front of the AlphaTauri car and crashed out hitting the barrier at the exit of Turn 3 at 137 mph, recording a force of more than 50g.

The Swiss-born was transferred to the BDF hospital in Bahrain where he has been treated since Sunday. Although he was expected to leave the hospital on Tuesday, the doctors advised Grosjean to stay another night before making another assessment on Wednesday. The Haas racer has been discharged from the Bahrain Defence Force Hospital in Riffa.

Before leaving the hospital, he posted a picture on his Instagram account, claiming: “My right hand this morning. The happiness I had when I was told that I didn't need the full dressing anymore and could use my finger was huge. Almost cried. A victory on my way to recovery.”

The Frenchman spent the afternoon with friends and with his team mate Kevin Magnussen, having lunch together following his three-day spell at the hospital.

It is still unknown whether he can make a comeback this season. It is, however, sure that Grosjean will miss this weekend’s Sakhir Grand Prix as he continues to recover from the serious crash. He will be replaced by the American team’s reserve driver Pietro Fittipaldi. The 24-year-old Miami-born has earned his biggest success in the World Series Formula V8 3.5 where he took the championship title in 2017.

Haas Team Principal Guenther Steiner said that he would sit down with his Swiss-born driver next Monday to decide over a possible return at the season-closing Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Grosjean is eager to get back behind the wheel of the

"But also there is the need to get back in the car, if possible in Abu Dhabi, to finish my story with Formula 1 in a different way. It was almost like a second birth. To come out of the flames that day is something that will mark my life forever.”

Reflecting on the crash, he said: "It felt much longer than 28 seconds. I see my visor turning all orange, I see the flames on the left side of the car. I thought about a lot of things – including Niki Lauda – and I thought that it wasn't possible to end up like that, not now. I couldn't finish my story in Formula 1 like that,” Grosjean told French broadcaster TF1.

“It's the biggest crash I've ever seen in my life. The car catching fire, exploding, and the battery that burst into flames too, so it added a lot of energy to the impact."