Romain Grosjean’s fiery crash at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix is one of Formula 1’s most terrifying moments and inspired the crash scene in F1: The Movie.
The newly released movie features a sequence inspired by two real-life events: Alex Peroni’s 2019 F3 airborne crash and the infamous Romain Grosjean fireball crash.
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Multiple sources who were in the room when the drivers were given their own screening ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix told ESPN that the group burst into laughter at one of the crash scenes, filmed in a wet race at Monza’s Italian Grand Prix, which is supposed to be a critical moment of high drama and tension and while that moment might look over-the-top on screen, the entire sequence is borrowed from two real-life events: Formula 3 driver Alex Peroni’s airborne crash at the exact same corner in 2019, followed by the infamous fireball Romain Grosjean managed to escape from at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix.
Video of Romain Grosjean crash in Bahrain Grand Prix 2020 as real accident is referenced in story of F1 The Movie
Romain Grosjean’s survival in the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix crash was nothing short of miraculous
Life is precious
pic.twitter.com/ZPVjyS3UOL— Science girl (@gunsnrosesgirl3) February 17, 2025
Haas driver Grosjean seemingly hit the barriers at 119 mph and spent nearly half a minute trapped in flames.
Romain Grosjean Crash at Bahrain Grand Prix 2020
During the opening lap of the Bahrain Grand Prix 2020, Grosjean collided with Daniil Kvyat and went straight into a steel barrier. The impact took place with the car traveling at 192 kph and a 22-degree angle, which seemingly shredded the car. The front half of Grosjean’s car burst through the guardrail and immediately erupted into flames.
"Romain Grosjean"
Por este video en 3D del choque que tuvo el francés con su Haas en el Gran Premio de Baréin en el 2020. Casi la quedó ese día, se hizo pija con el auto y se quemó toda la mano, fue la última carrera que tuvo en la Fórmula 1.
pic.twitter.com/UBbhgmIRnt— Tendencias en Deportes (@TendenciaDepor) June 4, 2025
Despite the force of impact measuring at 67 Gs, Grosjean emerged alive and suffered only burns to his hands. F1 medical car driver Alan van der Merwe and Dr. Ian Roberts rushed to the scene, reaching him within 11 seconds. Roberts managed to help Grosjean to safety, marking a powerful visual of human resilience and technical brilliance. Grosjean’s survival was also thanks to years of evolving F1 safety innovations.
All of the multiple safety devices worked exactly as designed, with the monocoque keeping his body protected and the HANS device securing his neck. The Halo also shielded his head, while his fireproof suit bought him critical seconds. Moreover, the extraction drills that every F1 driver undergoes, along with the fast medical response, managed to help him survive.
Romain Grosjean’s 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix crash inspires F1: The Movie scene
I synced multiple videos of Grojean's accident and added a timer from the moment of impact
byu/kraks_ informula1
The horrific crash that Romain Grosjean underwent at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix has now inspired a scene in the new F1 movie. The movie, starring Brad Pitt as fictional F1 driver Sonny Hayes, shows him undergo a crash where the car splits in half and erupts into fire, mirroring Grosjean’s real-life escape. The scene in the film also honors Grosjean’s resilience and reveals how far Formula 1 has come in prioritizing driver safety over spectacle.
Grosjean sustained burns on his hands during his fiery crash at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix and was treated for these burns, with his left hand being more severely affected than his right. He shared updates on his recovery, including photos of his bandaged hands and eventually, after a period of healing, showed his hands without dressings.
Romain Grosjean never really had epic wins in F1 but he will always be THAT MAN who got out of that fire alive and he will always be epic for that ‼️ pic.twitter.com/tzncRQaGOh
— nik ¹⁶⁵⁵ (@sainzzleclerc) June 4, 2025