ROMAIN GROSJEAN’S helmet visor melted as he was engulfed in a fireball after the crash, revealed hero FIA doctor Ian Roberts.
The Haas driver’s car split in half and burst into flames after he smashed into a barrier at the Bahrain GP on Sunday.
Grosjean was trapped for 20 seconds in the burning wreck on lap one before he emerged from the cockpit.
Roberts – who helped free him from the wreckage – revealed that the 34-year-old’s helmet visor had melted during that time.
As cited by GpFans, he said: “He was very shaky and his visor was completely opaque and melted.
“I had to get his helmet off just to check everything was okay.
“He had some pain on his foot and hands so from that point we knew it was safe enough to move him into the [medical car], a bit more protection, get some gel on his burns then get him into the ambulance and off to the medical centre.”
Grosjean has since shared a photograph of himself smiling from his hospital bed.
He remained in hospital in Bahrain overnight as he received treatment for burns on both of his hands.
Lewis Hamilton said the Frenchman was lucky his head was not cut off by the barriers while 1996 champ Damon Hill said ‘it is a miracle he is alive’.
Robert appeared on Good Morning Britain on Monday morning to discuss the crash with Piers Morgan and co-host Susanna Reid.
He said: “When we arrived, you can see on the video there that there is a huge gap in the barrier.
“We could see romain through that with flame all around he was struggling to get himself up and out it was a matter of how do we get to him.
“The extinguisher pushed the flames back so we could give him a hand to get out.”
Roberts claimed that using a fire extinguisher helped to free Grosjean from the burning wreckage.
Giving his account of what happened, Roberts continued: “First lap, following them around as normal.
“There was a massive flame and we arrived to a very odd scene where you’ve got half a car pointing in the wrong direction and just across the barrier a mass of heat.
“Then looking to the right at that point, I could see Romain trying to get up.
“We needed some way of getting to him, so we got the marshal there with the extinguisher.
“The extinguisher was just enough to push the flame away as Romain got high enough, so I could reach over and pull him over the barrier.”
Daniel Ricciardo has since blasted TV directors for showing continuous replays of the horrific crash.
