ROMAIN GROSJEAN could return to the track NEXT WEEK at the Sakhir Grand Prix after Haas boss Guenther Steiner said: “It’s his decision”.
The Swiss racer, 34, was taken to hospital after his car pierced through a crash barrier at 140mph, was sliced in two and burst into a terrifying fireball at the Bahrain GP.
Grosjean’s life was only saved by his halo device, and – despite being trapped in the fire for 20 seconds and his helmet MELTING – escaped with only burns on his hands.
On Sunday night, Grosjean shared an update on his health with his social media followers.
He wrote: “I wanted to say I am OK. Thank you very much for all the messages.
“I was not for the halo some years ago but I think it is the greatest thing we have done in Formula One and without it I would not be able to speak to you today.
“Thanks to all the medical staff at the circuit and hospital and hopefully I can write you some messages.”
And now, Haas chief Steiner has suggested he could be behind the wheel in Sakhir, Bahrain, THIS weekend.
Asked if Grosjean would race, Steiner said: “That is his decision.
“I will not let him interfere with that one. He needs to make that one up for himself. I follow his guidance there.
“I don’t know how he is tomorrow when the bruises come through and maybe he thinks a little bit more about it.
“I don’t know what someone is thinking after a thing like this.
“I don’t want to start to speculate who is going to replace him, and we don’t know if somebody is going to replace him or not.
“That is the reason why I want to give him a little bit of time to think about it, to give us feedback on what he wants to do, and we go from there.”
Steiner continued: “My plan is to go and see him [on Monday], see what is really happening.
“I didn’t go [to the hospital on Sunday], I just spoke on the telephone with him because we had a lot of stuff to sort out here.
“I will go there tomorrow morning to speak with him and see what the doctors have got to say and go from there.
“For sure we have always got a plan in place but at the moment my plan would be, if he is OK, to get [him] back in there in the race in Bahrain next weekend, but we have to wait until [Monday].”
Steiner also paid tribute to the advancement in F1 safety technology and the medical car for saving Grosjean’s life.
He added: “It was luck and I think a lot of people did the right thing in the circumstance, starting with him how he got out of the car.
“I was told that if you watch the video there is a video of the backwards-facing camera which shows how he gets out.
“So I was very impressed with the medical car, too, how quick they intervened and helped him out and also the marshals who came with the fire extinguisher, how quick they were there.
“It was quite impressive.
“I mean, the system obviously worked today. This is just to say a big thank you to these guys.”
