Grosjean: Left hand swelling key to F1 return in Abu Dhabi

Romain Grosjean says his return to the grid with Haas next week in Abu Dhabi for Formula 1’s curtain-closer will depend on the healing of his left hand.

Grosjean was discharged from Bahrain’s Defence Force hospital on Wednesday bearing the bruises, or rather the minor burns, of his horror crash in last Sunday’s Bahrain GP.

The Frenchman hopes to get back behind the wheel next week but that prospect will depend on how the swelling to his left hand evolves in the coming days.

“If my left hand doesn’t work next week and I’m not able to do everything I have to do with it, I won’t take a risk and drive,” Grosjean told French broadcaster Canal Plus. “But I’m trying to rest as much as I can and follow the doctors’ recommendations so that it heals.

“First, it needs to become less swollen, because it’s very swollen at the moment. There may have been an impact on the thumb’s ligament during the crash.”

©Haas

Data revealed that the Haas driver had sustained a massive 53G impact with the barrier at Sakhir, with the left part of his body absorbing the main force of the crash.

“My whole left side was hit,” he said. “My left ankle is sprained, my left knee was hit, and I’ve got nice bruises on my left shoulder, my left buttock and my left forearm.

“I think my left thumb wasn’t spared either. Not only this hand is more badly burnt, but my thumb is slightly sprained.

“I’ve got strength and I can move it in many ways. I can close my fist. However, I can’t touch my little finger yet. I would normally be able to [but I can’t at the moment] because it’s inflamed and there’s a big bandage too.”

Grosjean said he twisted his left ankle as he tried to extract himself from the wreck, leaving behind a racing boot in the raging blaze.

“We just ice it,” he said. “It has already evolved in two days, so next week it will be gone, for sure.

“I’m not at all worried about my left leg. The only real question is my left hand. I’ve got another few years to live with it, I must not mess it up!”

The 34-year-old also revealed that his first phone call after enduring his terrifying ordeal was to his wife, Marion.

“My first phone call was to Marion, she was still with my dad and the kids, and I told them: ‘I’m going to Abu Dhabi. I’m sorry for you, I need it for myself.’

“I need to know if I’m able to get back into a car, what I will feel, how it will go – and whether I’m still able to do it.”