Romain Grosjean leaps away from burning car after horror crash in Bahrain

The force of the impact, which registered at 53G, split his machine in two

Staff extinguish flames from Haas driver Romain Grosjean of France's car after a crash during the Formula One race in Bahrain. Picture: Brynn Lennon, Pool via AP

Romain Grosjean miraculously survived a fireball inferno after his car hit the wall and burst into flames on the opening lap of the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Grosjean, 34, scrambled to get of his burning car for almost half-a-minute before eventually leaping away from the inferno and into the arms of Formula One doctor, Englishman Ian Roberts, one of the first men on the scene.