Watch: F1 Driver Romain Grosjean Miraculously Avoid Serious Injury in Fiery Bahrain Crash

Formula 1 drivers competed in the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday, searching for an opportunity to beat Lewis Hamilton to the finish line. However, Romain Grosjean’s day came to an early end after a frightening incident. His F1 car crashed after a nearly-fatal collision with another vehicle on the opening lap, resulting in a fiery explosion. Grosjean was somehow able to extricate himself from the cockpit.

The crash occurred when Grosjean’s car slammed headfirst into the barricade at 137 mph. It split in half and then burst into flames. The driver remained in the flames for 32 seconds before the safety crew could pull him out. Once he got clear of the burning car, he ran towards the emergency vehicle while the crew continued to try to put out the blaze. The personnel ultimately took him to Bahrain Defence Force hospital.

According to the Haas F1 team, Grosjean escaped from the crash and the flames relatively unscathed. He had minor burns on his hands and his ankles. Other than those injuries, the Haas team said that the F1 driver was doing ok. He later confirmed this with a video posted on his Instagram account.

“Just wanted to say that I’m ok, well, sort of ok,” Grosjean said from his hospital bed. “Thank you for all of the messages. I wasn’t for the halo some years ago, but I think it’s the greatest thing that we’ve brought to Formula 1, and without it, I wouldn’t be able to speak with you today.” He then waved his heavily-bandaged hands and said that he hopes he can soon send fans messages and let them know how his recovery is going.

Hamilton, the winner of the Bahrain GP and the reigning F1 champion, also took to Twitter to express relief about his fellow driver. “I’m so grateful Romain is safe. Wow… the risk we take is no joke, for those of you out there that forget that we put our life on the line for this sport and for what we love to do. Thankful to the FIA for the massive strides we’ve taken for Romain to walk away from that safely,” he tweeted on Sunday.

Following the frightening incident, Grosjean will remain in the hospital overnight to undergo treatment for the burns on the backs of his hands. There are questions about whether he will get back into his F1 car in time for next weekend’s Sakhir Grand Prix. However, team principal Gunther Steiner said that he was confident that Grosjean would want to if he was “fit enough.”