FIA launches probe into fiery Romain Grosjean crash at Bahrain Grand Prix

Haas driver Romain Grosjean survived a major crash at the Bahrain GP after his car split in half and burst into flames on Sunday. Getty

Stewards attempt to extinguish flames at the crash scene after Haas' Romain Grosjean crashed out at the start of the Bahrain GP on Sunday. Reuters

The crash site of Haas driver Romain Grosjean at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir. EPA

Debris following the crash of Romain Grosjean's Haas car at the Bahrain International Circuit on Sunday. Getty

Haas driver Romain Grosjean's car split in half following a crash in Bahrain on Sunday. Reuters

Flames at the crash site of Romain Grosjean's Haas car in Sakhir. EPA

Stewards attempt to clear the car of Haas' Romain Grosjean from the track. Reuters

Haas' Romain Grosjean is taken away by medical officers after his crash in Bahrain on Sunday. Reuters

Haas' Romain Grosjean is taken in an ambulance. Reuters

Motor racing chiefs have launched an investigation into Romain Grosjean's fiery Bahrain crash, saying the forensic probe would take "around six to eight" weeks to complete.

The French Formula One driver somehow wrenched himself free from his blazing Haas car with just burns to his hands and a broken left foot after a collision with Daniil Kvyat on the first lap of Sunday's Grand Prix. He left hospital on Wednesday.

In the immediate aftermath of the shocking smash there was widespread praise for modern safety measures in the sport, but also concern over what F1's motor sport managing director Ross Brawn described as "unpredictable" failures.

The International Automobile Federation (FIA) said it had "initiated a detailed analysis of Romain Grosjean's accident at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix".

The FIA's safety director, Adam Baker, said: "With so much data available in Formula 1, it allows us to accurately determine every element of what occurred and this work has already begun.

"We take this research very seriously and will follow a rigorous process to find out exactly what happened before proposing potential improvements."

The FIA probe will look at a range of factors including Grosjean's helmet, safety harness, headrest, in-car extinguisher and the Halo cockpit protection.

The Halo device is widely considered to have helped save Grosjean's life as his car was sliced in two after careering into a barrier.

"The 'halo' saved the day and it saved Romain.," Brawn said on Sunday.

"There was controversy in developing it initially, but there can't be any doubt now, so hats off to those who pushed for the introduction."

But he added: "The fire is worrying. The split in the barrier is worrying and the barrier coming apart, but we can be happy with the safety of the car - that got us through today, but things failed in an unpredictable way.

"We haven't seen anything like that for a very long time, but the barrier splitting normally results in a fatality."

The FIA will examine the high-speed camera mounted on Grosjean's car, which faces the driver.

Data will also be gathered from the in-ear accelerometers that are moulded to fit inside a driver's ear canal to measure the movement of his head.