Formula One: Lewis Hamilton wins Bahrain Grand Prix after Romain Grosjean escapes horror crash

French driver taken to hospital with minor burns and suspected fractured ribs as his Haas car goes up in flames following accident on first lap

The car of Haas driver Romain Grosjean on fire after a crash during the F1 Bahrain Grand Prix in Sakhir on Sunday, November 29. AP

Stewards and medics attend to French driver Romain Grosjean at the Bahrain International Circuit. AFP

Romain Grosjean is pictured on a screen escaping the crash in Bahrain. Getty

Flames at the scene of Sunday's crash. EPA

Part of Romain Grosjean's destroyed car. EPA

Romain Grosjean is taken into an Ambulance. PA

The destroyed car of Romain Grosjean. AP

Fire marshalls try to put out the fire after Romain Grosjean's crash. Getty

Fire marshalls try to put out the fire after Romain Grosjean's crash. Getty

Racing Point's Lance Stroll crashes in Bahrain. EPA

Lance Stroll of Racing Point is helped out of his overturned car. Getty

Lance Stroll's battered Racing Point after the crash. Reuters

Lewis Hamilton after winning in Bahrain. Getty

Lewis Hamilton celebrates after winning the race. Reuters

Mercedes' driver Lewis Hamilton is cheered by his team after winning in Bahrain. AFP

Red Bull's Max Verstappen on his way to a second-place finish in Bahrain. EPA

Renault's Daniel Ricciardo, left, alongside Charles Leclerc of Ferrari. Getty

Race winner Lewis Hamilton, centre, with second placed Max Verstappen, right, and Alexander Albon who finished third on the podium. Getty

Lewis Hamilton powered to victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday in a race overshadowed by a horrific crash for French driver Romain Grosjean.

Briton Hamilton, crowned world champion for a record-equalling seventh time last time out in Turkey, held off the Red Bulls of Max Verstappen and Alexander Albon to claim his 95th F1 win.

The race was delayed after Grosjean survived a frightening collision with a barrier on the opening lap. A replay then showed him frantically leaping out of the fireball with the aid of a medical doctor.

It emerged that his car sliced in half on impact, with one part of the car going through the other side of the barrier.

He was taken to hospital with suspected fractured ribs and burns to his hands and feet after his crash which was followed by another accident that saw Racing Point driver Lance Stroll rescued from his overturned car.

The Canadian reported he was OK over the radio before sliding out of his overturned machine as the safety car was deployed.

Lando Norris came home fourth ahead of his McLaren team-mate Carlos Sainz with Pierre Gasly taking sixth for Alpha Tauri and Renault's Daniel Ricciardo seventh.

Hamilton's Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas finished eighth, having suffered a puncture, ahead of Esteban Ocon in the second Renault and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.

Hamilton's victory, his 11th of the season, lifted him 131 points clear of Bottas in the championship, which he has won already.

"It was such a shocking image to see," said a stunned Hamilton after the race. "hen I get in the car I know I am taking risks. I respect the dangers that are in this sport.

"I posted about it during the break because it is horrifying. The car, the cockpit. I don't know what Gs he pulled but I'm just so grateful the halo worked.

"It could have been so much worse but I think it is a reminder to us and hopefully to the people that are watching that this is a dangerous sport. We are out there pushing to the limit and playing with the limit but you always have to respect it.

"It shows what an amazing job Formula One has done, the FIA has done for him to be able to walk away from something like that.

"But it will be investigated and they will do an awful lot of work to make sure something like that does not happen again."

AlphaTauri's Gasly said of the crash: "It was horrible, when I saw the images I was shocked. It was really scary but I had no idea a Formula 1 car could break that way.

"The halo really proved to be working. I have text him to wish him a good recovery. I think he is fine but a really scary thing."