Haas workforce principal Ayao Komatsu has mirrored on the evening pulled himself out of his automotive engulfed in flames through the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix. Nonetheless in the present day, the Japanese workforce chief cannot consider his driver survived.
Promoted to workforce principal forward of the 2024 Method 1 season, Komatsu has been profitable in taking the reins of the American workforce. For years earlier than this, nonetheless, he labored carefully with Grosjean – even when each males have been at Lotus and preventing for podiums.
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In 2016, each moved to Haas when the American outfit got here to fruition, with Komatsu taking the function of trackside engineering director.
Via these years, the 2 had fashioned a powerful bond – one thing that made watching the crash in Bahrain much more tough.
“Very first occasion I did not comprehend it was Romain, proper?” he stated on the Excessive Efficiency podcast. “After which the minute I realised it was Romain, clearly I am considering ‘he can’t be alive’. He is my buddy, you understand? He is my racing driver, however he is my buddy,” he stated, voice trembling.
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“That felt like an eternity. And I really did not see him get out of the automotive strolling. After which one of many race engineers stated on the intercom, ‘No, no, Romain’s out. Romain’s out.’”
Sat on the pitwall, he wasn’t capable of talk together with his driver, however finally noticed proof of the miraculous restoration on the TV screens.
“Then I went to see him earlier than he obtained airlifted to the hospital. I managed to catch a glimpse of him and he gave me a thumbs up. He was within the medical centre. I used to be simply outdoors after which the man on the medical centre simply let me in to a sure level after which he noticed me and he gave me a thumbs up. ‘OK, he is alive,’ proper?”
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“After which we have performed the race after which Kevin hasn’t bodily seen him. It sounds silly however we’re each the identical. Kevin stated to me like, he nonetheless can not consider Romain’s alive. So, he stated that we have to go to the hospital to see him. I used to be the identical.
Hearth marshals attend an inferno after Romain Grosjean, Haas VF-20, crashed closely on the opening lap of the Bahrain Grand Prix. The race was stopped. Romain Grosjean, Haas F1, is escorted away on the left of the image
Hearth marshals attend an inferno after Romain Grosjean, Haas VF-20, crashed closely on the opening lap of the Bahrain Grand Prix. The race was stopped. Romain Grosjean, Haas F1, is escorted away on the left of the image
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“The explanation I went to see him earlier than he obtained airlifted to the hospital was though I noticed it on TV, I simply nonetheless could not comprehend that he is alive. I simply needed to – I wanted to see him in my very own eyes that he is alive after which let his spouse know that, ‘look I’ve seen him, he is alive.’”
The chassis break up in half when it hit the barrier after contact with Danil Kvyat. Now, it is housed within the Method 1 Exhibition in Vienna, however those that recovered the automotive on the time had one grievance: “Fully the odor,” Komatsu stated. “Horrible. Completely horrible.
“That butyl rubber burning odor is simply horrible. After which taking a look at that chassis tub, you can not think about any person can come out of this alive. It is horrible.
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“After which when the chassis got here again, there’s nonetheless Romain’s racing footwear caught behind the pedal,” he added.
“So his left foot, so he was within the automotive, he tried to drag himself out. He obtained to a sure stage and he realised his left foot is caught behind the pedal. So he needed to then deliver himself again down in order that he can grip one thing and achieve energy to drag his leg out. So when he did that after all his foot come off the racing footwear.
“So racing footwear remains to be caught within the cockpit behind the pedal after which he put his left hand within the flame of fireplace within the halo after which pushed himself and got here out.”
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The French-Swiss driver managed to leap from the automotive with burns to his fingers after the 67G crash. However regardless of this, he was nonetheless capable of stroll away from the wreck, proving to his household that he was alive and properly. As of late, he acts as a reserve driver for Prema Racing in IndyCar.
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