1. Grosjean's miraculous escape from the flames in Bahrain
The top moment of 2020 captured headlines around the world, and even people who never watched the sport were soon all too aware of what had happened to Romain Grosjean on Sunday evening in Bahrain. Some described it as a 'miracle' but even that falls short of conveying exactly what had transpired. Racing under the floodlights, the start of the race had been pretty standard. Then on the opening lap Kimi Raikkonen ran off at turn 3, and perhaps it was his return to the track that prompted Romain Grosjean to move across in response. Unfortunately he ended up clipping the nose of Daniil Kvyat's AlphaTauri which sent him spinning off at the exit and into the metal barrier. What followed after that was anything but standard.
The Haas punched a hole through the Armco and this impact alone would likely have been fatal if not for the Halo cockpit protection system that kept Grosjean not only alive but conscious, which was to prove crucial to his survival. For the car itself had been ripped in two, spilling fuel which instantly ignited in a fierce firewall rarely seen in modern Formula 1. Grosjean had just seconds to extract himself and climb out of the cockpit, where he was helped by the Bahraini race marshals and by the crew of the FIA medical car, Dr Ian Roberts and Alan van der Merwe, all of whom acted without thought for their own personal safety. What had seemed like a tragic unsurvivable accident ended up as a celebration of human heroics and mechanical excellence.
All those involved in the incident were recognised for their bravery with an FIA Presidents Special Award in the end-of-season prize giving ceremony, with Grosjean also joining via video conferencing from his home in Switzerland where he's still undergoing treatment for burns and ligament damage. Sadly the injuries meant he wasn't able to take part in the final two races of the season and he is now out of contract and his time in F1 seemingly at an end. In one way it's a sad conclusion to a Grand Prix career that began with Renault in Valencia in 2009 and encompassed 179 races, but in another we're just grateful that he's still here in one piece and able to spend quality time with his family this Christmas.
