The former Haas driver shared images of the charred helmet on social media, explaining the reunion came after his children wanted to understand how he survived the opening-lap incident at Sakhir that engulfed his car in flames.
Grosjean escaped the crash with burns to his hands after his Haas split in two upon impact with the barriers, marking the end of his Formula 1 race career.
“5 years after November 29 2020, I got reunited with my race helmet,” Grosjean wrote.
“I didn’t know if I was ready to see it but my kids really wanted to understand how I got so well protected in the fire and what did happen that night.
“I’ll forever be grateful to Bell and Alpinestars for protecting me so well in that moment.
“Life goes and we forget, but that reminds me how much we should make the most of our lives every day.”
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Grosjean recovered to begin a new chapter in the United States, racing in 64 IndyCar events between 2021 and 2024, and also made a brief return to F1 machinery with an emotional test with Haas in 2025.
Other remnants from the Bahrain accident feature in F1’s travelling exhibition, with Grosjean’s gloves and steering wheel currently on display at the Melbourne stop. Parts of the destroyed Haas have also appeared at previous stops around the world.
Grosjean’s former performance coach Kim Keedle, who was at the circuit the night of the accident, told Speedcafe that seeing the items again was “surreal”, reflecting on the uncertainty and fear during the moments when Grosjean was unresponsive in the burning car.
“It was a bizarre feeling. Almost a very hollow feeling,” he said.
“Because someone you care so deeply for and you have such a great relationship, is in a car not responding. His mic cut out, so his race engineer couldn’t talk to him, or couldn’t communicate with him.
“So you’re starting to fear the worst. He’s either in a car unconscious that’s burning, or even worse than that. So it was a big relief to hear when the team manager from Haas came over the radio and said that he’s out of the car.
“And then you think, okay, well great, at least he’s alive, and now we can assess the injuries. So yeah, it was a surreal moment. Quite haunting almost.
“But obviously it’s a good news story. Full credit to Formula 1 and the FIA for advancing safety so far that you can have a horrific crash like that and climb out of the car yourself.”
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