Grosjean reveals latest hand operation ‘went well’

Michelle Foster 04 Nov 2021 1:30 PM

Romain Grosjean bandaged hand. November 2021

Romain Grosjean with a smile on his face as he shows off his bandaged hand. November 2021

Romain Grosjean says his left hand is “fruity” after undergoing yet another operation to repair the damage he suffered in his fiery Bahrain Grand Prix crash.

The Frenchman underwent a skin graft operation on his hand on Tuesday, the latest step in his recovery.

Grosjean suffered serious burns, most notably to the top of his left hand, when he crashed at the start of the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix.

The then-Haas driver’s car hit the Armco barrier, where his car split into two and burst into flames with the driver taking an agonising 28 seconds to climb from his car.

He underwent surgery in the immediate aftermath of the crash to repair a torn ligament, while his burns were also treated.

His latest operation was for a skin graft on his left hand.

“The operation went well,” the former F1 driver wrote on Instagram, adding he cannot “wait to show you some pictures of my new hand”.

He later gave an update on Twitter, saying: “My hand is fruityyyyy, but it’s gonna be good-looking soon.”

Got my Mickey hand back on pic.twitter.com/e5VAi71auM

— Romain Grosjean (@RGrosjean) November 2, 2021

Grosjean says his recovery process from the skin graft procedure should take close to a month.

Speaking before this week’s operation, he told the In the Fast Lane podcast: “My right hand is 100 per cent fine, I just have to put sunscreen on when I go out in the sun because it’s brand-new skin.

“The left hand is slightly more damaged. There is still some work to be done, but it will never be perfect again.

“It’s painful, but you learn to live with it. And to be honest, I can play with my kids, I can drive a car, I can actually live a normal life.

“There are still a few things I’m slightly limited in, but 95 per cent it works well.

“It’s just not that pretty, but it’s my war wound.”

Grosjean was already back racing this season, competing with Dale Coyne Racing in the IndyCar series.

Taking one pole position and three podium finishes, he finished the championship P15 in the drivers’ standings.

Next season he will drive Andretti Autosport’s No. 28 DHL Honda entry, and he has confirmed he will contest the 2022 Indianapolis 500 having skipped IndyCar’s oval races in 2021.