'Suddenly there was this enormous fireball' - F1 doctor on races and crashes

Dr Ian Roberts (middle) was among the first at the scene when Romain Grosjean crashed in a grand prix in 2020

No-one was expecting this Formula 1 race to be out of the ordinary so, as Dr Ian Roberts followed the drivers in the medical car on the first lap, he was not expecting what he saw.

"Suddenly there was this enormous fireball," he told the BBC.

"As we drew closer, I could see the car split in half and the driver through a hole through the barrier. I remember thinking 'let's go get him' and 'this is going to hurt'."

It was 29 November 2020 at the Bahrain Grand Prix and Romain Grosjean's Formula 1 car had just smashed through a crash barrier at 137mph (220kph) and burst into flames.

Fuel was escaping from the car and Dr Roberts was among the first at the scene, with no way of knowing how badly hurt the Frenchman was.

At the time, he said there was "just a massive flame" and a mass of heat but he and others in the medical car saw Grosjean had managed to get out of the car's cockpit.

"[A] marshal came over and I remember directing them to the hole in the barrier to clear a path in the flames to allow Romain to climb out," Dr Roberts said.

"Then it was a matter of getting close enough so I could pull him over."

Dr Roberts (circled) helped Grosjean to the ambulance after the crash

Dr Roberts is one of the few people who has seen the footage of the crash from a camera inside the cockpit, a video that will never be released to the public.

'The in-car footage is quite powerful, I can't imagine what it must have felt like being surrounded by the flames," he told the BBC.

"Romain has talked about it quite openly about how he felt when he first tried to get out and thought it was all over, then his wife and children came to mind and that's when he stood up.

"He actually lost his shoe in the process."

Grosjean had been trapped in the burning car for nearly 30 seconds before he wriggled out.

He had suffered an impact of 67G in the crash - or 67 times the force of the Earth's gravity - according to the official investigation report.

'I want to walk'

After getting Grosjean across the barrier, Dr Roberts said he talked to him about waiting for an ambulance and they would then carry him to it on a stretcher.

"But he said 'no, I want to walk' and in doing so he sent a message to everyone in the paddock, especially his family, that he was out and he was OK."

Grosjean suffered burns to his hands and feet and left Formula 1 but his injuries healed sufficiently for him to go on to race in the US-based Indycar series.

An investigation concluded his driver safety equipment protected him, while analysis by the sport's governing body, the FIA, identified several areas for improvements.

Speaking in a video message to the BBC Grosjean said: "I've never really thanked Ian [Roberts] enough for coming and rescuing me.

"It was five years ago, believe it or not, [I] look forward to seeing him again soon."

Dr Roberts, who lives in Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire, was among the first on the scene of the crash as he is the current medical doctor for Formula 1, a role he has held since 2013 and which sees him attend most races.

Born in Hinckley, Leicestershire, his work in motorsport began in 1993 at Silverstone when he joined the race circuit's medical team.

He went on to be chief medical officer for them as well as the British Grand Prix. before the sport's governing body, the FIA, asked him to be their medical rescue co-ordinator.

At most races, fans may see him sitting in the medical car as the cars line up on the grid for the start of the race and Dr Roberts said that vehicle is well prepared for emergencies.

"The main equipment carried is the trauma bags, medication, a small fire extinguisher and everything you expect to be in a medical car," he said.

"We of course hope that we never have to use it but it's there in the event of the unthinkable.

"We also see a live view of where cars are on track, if there is a yellow sector for example, that means there is an incident in a certain part of the track and that we may need to step in if it's a crash."

Dr Roberts (left) said being asked by the British Racing Drivers' Club's president David Coulthard to be a member of their club was "the cherry and icing on my motorsport career"

In 2020, for his role in rescuing Grosjean, Dr Roberts was awarded the Innes Ireland Trophy by the British Racing Drivers' Club (BRDC).

The award is for showing courage and sportsmanship, an honour usually given to drivers and which in the past has gone to Sir Stirling Moss and Daniel Riccardo.

He was also given full honorary membership of the BRDC, a rare accolade for someone who does not actually race.

"It was the cherry and icing on my motorsport career when I received [the] letter from club president David Coulthard, inviting me to become a member - the club is strictly for drivers and invite only," Dr Roberts admitted.

Dr Roberts said, given the number of Formula 1 races currently held, he took the odd weekend off

With Formula 1 now increasing its schedule to 24 grand prix weekends, he has taken a step back from covering every race.

While he attends most, he now leads a team of doctors so he can have the odd weekend off.

"Formula 1 does take quite a toll; I move around quite a lot with the sport," Dr Roberts said.

"I could be in Singapore one weekend then back home the next before travelling to another fly away destination."