ROMAIN GROSJEAN has said without the halo device on his car, which he was against introducing, he would not be alive today.

Grosjean will miss this weekend’s Sakhir Grand Prix following the burn injuries sustained in his terrifying 140mph fireball crash at Sunday’s Bahrain Grand Prix.

The French driver’s car split in two and burst into flames after he pierced through a steel barrier at 137mph following a collision with AlphaTauri’s Daniil Kvyat.

Grosjean scrambled to get out of his burning wreckage for almost half a minute before leaping to safety.

The force of the impact registered at 53G, but Grosjean escaped with just minor burns to his hands. He was airlifted to the BDF Military Hospital, 10 miles north of the Bahrain International Circuit.

The halo device — a three-pronged titanium protection system which sits above the driver’s head and was introduced in 2018 — played a prominent role in the Frenchman’s remarkable survival.

Grosjean had been sceptical about the introduction of the halo, but on Sunday night, with both his hands in bandages and tubes monitoring his vital statistics, he said: “I wasn’t for the halo some years ago but I think it’s the greatest thing that we brought to Formula One and without it I wouldn’t be able to speak to you today.”

Grosjean’s Haas team said treatment on the Frenchman’s hands is “going well,” but that he will spend another night in hospital.

The team said it is anticipated that Grosjean, 34, will be discharged tomorrow.

He will be replaced by the team’s Brazilian reserve driver Pietro Fittipaldi this weekend on the outer loop of the Sakhir Circuit in Bahrain.