Grosjean to skip final Haas race after crash: 'The best decision for my future'

Romain Grosjean has agreed to sit out of his final Formula One race as a Haas driver after suffering burns to his hands in last week's terrifying crash in Bahrain.

Grosjean's car split in two and became engulfed in flames after making contact with Daniil Kvyat and crashing through a safety barrier at high speed early in the Bahrain Grand Prix.

The Frenchman remarkably escaped with only the damage to his hands, though, and was discharged from hospital this week.

But Grosjean, who will leave Haas at the end of the season, the team naming a new line-up including Mick Schumacher, has failed in a bid to return at Abu Dhabi.

The driver acknowledged the need to protect his health with no next move yet agreed.

"I have left a lot of time for the doctor to discuss, but for my health and for my safety, it's better that I don't take the risk to race in Abu Dhabi," Grosjean said in a video posted on Twitter.

"It's a very difficult decision, but it's the best one for my future. Hopefully I will now work on what's coming next, where I'm going to go racing, where I'm going to go winning races.

"I would like to thank everyone for the messages, the support, the love. It has been incredible to see in a difficult time."

Update for you #r8g pic.twitter.com/dBLE7ZSzcA
— Romain Grosjean (@RGrosjean) December 6, 2020

In a team statement, Grosjean added it was "one of the hardest decisions of my life, but it's obviously one of the wisest".

"I will miss the team, but I will be supporting them as ever," he said.

Team principal Guenther Steiner said: "I'm naturally very sorry that Romain will miss what was going to be his final race with Haas F1 Team.

"But we are all in agreement that he has to take the best course of action regarding his treatment and recovery from last Sunday's incident.

"Romain has shown exceptional bravery and amazing spirit over the last few days - we know how badly he wanted to be able to return to the cockpit of the VF-20 in Abu Dhabi. And we all would have loved him to have been there, too.

"Romain believed in our Formula One project at the very start; he committed to drive for us before we'd even built a car.

"There is no doubting the determination and sheer effort he has put into helping us to achieve what we have as a young team in Formula One.

"We will forever be grateful for that belief and commitment. It is those qualities, his drive and ambition, that I'm sure will aid him on his recovery.

"On behalf of Gene Haas and myself, together with the whole Haas F1 Team operation, we wish Romain well and a return to full health."

Pietro Fittipaldi will continue to deputise alongside Kevin Magnussen next week, before Schumacher and Formula Two rival Nikita Mazepin arrive for the 2021 campaign.