French racing driver Romain Grosjean has angered animal rights group Peta for “flippant” comments after hitting a bird while testing for next month’s Indianapolis 500.
The driver, who survived a fireball crash during the 2020 Formula One Bahrain GP, described the bird strike at around 230 mph in graphic terms this week.
“I still have blood on my race suit, there were pieces of the bird on the rollbar. I couldn’t see where I was going any more, there’s plenty on the aero screen,” he said. “The helmet stinks, the seat stinks. I didn’t get any chicken for lunch; I just walked past it.”
Mimi Bekhechi, the senior vice-president for Peta UK and Europe, accused the 40-year-old of lacking empathy.
“Birds have feelings, apparently more than Grosjean does, considering that he seemed more concerned with his car, helmet, and suit – all replaceable – than the smash-up of this unsuspecting bird,” Bekhechi said in a statement.
Peta highlighted the plight of birds raised in factory farms and promised to send Grosjean some plant-based chicken.
It’s not the first time Grosjean has struck an animal on a racetrack. In 2018 during practice for Formula One’s Canadian Grand Prix, a groundhog got on the course as Grosjean drove through the 13th turn. The surprise, albeit unavoidable collision, damaged the nose of Grosjean’s car and drew his ire because he said race officials had not done enough to prevent it.
The Indianapolis 500 is on 24 May. Grosjean drives for the Dale Coyne Racing team.
