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The crash behind this line is Nico Hülkenberg’s lap-one collision with Romain Grosjean at the 2018 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, held at Yas Marina Circuit on 25 November 2018. Hülkenberg’s Renault R.S.18 rolled toward the barriers and came to rest upside down, with flames visible at the rear. He got out unhurt. This is the 2018 race, not a later Abu Dhabi round.
This page does not embed or link a video clip. The sequence below comes from Formula 1’s race report and contemporary press coverage, so use those reference points when you compare any footage you find.
What happened on lap one
Hülkenberg and Grosjean were battling through Turns 8 and 9 on the opening lap when their cars made contact. Formula 1’s race report of 25 November 2018 says Hülkenberg appeared to misjudge Grosjean’s position as he moved across. The sequence that followed:
- Contact sent the Renault toward the barriers.
- The car stopped upside down, with flames visible at the rear.
- The incident brought out the Safety Car.
- Marshals extinguished the fire and righted the car, and Hülkenberg climbed out unhurt.
The radio message in two versions
The phrase most people remember comes from the broadcast, but the wording differs between published accounts.
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| Source | Wording of Hülkenberg’s radio message |
|---|---|
| Formula 1 official race report (25 November 2018) | “Holy f*** I’m hanging here like a cow!” |
| Fuller version in contemporary press coverage, including The Guardian | “Get me out of here, there is fire, there is fire.” then “I’m OK but I’m hanging here like a cow. Get me out of this car.” |
The shorter version is the one that circulated widely. The fuller version adds his request to be released from the car and his mention of fire, which is why it matters for the safety story. Because edited versions differ, quote the one you are citing rather than treating either as a complete transcript.
Hülkenberg’s account of the contact
In remarks reported by Motorsport.com on 27 November 2018, Hülkenberg said both drivers locked up at Turn 8. He thought Grosjean had run off, so he went for the Turn 9 apex, then realised Grosjean was still alongside him. He said he had not seen Grosjean because the Haas was in his blind spot, and he described the contact as a racing incident. That is his own retrospective account, not an official finding of who was at fault.
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How the car was made safe
Fire and recovery
Marshals put out the small fire and righted the car. Hülkenberg waited for them rather than climbing out on his own. He said a barrier limited the space on one side and the gap was very small, and that the marshals reacted quickly. The reporting does not establish how long he was in the car, so no extraction time can be given.
Race control and the radio link
FIA race director Charlie Whiting explained the procedure to The Guardian, published 26 November 2018: “When you have an accident like that the radio from the car is automatically routed to race control so we get immediate information.” Race control could confirm that Hülkenberg was all right and pass that to the doctors approaching the scene. The routine is to right the car carefully before the driver is allowed out. Whiting said the procedure worked as it should and that the medical delegate was satisfied.
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Did the Halo block his exit?
Two statements address this, and they are not the same kind of evidence.
- Hülkenberg’s view: “I don’t know if the halo blocked me or not.” He described limited space on one side and a very small gap, but did not say the device prevented his exit.
- Whiting’s view: the extraction procedure worked as intended, and the medical delegate was satisfied.
Nothing in the reporting establishes that the Halo delayed his exit or contributed to the crash. Hülkenberg’s uncertainty is a personal observation from inside the car; Whiting’s comment is the race director’s assessment of the procedure.
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