Romain Grosjean Hits Bird at 230 MPH During Indy 500 Test, PETA Isn’t Happy About It

PETA Mad After Grosjean Hits Bird at 230 MPHIcon Sportswire - Getty Images

Romain Grosjean is no stranger to spectacular racing incidents; his fiery crash at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix is one of the most dramatic in recent memory. He just survived another dramatic crash, but this time he didn’t hit a crash barrier—he hit a bird at 230 miles per hour.

The incident occurred during testing for the Indianapolis 500; Grosjean escaped unharmed, but the bird was not so lucky. And according to a report by Reuters, the animal rights group PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) was not at all happy with Grosjean after his comments regarding the incident.

First, it's important to note that Grosjean was lucky to escape the bird strike unharmed. In 2020, IndyCar began fitting all racecars with a protective windshield around the cockpit to protect drivers from flying debris, the catalyst behind the innovation being the tragic death of IndyCar driver Justin Wilson after a piece of debris from another car struck him on the head during a 2015 race. If Grosjean didn’t have the aeroscreen to protect him, the outcome may have been much worse.

As it was, the bird strike caused quite a mess. "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," said the Dale Coyne Racing driver. "The helmet stinks, the seat stinks. I didn't get any chicken for lunch; I just walked past it," Grosjean continued.

It was those word that did not sit well with PETA. "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," said Mimi Bekhechi, senior vice-president ⁠for PETA UK and Europe. PETA went on to say that they would be sending Grosjean some plant-based "chicken."