France, Dec. 3 -- Motor racing chiefs on Thursday launched an investigation into the crash at last Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix in which Romain Grosjean's car hit a barrier and burst into flames.

The Franco-Swiss driver extricated himself from the wreckage and was ushered to safety by race marshals.

The International Automobile Federation (FIA),which oversees world motorsports, said it had starteda detailed analysis of the accident. The inquiry is expected to take between six andeight weeks.

Grosjean, 34, left hospital in Bahrain on Wednesday after being treated for minor burns, a broken left foot and shock injuries.

The FIA's safety director, Adam Baker, said: "With so much data available in Formula 1, it allows us to accurately deter...