April 29 (Reuters) - 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 French former Formula One driver, who survived a fireball crash in Bahrain ​in 2020, described the bird ⁠strike at around 230mph ⁠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, senior vice-president for ⁠PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of ​Animals) 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.

The Indianapolis ‌500 is on May 24. ​Grosjean drives for the Dale Coyne Racing team.

(Reporting by Alan BaldwinEditing by Toby Davis)