Finnish driver Juha Miettinen lost his life and six other pilots were injured in an accident during the qualifying session for the Nürburgring 24-hour race in Germany on Saturday.
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A tragic event highlighting the risks faced by race car drivers and their vulnerability. Finnish driver Juha Miettinen, 66, lost his life on Saturday, April 18, during the qualifying session of the Nürburgring 24-hour race in Germany after an accident involving multiple cars. Six other pilots were injured but none are in critical condition, according to the organizers.
“Despite the immediate arrival of emergency services, rescuers were unable to save the involved driver, Juha Miettinen (BMW 325i, number 121), after extracting him from the vehicle; the driver was declared dead at the medical center after all resuscitation attempts proved unsuccessful,” the organizers announced on Saturday night.
Four-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen was participating in this race, but his teammate Lucas Auer was driving their Mercedes-AMG GT3 at the time of the accident. The Dutch driver later reacted on his Instagram account, “I am shocked by what happened today. We all love motorsport, but in moments like this, it reminds us how dangerous it can be. My heartfelt condolences go to the family and loved ones of Juha.”
The race did not resume on Saturday night, but a minute of silence will be observed during the grid formation on Sunday.
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