Terrible news from the Nürburgring last night: driver Juha Miettinen (66) died after a serious accident in the early stages of the race. The race management then decided to stop the race. Max Verstappen reacted to the fatal accident: ‘Motorsport is something we all love, but at moments like these, it reminds us how dangerous it can be’.
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The 24h Nürburgring Qualifier was interrupted by terrible news last night. In the early stages of the race, 25 minutes after the start of the planned 4-hour race, the race was stopped due to an incident in the Kolstertal section. A car leaked oil onto the track, making the circuit extremely slippery. Seven cars were involved in the incident. A long period of uncertainty followed.
Organization statement
At 8:00 PM, the organization behind the NLS races announced that driver Juha Miettinen had died. “The first race of the ADAC 24h Nürburgring Qualifiers has been overshadowed by a tragic incident in which a driver lost his life,” the organization said in a statement. “In the opening phase of the race, a serious crash occurred involving seven cars.”
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The statement continues: “After the collision, the race management decided to immediately stop the race to allow emergency services space for rescue and recovery operations. Despite the rapid deployment of emergency services, the life of Juha Miettinen, driver of the BMW 325i with start number 121, could not be saved. He died in the Medical Centre after resuscitation attempts were unsuccessful. As a result of the incident, it was decided not to resume the race on Saturday evening. The organization of the 24 Hours of the Nürburgring has stated that the thoughts of all involved go out to Miettinen’s family and loved ones.”
Verstappen reacts
Max Verstappen was also present at the Nürburgring at that time. The Dutchman was scheduled to compete later in the race. Verstappen wanted to gain experience driving in the dark on the Nordschleife. “Shocked by what happened today,” Verstappen posted on his Instagram. “Motorsport is something we all love, but at moments like these, it reminds us how dangerous it can be. My sincere condolences to Juna’s family and loved ones.”
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