Seven-Car Pile-Up at Nürburgring 24-Hour Qualifying, Finnish Driver Dies
A serious accident occurred during the qualifying race for the Nürburgring 24-Hour Race in Germany on April 18th local time. Just 25 minutes into the race, a seven-car pile-up occurred on the track, resulting in the death of 66-year-old Finnish driver Juha Miettinen. The qualifying race was subsequently cancelled.
According to multiple media reports, the accident was reportedly caused by an oil leak on the track. A race car experienced a fluid leak on a high-speed section, causing multiple following cars to lose control in succession, resulting in a chain-reaction collision involving seven vehicles.
Miettinen’s BMW 325i sustained severe damage in the collision. He was rescued from the car but died despite rescue efforts.
It is understood that Miettinen was an experienced amateur racer who had been actively participating in the Nürburgring Endurance Series for many years. The race organizer, ADAC, issued a statement after the accident expressing its deep condolences on Miettinen’s passing and extending sympathy to his family.
This qualifying race was originally a qualifying round for the Nürburgring 24-Hour Race, with four-time F1 World Champion Max Verstappen also registered to participate, making this year’s event highly anticipated. Verstappen won the Nürburgring 4-Hour Endurance Race in March this year, but his result was later cancelled due to a tire violation by his team. He had originally planned to make his debut on the Nürburgring North Loop in the main race in May.
After the accident, Verstappen expressed his condolences to the deceased driver on social media. Many participating drivers also spoke out, calling on the race organizers to further strengthen safety measures.
The Nürburgring North Loop is over 20 kilometers long and has more than 170 corners, earning it the nickname "Green Hell." It is one of the most dangerous and challenging race tracks in the world.
Although the race organizers have continued to invest in track safety facilities in recent years, including adding guardrails, buffer zones, and safety warning systems, unexpected situations at high speeds are still difficult to avoid completely.