Juha Miettinen, a Finnish driver, has lost his life and six other pilots were injured in an accident that occurred during the 24 Hours of Nürburgring qualifications in Germany on Saturday.
Published
Reading time: 1min
/2026/04/19/69e4858e7ba5e516669892.jpg "Motor sport: The 24 hours of the Nürburgring overshadowed by the death of a driver in an accident")
A tragic event that highlights the risks taken by race car drivers and their vulnerability. Juha Miettinen, 66 years old, lost his life due to an accident during the qualifications for the 24 Hours of Nürburgring on Saturday, April 18, 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, the rescuers were unable to save the driver involved, 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”, announced the organizers on Saturday evening.
Formula 1 four-time world champion Max Verstappen was competing in this race, but it was his teammate Lucas Auer who 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 out to Juha’s family and loved ones.”
The race did not resume on Saturday evening, but a minute of silence will be observed during the start grid formation on Sunday.
:fill(black)/2026/04/19/69e4fed5bf360685744463.jpg "Tornadoes: a destructive wave crosses the United States")
