McLaren hospitality evacuated after suspected electrical fire at Circuit de Catalunya
Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool
Fire erupts at McLaren hospitality center in Barcelona.
Barcelona, Spain – In a dramatic start to the weekend, the McLaren Formula One hospitality center at the Circuit de Catalunya was evacuated following a fire outbreak on Saturday morning.
The blaze, which ignited just moments before the final practice session of the week, was rapidly attended to by the circuit's firefighting team. Notably, Mario Isola, head of F1 tyre supplier Pirelli and a volunteer firefighter in Italy, rushed into the affected unit wielding an extinguisher.
McLaren released a statement confirming the incident: "This morning we evacuated our Team Hub paddock hospitality unit following a fire alert. The team has been safely evacuated while the local fire brigade handles the issue."
The fire is suspected to have been electrical, occurring between two levels of the structure, although this has not yet been officially confirmed.
Despite the disruption, the final practice session proceeded on schedule as the fire was contained within the paddock area behind the pit-lane complex. McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, who were promptly evacuated from the hospitality center, participated in the session without delay.
An eyewitness reported seeing a McLaren employee exiting the unit carrying the race suits of Norris and Piastri amid the evacuation.
Both drivers showcased their professionalism by making early appearances on the track, undeterred by the morning's unexpected events.
The racing community will undoubtedly keep a close watch on any further developments regarding the fire incident as the weekend progresses.
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