Finnish driver Juha Miettinen passes away in a tragic accident at the 24h Nürburgring Qualifiers

On Saturday, April 18, Finnish driver Juha Miettinen passed away following a massive accident at the Nürburgring in Germany. The tragedy occurred during the ADAC 24h Nürburgring Qualifiers, a series of endurance races. The crash happened when a seven-car pile-up took place at the Klostertal section of the Nordschleife. Six other drivers involved in the crash have sustained injuries.

Juha Miettinen, a 66-year-old veteran racer, was driving a BMW 325i. Despite immediate medical intervention and attempts at resuscitation at the circuit's medical center, he succumbed to his injuries. He had a long affiliation with the NLS (Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie) and was known for his deep love and respect for the Green Hell.

While an official investigation is ongoing, early reports suggest a fluid leak or oil spill on the track may have caused a sudden loss of grip, leading to a massive seven-car pile-up. Juha was extracted from the car by emergency teams and taken to the circuit’s medical center, where he unfortunately passed away after resuscitation efforts failed.

Six other drivers were hospitalised for precautionary checks. These included drivers from teams racing Aston Martin, Porsche and Toyota. Thankfully, none of their injuries are life-threatening. Most were kept overnight for precautionary examinations due to the high G-forces involved in the impact, which was estimated to have occurred at speeds exceeding 200 km/h.

The incident gained massive international attention because F1 driver Max Verstappen was also competing in the same event as part of his preparation for the Nürburgring 24 Hours. He was sharing a Mercedes-AMG GT3 with Lucas Auer but was not on the track when the accident occurred. Max shared a heartfelt tribute on social media shortly after: "Shocked by what happened today. Motorsport is something we all love, but in times like this it is a reminder of how dangerous it can be. Sending my heartfelt condolences to Juha's family and loved ones."

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