A fire erupted in the McLaren motorhome at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, causing a scare in the F1 paddock on Saturday morning. The blaze, suspected to have started above the kitchen, led to an immediate evacuation and a swift response from emergency services.
Photo Credit: X | via @charlclerc
The fire broke out in the area known as the McLaren Team Hub, prompting motorhome staff to evacuate team personnel, guests, media, and drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. Both drivers were seen outside the motorhome, observing the situation as it unfolded.
Pirelli’s head of F1 and car racing, Mario Isola, who is also a part-time paramedic, was one of the first responders. Alongside other workers from the tyre company, Isola used fire extinguishers to tackle the blaze initially. Shortly after, multiple fire engines arrived, and firefighters entered the motorhome with hoses to control the fire. Ambulances were also on standby at the scene.
McLaren paddock home in Barcelona evacuated due to a fire. Fire engine and ambulance just arrived. Paramedics now heading there with a stretcher pic.twitter.com/kD0uddHPst
— Tom Cary (@tomcary_tel) June 22, 2024
Despite the dramatic incident, McLaren confirmed that all team personnel were safely evacuated.
“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 handle the issue,” a McLaren spokesman stated.