Spanish Grand Prix: Fire breaks out at McLaren hospitality suit, place evacuated by authorities

In a dramatic turn of events just hours before the crucial Free Practice Session 3 of the Spanish Grand Prix fire broke out in Barcelona. McLaren's hospitality suite at the Circuit de Catalunya was evacuated due to a fire that broke out earlier today.

The incident, which occurred shortly after noon local time, prompted an immediate response from fire services as smoke billowed from McLaren's Team Hub paddock hospitality unit. Eyewitness reports indicate that the blaze erupted just as the team was preparing for the final practice session before qualifying.

Check out images from Barcelona:

#F1 || 🚨🚨Fire in the paddock at the McLaren boxes right now👀#SpanishGP 🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/JgEJFCqV3J

— Mercedes-AMG Passion Club (@MercedesAMGPCF1) June 22, 2024

Among those evacuated was McLaren driver Lando Norris, highlighting the seriousness of the situation as safety protocols swiftly swung into action at the renowned Barcelona circuit. However, the incident didn’t affect the FP3 session as it started on time at Circuit de Catalunya.

McLaren issues statement over fire incident

A McLaren spokesperson assured that all team members and personnel were safely evacuated from the affected area. In a brief statement addressing the incident, they stated, "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 handled the issue."

Emergency responders swiftly attended to the scene, and according to initial reports from Sky Sports News, two fire service personnel were treated for smoke inhalation. Fortunately, their injuries are understood not to be severe, providing a measure of relief amidst the tense atmosphere.

Despite the disruption caused by the incident, McLaren CEO Zak Brown was observed outside the two-levelled suite as the final practice session commenced as scheduled, signalling the team's resilient response to the unforeseen setback.

Notably, McLaren had a mixed day on Friday with two practice sessions. The team encountered some issues with their car and will be keen to solve them before the qualifying session as it will be very important at a circuit like this.