WATCH: FIA safety car crashes during a bizarre moment at Monza ahead of Italian Grand Prix

The Italian Grand Prix weekend at Monza took an unexpected turn even before the official action began. The FIA safety car, which plays a crucial role in ensuring the safety of drivers during races, crashed during its pre-weekend circuit tour. The incident, which occurred on Thursday, left fans and officials stunned but thankfully resulted in no injuries.

As part of the standard preparations for a Formula 1 weekend, the FIA safety car and the medical car take to the track a day before the on-track action begins. This routine is essential for testing the timing systems that will be used during the races, and it also offers fans an early glimpse of the weekend's activities. However, this time, the seemingly routine exercise took a bizarre turn.

Here is the video:

El accidente del Safety Car hoy en Monza. Todos están bien y hay un SC extra para el fin de semana así que todo se correrá con normalidad. La FIA investiga el motivo del incidente.pic.twitter.com/4oVbq8OqM6

— Giselle Zarur Maccise (@giselle_zm) August 29, 2024

The crash happened at the Parabolica corner, the final and one of the most challenging turns at the high-speed Monza Circuit. As the safety car approached the corner, it spun out while under braking, veering off the track at high speed. Bernd Mayländer, the seasoned driver behind the wheel of the FIA safety car since 2000, was at the helm during the incident.

FIA clarifies the incident!

Despite the dramatic nature of the crash, the FIA quickly confirmed that neither Mayländer nor his passenger sustained any injuries. In a statement, the FIA reassured everyone that the incident would not affect the upcoming race weekend.

"There was an on-track incident with the FIA Safety Car today at Monza," the statement read. "Aston Martin is investigating the cause but can confirm both driver and passenger are fine. There is an additional Safety Car at the circuit and it will not impact the weekend's event."

While the exact cause of the crash is still under investigation by Aston Martin, the presence of a backup safety car ensures that the event will proceed as planned. The incident, though unsettling, serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of motorsport, even in its preparatory stages. As the Italian Grand Prix unfolds, all eyes will be on the drivers, hoping that the rest of the weekend proceeds without further surprises.