Juha Miettinen, a 66-year-old race car driver, was killed after a seven-vehicle pileup during qualifying races for the 24 Hours of Nürburgring on Saturday, April 18, 2026, marking the first racing death at the Nordschleife circuit since June 2013.
The tragedy unfolded roughly 25 minutes into the four-hour qualifying event when fluid left on the track at the Klostertal exit section caused drivers to lose control, triggering a chain-reaction collision involving seven cars on the third lap of the ADAC 24h Nürburgring Qualifiers.
Misha Charoudin, a driver who was positioned directly behind the crash, reported the fluid spill that preceded the accident. “There was a very big crash,” Charoudin told Viaplay. “Someone left fluid behind and I think six or seven cars crashed into each other, so there is a huge traffic jam. You approach that stretch at 220 kilometres per hour and if you can’t brake…”
Miettinen was pulled from his BMW 325i following the massive collision and taken to the track’s medical center, where resuscitation efforts failed and he died, organizers confirmed. The six other drivers caught in the pileup received precautionary examinations at the medical center and nearby hospitals but suffered no life-threatening injuries, officials said.
“During the first race of the ADAC 24h Nürburgring Qualifiers (18 April 2026), a serious accident involving seven competitors occurred in the early stages of the race,” the ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring stated. “Following the collision between several vehicles, race control immediately halted the race to allow for extensive recovery and rescue operations.”
The Klostertal section where the incident occurred is a fast, blind right-hand kink on a steep uphill section of the track, where drivers approach at speeds exceeding 200 km/h before braking for the following Steilstrecke corner.
The collision involved Miettinen’s BMW 325i (#121), an Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 (#27), another BMW 325i E90 (#111), two Porsche Caymans (#410 and #448), a Toyota Supra (#503) and a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (#992). At the time of the crash, a Gamota BMW (#23) held the race lead after starting from pole position.
The Nordschleife layout at the Nürburgring, located near the town of Nürburg in Germany’s Eifel mountains, is widely regarded as one of motorsport’s most demanding and dangerous circuits. The Nordschleife alone spans nearly 13 miles, featuring more than 150 corners with barriers positioned perilously close to the racing surface. For the 24-hour race, it combines with the modern Grand Prix circuit to form a roughly 16-mile layout. The circuit’s unforgiving nature has claimed numerous lives throughout its storied history.
Four-time Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen, who was competing in the same race as part of his preparation for his debut at the 24-hour endurance event scheduled for May 16–17, shared his condolences on Instagram following the tragedy. Verstappen’s teammate Lucas Auer was driving their Mercedes-AMG GT3 at the time of the incident; Verstappen himself was not on the track.
“Shocked by what happened today,” Verstappen wrote. “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.”
Verstappen raced on Sunday when competition resumed, but a damaged front splitter forced an unscheduled pit stop and ended his bid for victory. The race did not resume following the initial stoppage on Saturday.
Just one day before the fatal crash, Miettinen’s Instagram account — a collaboration post with co-driver Dan Berghult — captured his excitement for the upcoming races with a video of their motorsport car.
“Ready for the N24H Qually races,” the caption read. “Two races in two days. The first one into the night. The second one way too early in the morning, just so you get a taste of that Nürburgring 24H race feeling…”
Race officials from the 24 Hours of Nürburgring extended their sympathies to Miettinen’s family. “The thoughts of everyone involved in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring are with the bereaved family of Juha Miettinen,” the statement read.
Organizers announced that a minute’s silence would be held in Miettinen’s honor during the grid formation when competition resumed at 1 p.m. local time on Sunday. The moment of silence was duly observed before the race.
The tragedy serves as a sobering reminder of the inherent dangers that persist in motorsport, even as safety standards continue to evolve. While modern racing has seen dramatic improvements in driver protection, the high-speed nature of the sport and the demanding characteristics of circuits like the Nordschleife mean risk can never be entirely eliminated.