McLaren F1 staff member hospitalised after Spanish GP fire

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McLaren staff member hospitalised after Spanish GP fire

The F1 paddock rushed to tackle a fire at the McLaren motorhome

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Saturday 22 June 2024 16:34

McLaren were forced to evacuate their hospitality unit after a fire broke out at the Spanish GP.

According to Stefano Domenicali, the fire started in the kitchen and spread to the top floor of the hospitality area.

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The team confirmed later in the afternoon that one staff member was taken to hospital as a precaution, while two fire personnel were taken away to be treated for smoke inhalation, although their condition is not believed to be serious.

A fire has broken out at the McLaren motorhome in Spain

Will the emergency cause Spanish GP delay?

The area around the motorhome was cordoned off, with ambulances and the fire service surrounding the motorhome as smoke continues to linger in the hospitality unit.

A statement from the team read: "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."

The fire was reportedly difficult to put out, with Pirelli chief Mario Isola, also a part time paramedic, helping with the efforts to extinguish the blaze.

Lando Norris told the media that his race suits were inside the motorhome, but his FP3 session was not delayed.

Mario Isola was on hand to help put out the fire

Red Bull were tipped as the team to beat in Spain, however the chasing pack of McLaren, Ferrari and now Mercedes are a genuine threat this weekend, after a strong performance in all three practice sessions.