McLaren’s Formula 1 motorhome at the Spanish Grand Prix had to be evacuated on Saturday morning as emergency services were called following a suspected fire above the kitchen.
Ahead of the final free practice session for this weekend’s race in Barcelona, a host of safety personnel rushed through the paddock to help attend to a fire that had broken out in the area at the rear of what is known as the McLaren Team Hub.
It appears that the fire broke out in the area above the kitchen, so may have involved electrics.
The incident prompted motorhome staff to evacuate team personnel, guests, media and drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, who were seen in the paddock watching the events unfold.
As the fire broke out, Pirelli’s head of F1 and car racing Mario Isola – who is a part-time paramedic – was one of the first on the scene as he and other workers from the tyre company brought in fire extinguishers.
Soon after several fire engines attended the scene, with firemen rushing into the motorhome with hoses to attend to the fire. Ambulances were also in attendance.
Fire alarm at the McLaren Hospitality
Photo by: Jon Noble
With the fire breaking out quickly, it has been unclear if the incident would impact McLaren’s preparations for the final free practice session, with it understood that the equipment of Norris and Piastri is normally kept in the motorhome.
However, the drivers and car crews were seen getting ready as usual shortly after the start of FP3, with most teams in no rush to join the action and get out on track while it was green.
A short statement from McLaren said that its team personnel had escaped safely from the incident.
“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,” said a team spokesman.
The Spanish Grand Prix is no stranger to fire incidents, with the Williams garage famously erupting in a blaze after fuel caught fire after Pastor Maldonado’s victory in 2012.
