At the Nürburgring

Seriously injured after explosion: police investigate

Following an explosion in the paddock at the Nürburgring that left 22 people injured, police investigations are in full swing. The criminal investigation department was on site again on Saturday, looking for the cause, among other things, according to a police spokeswoman. The affected box is still closed.

According to the organizers, the explosion occurred on Friday evening behind pit 27 in the paddock during a test drive for the NLS4. 22 people were injured as a result, four of them seriously. The remaining minor injuries included blast trauma. According to initial findings, a compressed air cylinder may have exploded, the investigators suspected. However, the exact cause still had to be investigated.

After initial treatment, the injured were taken to hospitals by four rescue helicopters and several ambulances. Chaplains were also on duty. The criminal investigation department is now investigating.

Race aborted 
On Saturday, the six-hour race was once again caused by a race stoppage. As early as the second lap, race cars flew off the track or ended up in a tangle of vehicles due to the flooded track caused by the rain. Because the heavily damaged vehicles were blocking the track, race control temporarily stopped the race. Due to the accident on Friday, some teams had decided not to start.