Juha Miettinen, a 66-year-old Finnish amateur racer, died in the Nürburgring Medical Center after a seven-car pileup during the opening race of the ADAC 24h Nürburgring Qualifiers on Saturday, April 18, 2026.
The crash occurred just after 6 p.m. In the Klostertal section of the circuit, where the track was blocked in the approach to the steep incline, bringing emergency vehicles rushing to the scene within minutes.
Race officials confirmed that vehicles with start numbers #27, #111, #121, #410, #448, #503, and #992 were involved in the collision, with Miettinen’s BMW 325i (#121) among them.
The Nürburgring Qualifiers were halted immediately after the crash
The event was red-flagged shortly after the incident, and the scheduled four-hour race was not resumed, with organizers citing the need for rescue and recovery operations.
For more on this story, see Juha Miettinen dies in multi-car crash at Nürburgring Qualifiers.
Six other drivers were taken to hospital but are not in critical condition
Max Verstappen, who was not involved in the crash, expressed shock on social media
The FIA joined Verstappen in offering condolences to Miettinen’s family and friends
A minute’s silence will be observed before Sunday’s race in Miettinen’s memory
Why was the race not restarted after the crash?
Officials stated the decision to cancel the remainder of the Qualifiers was made to prioritize emergency response and out of respect for the deceased driver and those injured.
