Latest news with #LeMansCup
The Independent
08-04-2025
- Automotive
- The Independent
Health update after F1 Academy champion's fireball crash
Former F1 Academy champion Marta Garcia crashed during a Le Mans Cup race in Barcelona after her Porsche was hit from behind, causing it to hit a tyre barrier and catch fire. Garcia was briefly trapped in the smoke-filled car before marshals helped her escape through the passenger door. She was taken to the hospital for precautionary checks due to smoke inhalation but was released on Tuesday. The other driver, Elesio Donno, took responsibility for the incident. Garcia's team, Iron Dames, confirmed she is recovering well and thanked the marshals and medical staff.
New York Times
08-04-2025
- Automotive
- New York Times
Marta Garcia: Former F1 Academy champion out of hospital after major crash
Former F1 Academy champion Marta Garcia has been released from hospital following a serious crash in a Le Mans Cup race at Barcelona. The Spanish driver was leading Saturday's race at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya when contact with a Ferrari car from the AF Corse squad triggered a frightening accident for the inaugural F1 Academy champion. Advertisement It occurred halfway through the 2025 season opener for the championship that supports the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans sportscar race, as Garcia's Iron Dames Porsche car slammed into the barriers at high speed and caught fire. Garcia, who later said in a post on Instagram that the crash registered a 21G impact force, was initially trapped in a cockpit that was filling with smoke, as her driver's side door had been damaged in the initial crash. But after trackside marshals broke the passenger side door, the 24-year-old was able to exit the wreckage. In a post on Instagram, she called the incident 'one of the toughest moments in my career,' adding that she had inhaled some smoke and felt dizzy afterwards. 'I couldn't open my door because it was stuck from the impact, and I started panicking as more and more smoke was coming into the car… until the marshals broke the co-driver's door and got me out,' the post read. She was taken to a hospital near to the track, which is situated around 25km north of downtown Barcelona, and stayed overnight as a precaution. Tests revealed she had suffered no major injuries, Garcia said on Instagram, and after a second night in hospital, she was released on Tuesday morning. A post shared by Marta | Racing Driver (@martagarcialopez19) Since being released from hospital on Tuesday, Garcia has travelled back to the Barcelona track to support the Iron Dames/Prema Racing organization with which she competed in the 2024 Formula Regional European Championship (FRECA) by Alpine, posting a picture of herself trackside on Instagram. The series is a step up motorsport's single seater pyramid — the path for young drivers to learn the ropes if they hope to one day race in Formula One — from F1 Academy. It uses similar cars to the all-female championship, albeit with more powerful engines, and is supported by the Renault-owned Alpine road car manufacturing brand. After finishing 28th in the 2024 FRECA standings following her F1 Academy title-winning season the year before, Garcia announced that she would stop competing in single-seater championships and concentrate on sportscar racing. (Top photo by Simon Galloway/LAT Images for Formula E)
The Independent
08-04-2025
- Automotive
- The Independent
F1 Academy champion gives health update after massive fireball crash
Former F1 Academy champion Marta Garcia has reassured fans she is recovering in hospital after a frightening fireball crash in which she was momentarily trapped in her smoke-filled Porsche car. Garcia, the first F1 Academy champion in 2023, was taken to hospital for precautionary checks after a high-speed crash while racing for the Iron Dames in Saturday's Le Mans Cup race at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Garcia was leading the GT3 Class when her Porsche 911 was sent off track after being clipped from behind by Elesio Donno in the AF Corse Ferrari, smashing into a tyre barrier and rebounding back onto the circuit, with the vehicle then catching fire. The 24-year-old was then scarily stuck in her car before marshals broke through the passenger-side door to help her escape from the smoke-filled cockpit. 'Yesterday, I experienced one of the toughest moments in my career,' Garcia wrote on Instagram, alongside a picture of her in the hospital where she was taken for precautionary checks after inhaling some smoke. She was released from hospital on Tuesday morning. 'I had a very heavy crash at the Circuit de Barcelona, with an impact of 21 Gs. Another driver hit me from behind and I went straight into a tyre barrier next to the wall. 'The car caught fire, and although I managed to get out by myself, I inhaled some smoke and felt dizzy afterwards. 'I couldn't open my door because it was stuck from the impact, and I started panicking as more and more smoke was coming into the car… until the marshals broke the co-driver's door and got me out. 'I'm so thankful to them for reacting so quickly and for the job they did.' Donno, 20, took full blame for the incident and apologised with a statement on Instagram, saying: 'I would like to sincerely apologize to Marta Garcia and the Iron Dames team for the incident during the Michelin Le Mans Cup race at Montmelò. 'I take full responsibility for my actions on track. Sorry again.' Garcia's Iron Dames team also released a statement, expressing their 'gratitude' to the trackside marshals for their quick response. 'We are pleased to confirm that Marta Garcia is recovering well following her incident,' a statement read. 'After undergoing extensive medical examinations, she has been cleared of any major injuries and is already back to smiling. As a precaution, she stayed under observation overnight and will have a follow-up assessment. 'We extend our gratitude to the trackside and hospital medical teams, as well as to all the fans for their support. Marta's health and safety remain our top priority, and we look forward to seeing her back on track soon.' Garcia won the inaugural F1 Academy title – the all-female racing series – in 2023 and raced in the Formula Regional European Championship last year, though failed to score a point in 20 races.
