A dramatic incident unfolded during a Formula 4 race at Italy’s Imola circuit when 15 drivers were involved in a major crash at the start line, leading to the race being suspended after just 17 seconds. The chaos began in the second race of the day when one car failed to move as the lights signaled the start.
Footage captured the mayhem as drivers tried to navigate around the stationary car, resulting in collisions and a subsequent large crash at the rear of the 39-car grid, causing debris to scatter across the start line. Despite the frantic waving of yellow flags at the race start, visibility issues led to the unfortunate chain of events. The race was halted with a red flag raised shortly after the pile-up.
Fortunately, all drivers involved in the crash emerged unharmed. Race officials initially paused the event but later made the decision to cancel it due to the track’s noise curfew, with no confirmed date for a rescheduled race.
Questions arose from some motorsport enthusiasts regarding the high number of cars on the grid compared to a typical Formula 1 race. Concerns were voiced on social media platforms about the overcrowded grid and the challenges faced by drivers in spotting warning signals such as the yellow flags.
Fans expressed relief that no injuries occurred despite the significant crash, praising the safety measures that prevented more serious consequences. In the earlier Formula 4 race, Gabriel Gomez secured victory at Imola, edging out Salim Hanna Hernandez by 0.616 seconds in the promotion’s debut at the circuit.