Aston Martin F1 Safety Car Involved in Big Crash at Monza

The Aston Martin Vantage used as the Formula 1 safety car crashed on Thursday during routine testing in the lead up to this weekend’s race at Monza. Neither occupant was hurt incident, but the cause of the crash is unclear.

Video of the crash appears to show safety car driver Bernd Maylander losing control as he entered Parabolica corner—one of the fastest bends of the race track. The car sails off the pavement at high speed, spinning until it eventually strikes the barriers.

The bizarre nature of the incident—how the car moved under braking—has set the internet ablaze with theories the crash could’ve been caused by a mechanical problem rather than driver error. Some suggest the brakes might’ve overheated, and that Maylander purposely initiated a slide in an attempt to slow the car. 

“There was an on-track incident with the FIA Safety Car today at Monza,” the FIA said in a statement. “Aston Martin is investigating the cause but can confirm both driver and passenger are fine. There is an additional Safety Car at the circuit and it will not impact the weekend’s event.”

This isn’t the first time there’s been drama with safety cars. At the 2002 Brazilian Grand Prix, Nick Heidfeld crashed into the door of the parked Mercedes medical car moments before driver Alex Ribeiro stepped out, narrowly avoiding serious injury. Just two years earlier at the Monaco Grand Prix, Ribeiro crashed the medical car into the barriers during a test run that Saturday.