A massive multi‑car incident at the start of the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup race in Monza forced eight retirements and drove most of the grid into the run‑off area.
Chain reaction engulfs the opening straight
Eight cars crashed within seconds, while another three‑quarters of the field were forced off the racing line. Haupt Racing Team lost both of its Ford Mustang GT3 Evo entries, which had secured pole positions in the Pro and Silver categories, after sustaining severe bodywork damage.
Two McLarens, including Marvin Kirchhofer’s Garage 59 entry, hit the Rettifilo chicane and acted as a moving barrier, eliminating the leading Audi #99, an AF Corse Ferrari, a Comtoyou Aston Martin and the Attempto Audi, among others.
Maxime Martin’s evasive cut draws criticism
GetSpeed driver Maxime Martin, who started from the front row, found his path blocked by three cars side‑by‑side. With no room to continue straight, he steered right onto the grass, then re‑entered the track without making contact.
Martin later said, “I had to move right off the track because there was nowhere else to go, but I got back onto the racing line without touching anyone.” Nevertheless, Alessio Rovera in the #51 Ferrari swerved to avoid Martin, sending the #10 Boutsen‑VDS Porsche into the guardrail and causing Kirchhofer’s McLaren to flip and barrel through the leading group.
GetSpeed withdrew the #17 Mercedes after it lost two laps, and the controversy over Martin’s move remains unresolved.
Key contenders suffer early exits
Valentino Rossi’s WRT BMW #46 retired moments later with a clutch failure, though it is unclear whether the fault stemmed from the pile‑up. The Verstappen‑branded Mercedes, which had previously shown an airborne moment at Le Castellet, suffered a minor impact, pitted for repairs and later retired with a broken suspension after the damage was deemed consequential.
The #48 Winward Mercedes driven by Maro Engel escaped through the emergency exit, avoiding the chaos and remaining in the top ten. Alessio Picariello’s #2 Boutsen‑VDS Porsche also survived the incident.
Financial impact and outlook
At least a dozen cars were damaged in the opening seconds, with repair costs projected to reach several million euros. Teams now face extensive rebuilds and potential penalties as the championship progresses toward the next endurance round.
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