McLaren’s hospitality suite at the Spanish Grand Prix has been evacuated after a fire broke out ahead of final practice.
Fire services arrived on the scene shortly after 12:00 local time with smoke emerging from the building at the Circuit de Catalunya outside of Barcelona.
According to the PA news agency, Lando Norris was among those evacuated as the blaze broke out just as Practice Three was due to start.
A McLaren spokesperson confirmed all team members had been evacuated safely.
A short statement read: “This morning we evacuated our Team Hub paddock hospitality unit following a fire alert, the team has been safely evacuated while the local fire brigade handled the issue.”
Sky Sports News understands that at least two fire staff personnel were treated for smoke inhalation but their condition is not thought to be serious.
McLaren CEO Zak Brown was seen outside the two-levelled suite as final practice started as scheduled.
Brookes: We could smell the smoke from TV compound
Sky Sports F1’s Rachel Brookes at McLaren:
“I’ve just spoken to someone from the team who was in the kitchen and they say the smoke has come from between the floors which explains why it was difficult to put out. They think it was electrical.
“The smoke came down into the hospitality which was busy with media and guests.
“The driver rooms are inside the ground floor, so they need to get their helmets and race suits, unless they have spares for final practice.
“Everyone from McLaren got out OK but a couple of fire personnel have been taken away with oxygen masks.
“We could smell the smoke from the TV compound which is quite a way away.”
‘Fire teams were quickly on the scene’
Sky Sports’ James Galloway in Barcelona:
“Fire teams were quickly on the scene in the paddock with crews seen with hoses going into the hospitality unit, which was evacuated after the fire broke out.
“It’s a busy paddock, as ever, at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya but officials cleared a central path through the middle of the paddock so the emergency vehicles could easily get through to get to the McLaren unit and unfolding incident.”
