What Danny Formal said after his fiery IMSA crash that consumed his Lamborghini

Danny Formal and his no. 45 Lamborghini. Source: via Imagn, Instagram, @danielformal37
Danny Formal and his no. 45 Lamborghini. Source: via Imagn, Instagram, @danielformal37

Danny Formal’s race at Virginia International Raceway ended in flames when his Lamborghini Huracán GT3 caught fire during the Michelin GT Challenge. A video posted by IMSA on X shows the No. 45 car on fire before crashing into a barrier. Formal managed to escape and later gave an update on his condition.

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IMSA shared the video and Formal’s statement on its official account. In his own words,

“Everything that could go wrong went wrong, but everything that could go right went really right. Really grateful, really thankful. God was with me for that one. I have some face burns on my lips and my cheeks, but I’m okay.”
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The clip shows flames starting at the back of the Lamborghini before it went off at the Roller Coaster corner, slid across the grass, and hit the tire barrier. Danny Formal set off the fire extinguisher inside the car, got out through the driver’s side door, and moved toward a barrier. He then waited for safety crews to reach him while the car burned.

Autoweek reported that the fire likely came from a fuel system failure. The cockpit filled with smoke and extinguisher spray as Formal tried to control the car. After stopping, he escaped quickly and ran to safety, but he was visibly in pain. Cameras showed him rubbing his eyes and asking for water. He later confirmed he had burns on his lips and cheeks.

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The IMSA safety team put out the fire soon after, but by then, Danny Formal had already cleared the car. Right after the crash, IMSA first said that Formal was being moved to a hospital after being checked at the track. Later, they amended their report, mentioning was treated at the VIR care center and released without needing to go to the hospital. Formal stayed awake and alert the whole time.

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The fire happened with 38 minutes left in the race. His Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini GT3 EVO2 went up in flames quickly and left a trail of smoke as he left the track. Formal got out almost immediately and crossed over a barrier to breathe clean air. Replays confirmed that his helmet visor was down, even though there were early concerns that it had been up.

This accident happened not long after one of his biggest career wins. Last month, Formal and co-driver Trent Hindman gave Wayne Taylor Racing their first GTD-class win with Lamborghini at the Chevrolet Grand Prix in Canada.

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Road America Victory Highlighted Danny Formal’s Form

Three weeks before the VIR crash, Danny Formal was the star at Road America in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America series. He and co-driver Hampus Ericsson won both races that weekend.

In the second race, Ericsson was penalized for a jumped start, which meant Formal had to build a 10-second lead after taking over. He pushed hard, setting three fastest laps in a row, and still finished ahead even after the penalty was applied. After the win, IMSA quoted Formal on their website, saying,

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“Wow! This is my 25th win in the Pro category of Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America and that was by far my favorite race. Hampus got the penalty, unfortunately, so I had to get the 10-second lead. I haven’t driven that hard every lap, pushing as hard as I could, in a long time. I think we’re a lot closer now, heading to Indy. WTR and Lamborghini gave us a rocketship.”

Ericsson praised his teammate’s effort, calling it the best drive he had ever seen. Danny Formal’s victory at Road America was his 25th in the Pro class.

Edited by Anisha Chatterjee
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