EMILIANO MARTINEZ’S rally driver brother had to abandon his car after it dramatically went up in flames.
Alejandro Martinez was taking part in a motor race in their homeland Argentina.
But he suffered a dramatic incident halfway through the 12-lap race in La Plata, 35 miles south of Buenos Aires.
The Aston Villa goalkeeper’s sibling was winning when he collided his tyre with another car as they raced around a bend.
And very soon after, Martinez slowed down and stopped the car to the side of the track.
A TV commentator said: “There’s a bit of smoke coming out of the tyre I think more than anything, the left tyre.
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“We’ll have to see if something’s rubbing the tyre or if it’s coming from the engine.”
But then, incredibly, flames suddenly appeared from the bottom of the vehicle and quickly engulfed the car.
The commentator added: “Fire, fire, Martinez’s car is alight,” as the driver reacted rapidly to unbuckle his seatbelt and jump out of the burning motor to safety.
Martinez was then spotted angrily throwing his gloves to the ground, seemingly furious at exiting the race.
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The driver posted video footage from inside his car, showing the moment flames travelled up the bonnet and covered his windscreen as he came to a stop.
He wrote on Instagram: “A beautiful weekend but one to forget.
“We were in the lead and in a minor race collision I ran out of engine and it broke.
“Luckily we came out of it unharmed. Another one to learn from. I thank my family for their unconditional support.”
Martinez is racing this year in a competition called the Bora Cup, driving a Volkswagen with the same number 23 his younger brother wears for the World Cup-winning Argentine national team.
Both siblings are mad about cars and motor racing.
They went to watch the 2018 World Cup in Russia together as fans.
Emiliano only made his international debut in 2021 and went on to play a crucial role in Lionel Scaloni’s team winning the Copa America that year.
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Revealing how he predicted in a conversation with his older brother he would play in the 2022 World Cup, he said in a press conference ahead of the final: “During the 2014 World Cup final I was cooking a barbecue for my family.
“In 2018 in Russia I was in the stands with my brother and I told him that in the next one, I would be there.”
Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
