FIA Mourns Karting Driver in Swiss New Year's Fire

The International Automobile Federation (FIA) has expressed profound sorrow over the death of 18-year-old Swiss karting driver Joaquim van Thuyne, one of 40 people killed in a devastating fire at a New Year's Eve celebration in Crans-Montana, Switzerland. The blaze erupted late on December 31, 2025, at the Le Constellation bar in the popular Valais ski resort, engulfing the venue and injuring 119 others as revelers marked the transition to 2026.

Authorities have indicated that the fire likely started when lit sparklers attached to champagne bottles were carried too close to the ceiling, igniting flammable materials and causing flames to spread rapidly through the enclosed space. Escape routes were reportedly limited, trapping many inside. A criminal investigation is underway against the bar's owners, probing potential charges including negligent homicide and breaches of fire safety regulations. Officials have not yet released a final determination on the cause or sequence of events, but preliminary findings point to the sparklers as the ignition source.

Among the victims, whose ages ranged from 14 to 39, were at least 15 minors. Van Thuyne, a rising talent in Swiss karting, was...