Marcel Fassler escapes injury after massive Corvette fire

Marcel Fassler has escaped injury following a massive fire for the No. 4 Corvette C7.R in Sunday’s penultimate test session at the Roar Before the 24.

The Swiss driver bailed from his GT Le Mans contender after it caught fire while entering NASCAR Turn 2.

The incident brought out a lengthy red flag period for cleanup.

Corvette Racing has since been sent packing up early from the Roar Before the 24, following a decision to park its No. 3 Corvette C7.R after the fire.

The blaze, according to Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S Vice President, Performance Vehicles and Motorsports, was triggered by an issue with the fuel line.

“Until the root cause of the issue with the No. 4 Corvette C7.R can be identified, the No. 3 Corvette C7.R will not return to the track this weekend,” Campbell said in a statement.

The fire damage was limited to the engine compartment of the car, with the Pratt & Miller squad not expecting to need a replacement chassis for the rebuild.

The No. 4 Corvette had completed 241 laps over the course of the three-day test prior to the incident, with Fassler having set the car’s fastest lap of 1:41.717 in Sunday morning’s session prior to the fire.

Fassler and 2016 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GT Le Mans champions Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner head into this year’s race as defending class winners, following the manufacturer’s 1-2 finish last year.