Driver Assaults Rival with Helmet After Crash at Encamp's Crash Car Event

The Crash Car event in Encamp attracted 46 teams and around 2,000 spectators to the Prada de Moles car park despite heavy rain, but a post-collision assault overshadowed the competition.

Organizers from the Festa Commission described the incident as an isolated occurrence unprecedented in the event's history. In a late round, a severe impact flipped one vehicle. Its driver, upon exiting, attacked the other competitor with his helmet. The victim, also wearing a helmet, escaped serious harm as bystanders and security intervened quickly. The aggressor was removed from the site amid boos from the crowd, and his team received a multi-year ban from future events. Officials urged the victim to report the matter to police.

The popular motorsport, a highlight of Encamp's Festa del Poble blending demolition-style ramming and chaotic crashes, unfolded over several hours in progressive elimination rounds. Each lasted about five minutes, followed by two-minute repair windows where drivers like Edgar Montellà attempted fixes—such as changing a wheel or adding radiator fluid—before his car failed just before the final. Vehicles featured creative modifications, including video game motifs, a drag queen design, and one representing Andorra's Castellers group, which took second place.

Heavy storms forced many attendees to seek shelter under porches, umbrellas, or nearby structures like the Riberagües road viaduct and surrounding verges, yet crowds persisted, cheering dramatic flips, skids, and body parts flying through the air. The event started early due to insistent participants and fans. A female duo and local figures including communal councillor Nino Marot competed among entrants from Andorra and neighboring areas.

Finalists from the Ortun-Elias team condemned the violence, emphasizing the fun nature of the spectacle. They noted the rain added epic challenge by reducing dust, with most handling the conditions well.

Rubén da Costa and Carlos Gutiérrez emerged victorious, raising the trophy after outlasting the field in cars stripped of windows for safety and painted in vibrant sprays. The Festa Commission praised the turnout and participation as a success.