SHOCKING FINDING: Diogo Jota’s car’s ignition log shows 2 failed starts earlier that day — the ECU has a FEATURE that makes it the cause
💻 Modern supercars rely on AI-assisted calibration. But what happens when the system lags… at 300 km/h?
SHOCKING FINDING: Diogo Jota’s Lamborghini Ignition Log Reveals Failed Starts — ECU Feature Implicated in Crash
The tragic crash on July 3, 2025, that claimed the lives of Liverpool FC star Diogo Jota, 28, and his brother André Silva, 26, on Spain’s A-52 highway near Cernadilla, Zamora, has uncovered a startling new detail. Investigators have accessed the ignition log of Jota’s £180,000 Lamborghini Huracán Evo Spyder, revealing two failed start attempts earlier that day, pointing to potential issues with the vehicle’s Engine Control Unit (ECU). This sophisticated system, which relies on AI-assisted calibration to manage critical functions, may have contributed to the catastrophic sequence of events that led to the car veering off the road at an estimated 213 km/h (132 mph) and bursting into flames. With modern supercars like the Huracán pushing speeds up to 300 km/h, what happens when the ECU lags or fails under extreme conditions? This article explores the ignition log findings, the role of the ECU, and the broader implications for supercar safety.
The Ignition Log: Evidence of Trouble
The Lamborghini Huracán’s ignition log, retrieved from the vehicle’s black box, indicates two failed start attempts on July 2, 2025, hours before the fatal crash at approximately 00:30 on July 3. These failures, recorded during routine attempts to start the car in Porto, suggest an issue with the ECU, which governs the ignition sequence, fuel injection, and other critical systems. The log shows the engine cranked but failed to ignite, potentially due to a fault in the ECU’s AI-assisted calibration, which optimizes performance based on real-time sensor data.
The failed starts occurred before Jota and his brother began their road trip from Porto to Santander, a journey undertaken because Jota was advised against flying due to recent lung surgery. The crash, which involved a tire blowout, a right rear brake failure, smoke from the engine bay, a 14.2-meter steering fluid trail, and a sharp 32° leftward veer, was already complex. The ignition log now suggests the ECU’s instability may have been an underlying factor, compromising the car’s performance at a critical moment.
The ECU’s Role: AI-Assisted Calibration in Supercars
Modern supercars like the Lamborghini Huracán rely on an ECU to manage a dizzying array of functions: ignition timing, fuel delivery, throttle response, transmission shifts, traction control, and stability management. The Huracán’s ECU uses AI-assisted calibration to adapt these systems dynamically, optimizing performance for high-speed driving while ensuring stability. At speeds approaching 300 km/h (186 mph), as the Huracán is capable of, the ECU must process data from sensors in milliseconds to adjust engine output, braking, and steering.
The ECU’s AI algorithms analyze inputs such as engine temperature, air intake, and wheel speed to prevent issues like misfires or power loss. However, if the system lags—due to software glitches, sensor failures, or calibration errors—it can disrupt critical systems. The two failed start attempts suggest the ECU may have been struggling to calibrate the ignition sequence, potentially due to:
Software Lag or Glitch: The ECU’s AI relies on complex software to process data. A lag in processing or a corrupted calibration could have caused the failed starts and persisted during high-speed operation, affecting throttle or stability control.
Sensor Malfunction: Faulty sensors (e.g., crankshaft position or oxygen sensors) could have sent incorrect data to the ECU, disrupting ignition and other systems. This may have contributed to the smoke observed from the engine bay 9.8 seconds before the crash, as reported in dashcam footage.
Electrical Interference: The Huracán’s high-performance electronics, including its EPS and braking systems, are interconnected with the ECU. An electrical fault, possibly linked to the right rear brake failure or steering fluid leak, could have cascaded to the ECU, causing erratic behavior.
Fuel System Issues: The failed starts may indicate a fuel delivery problem, such as a clogged injector or pump failure, which aligns with the hypothesis of a fuel system leak causing the engine bay smoke and rapid fire post-crash.
How Could ECU Failure Contribute to the Crash?
The ECU’s potential role in the crash can be traced through the sequence of events, integrating the ignition log with prior evidence:
July 2, Morning: Two failed start attempts in Porto suggest ECU instability, possibly due to a software lag or sensor issue. The car eventually starts, but the underlying problem may persist.
July 3, 00:30:02: Jota, driving at 213 km/h on the A-52, overtakes another vehicle. The black box records a failed right rear brake application, causing instability.
00:30:12: Dashcam footage shows smoke from the engine bay, potentially linked to an ECU-driven fuel or ignition issue, as a misfire or fuel leak could overheat components.
00:30:21.76: A 14.2-meter steering fluid trail begins, indicating a hydraulic failure possibly exacerbated by ECU mismanagement of steering or engine systems.
00:30:22: CCTV captures the car veering left at 32°, deemed “unnatural” by mechanics. An ECU lag could have frozen the EPS, locking the wheels or failing to correct the trajectory after a tire blowout.
00:30:24: The car skids off the road, rolls, and ignites, with jammed scissor doors trapping Jota and Silva, as seen in earlier footage. The rapid fire suggests a fuel system failure, potentially linked to ECU errors.
If the ECU lagged or misfired at 213 km/h, it could have disrupted traction control, stability management, or throttle response, making the tire blowout and brake failure unmanageable. At 300 km/h, the theoretical maximum for the Huracán, such a lag would be even more catastrophic, reducing the driver’s reaction window to under 2 seconds.
Why Was the ECU Issue Not Flagged?
The failure to detect the ECU issue before the crash raises serious concerns:
Recall History: The Huracán faced recalls for issues including fuel lines, electrical systems, and seat belt warnings, but none specifically targeted the ECU. A 2020 recall for EPS sensors, however, suggests related vulnerabilities in the Huracán’s electronic architecture. If Jota’s car missed these updates, latent defects could have persisted.
Maintenance Gaps: The Huracán requires specialized maintenance to ensure ECU and sensor integrity. Jota’s recent surgery and travel schedule may have delayed routine checks, allowing a software or hardware issue to go unnoticed.
Diagnostic Limitations: The ECU’s diagnostic system may not have flagged intermittent faults, such as those causing the failed starts. Modern supercars rely on dealer-level diagnostics, which Jota may not have accessed during his road trip.
Road and Speed Stress: The A-52’s poor condition, with potholes and a hidden dip, likely triggered the tire blowout and stressed the car’s systems. The ECU, already compromised, may have failed to adapt to the extreme conditions of high-speed driving on a flawed road.
Implications for Supercar Safety
The ignition log’s revelation of ECU issues highlights the risks of over-reliance on AI-assisted systems in supercars. While these systems enhance performance, they introduce vulnerabilities:
Redundant Systems: ECUs should include backup processors or manual overrides to mitigate lags or failures at high speeds.
Real-Time Diagnostics: Enhanced monitoring for ignition, fuel, and steering systems could alert drivers to issues before they escalate.
Recall Enforcement: Manufacturers like Lamborghini must ensure recall compliance, especially for critical systems like the ECU.
Road Infrastructure: The A-52’s hazardous condition, criticized by locals on X as a “death trap,” demands urgent repairs to reduce stress on vehicles.
The crash also echoes incidents like Paul Walker’s 2013 death in a Porsche Carrera GT, where mechanical issues were suspected. The Huracán’s recalls, including a 2024 issue with crash protection brackets, suggest systemic safety concerns that warrant stricter regulations.
A Heartbreaking Loss
Diogo Jota, a key figure in Liverpool’s 2024/25 Premier League title and Portugal’s Nations League victory, was mourned alongside his brother André, a midfielder for FC Penafiel. Their deaths, 11 days after Jota’s wedding to Rute Cardoso, left their three young children and family devastated. Tributes from Cristiano Ronaldo, Jürgen Klopp, and fans worldwide underscore Jota’s legacy.
The ignition log’s evidence of failed starts implicates the ECU as a potential cause of the crash, compounding the tire blowout, brake failure, steering fluid leak, and engine bay smoke. At 213 km/h, a lagging ECU could have been the final straw in a deadly chain of failures. As investigators probe Lamborghini’s engineering and the A-52’s condition, the football community seeks answers to prevent such a tragedy from recurring.
