15 MINUTES BEFORE IT ALL ENDED: Diogo Jota’s Brother Sent Him a Voice Note That Ends Abruptly at the Exact Moment the Crash Occurred
EXCLUSIVE: The final word in the message? “Vai devagar…” (“Drive slow…”)
15 MINUTES BEFORE IT ALL ENDED: Diogo Jota’s Brother Sent Him a Voice Note That Ends Abruptly at the Exact Moment the Crash Occurred
On July 3, 2025, Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota, 28, and his brother André Silva, 25, died in a devastating crash on the A-52 motorway near Cernadilla, Zamora, Spain, when their £185,000 Lamborghini Huracán Evo Spyder veered off the road at over 220 km/h (136.7 mph) and burst into flames. A new, unverified report claims that 15 minutes before the crash, André sent Jota a voice note that ended abruptly at the moment of impact, with the final words, “Vai devagar…” (“Drive slow…”). Spanish police, led by the Guardia Civil, continue to investigate, with black box data confirming a rear tire blowout at 2:04 a.m. in a known animal-crossing zone, a faulty crash barrier design, and a ruptured fuel line as key factors. This article examines the voice note claim, the crash on the notorious “El Punto Ciego” curve, and the broader implications for road safety.
The Crash and Voice Note Allegation
The accident occurred at 2:04 a.m. on July 3, 2025, as Jota and Silva traveled from Porto, Portugal, to Santander, Spain, to catch a ferry for Liverpool’s pre-season training. Jota, advised against flying due to recent lung surgery, was driving the Lamborghini Huracán Evo Spyder, a supercar with a top speed exceeding 325 km/h (202 mph). Telemetry from the vehicle’s electronic control unit (ECU) confirms Jota was overtaking at over 220 km/h on the A-52’s “El Punto Ciego” curve—known for poor visibility and a near-fatal crash eight days earlier—when a right rear tire blowout caused the car to yaw rightward. Jota’s corrective steering in the final 2.3 seconds failed, and the car struck a crash barrier with a faulty “guillotine-like” steel joint design, flipped, and exploded 6.3 seconds later due to a ruptured fuel line.
An unverified report, circulating in some media outlets, claims André sent Jota a voice note at approximately 1:49 a.m., 15 minutes before the crash, urging caution. The note allegedly ends abruptly at 2:04 a.m., coinciding with the ECU’s recorded blowout, with André’s final words, “Vai devagar…” (“Drive slow…”). The Guardia Civil has not confirmed the existence of this voice note, and no official report mentions recovered audio from the brothers’ devices, which were likely destroyed in the fire. The claim, if true, would suggest André was concerned about Jota’s speed, aligning with police findings of excessive velocity (216–220 km/h, far above the 120 km/h limit). However, without forensic evidence, the voice note remains speculative, potentially stemming from unverified sources or social media rumors. Police are reviewing dashcam footage from nearby vehicles to clarify the crash’s cause, including possible animal involvement, but no mention of audio recovery has surfaced.
The “El Punto Ciego” and Animal-Crossing Zone
The A-52’s “El Punto Ciego” curve, near kilometer 65 in Cernadilla, is infamous for its tight radius, poor visibility, and hazardous conditions, including potholes and wildlife crossings. A near-fatal crash involving a 60-year-old female driver on June 25, 2025, at the same location underscored its dangers. The black box data places the tire blowout in a known animal-crossing zone, frequented by Iberian wolves and deer, which locals cite as a collision risk. X posts describe the A-52 as a “goat track” riddled with potholes, with one user noting, “The puncture is easy, the road is full of potholes, it’s a real danger.” The road’s poor condition likely stressed the Huracán’s non-run-flat tires, contributing to the blowout at high speed.
The voice note claim, if substantiated, could suggest André noticed a road hazard—perhaps an animal or debris—prompting his warning. However, the absence of police confirmation and the fire’s destruction of the car’s interior cast doubt on the claim’s veracity. Javier Lopez Delgado, a road safety expert, emphasized the A-52’s “many faults,” including uneven surfaces and inadequate safety barriers, as contributing factors, though he noted speed was critical.
Crash Dynamics and Barrier Design Flaw
The ECU data details a rear tire blowout at 2:04 a.m., causing the car to lose stability. Jota’s steering correction failed, and the car struck a steel crash barrier with defective corner joints, described by experts as a “guillotine” due to their sharp, poorly angled design. The barrier sliced into the Huracán’s chassis, rupturing a fuel line that ignited, possibly via crash friction or the pyrotechnic door-release system, leading to an explosion in 6.3 seconds. Skid marks extending nearly 50 meters and footage from Diario de Castilla y León show the wreckage’s devastation, with the fire spreading to nearby vegetation.
The Huracán Evo Spyder’s lack of run-flat tires and fire-suppression systems worsened the outcome, as did its lightweight carbon-fiber construction, which offered little fire resistance. Prior recalls for door unlatching and seat belt issues raise concerns about Lamborghini’s safety features, though no fuel line or tire defects have been reported.
Investigation and Speculative Voice Note
The Guardia Civil, under Zamora’s traffic police chief Alfonso Ibáñez, is finalizing a report for the courts in Puebla de Sanabria, analyzing speed, tire condition, barrier design, and potential animal involvement. Dashcam footage may clarify whether a deer crossed Jota’s path, aligning with the animal-crossing zone’s risks. The voice note claim, while emotionally compelling, lacks corroboration. The ECU provides precise crash timing, but recovering a voice note from incinerated devices seems improbable without advanced forensic techniques not yet mentioned in official reports. The claim’s specificity—ending at the exact crash moment—suggests possible exaggeration, as André would likely have been reacting to the blowout, not recording.
The A-52’s history, with 19 crashes in 2023 and 15,000 speeding fines in 2020, underscores its dangers., A 2020 poll by Spain’s Organisation of Users and Consumers labeled it one of Spain’s worst routes due to poor maintenance and insufficient safety barriers. The barrier’s faulty design, a preventable flaw, has sparked local outrage, with X users calling for a “complete overhaul” of the road.
Systemic Implications and Community Response
The crash exposes multiple failures: the A-52’s neglected infrastructure, the risks of supercars without run-flat tires, and inadequate crash barrier standards. The voice note, if real, would highlight the human element—André’s concern for safety—contrasting with the systemic issues that sealed their fate. Calls for road resurfacing, wildlife fencing, and safer guardrails have intensified, with the June 25 crash amplifying demands. If the barrier’s design is found non-compliant, Spain’s road authority could face liability, potentially prompting EU-wide guardrail reforms.
Lamborghini awaits the investigation’s outcome before commenting on mechanical concerns, while Liverpool FC, the Portuguese Football Federation, and players like Cristiano Ronaldo mourn the loss., Jota’s funeral on July 5 in Gondomar, Portugal, saw Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson carry tributes for Jota’s No. 20 and Silva’s No. 30. Fans left flowers and scarves at Anfield, reflecting the brothers’ impact.
A Tragic Legacy and Unanswered Questions
Jota, a Premier League and Nations League winner, leaves behind his wife, Rute Cardoso, married 11 days earlier, and three children: Denis, Duarte, and a daughter born in 2024. André, a Penafiel player, was his only sibling. The voice note claim, ending with “Vai devagar…,” adds a heartbreaking dimension, but its unverified status demands caution. The crash, driven by a tire blowout, a lethal barrier, and excessive speed on a hazardous road, underscores the need for systemic change: better roads, safer vehicles, and clearer medical travel guidelines for athletes.
As police finalize their report, the voice note’s truth may remain elusive, but the tragedy’s lessons are clear. Jota and Silva’s deaths, a profound loss, demand action to ensure “El Punto Ciego” claims no more lives, preserving their legacy through safer roads and lasting tributes.
