Diogo Jota Crash: Black Box Logs Manual Override 0.8 Seconds Before Impact, But No Prints Match Jota

The investigation into the tragic car crash on July 3, 2025, that claimed the lives of Liverpool FC star Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva has taken a stunning turn with the revelation that the Lamborghini Huracán’s black box logged a “manual override” 0.8 seconds before the fatal collision on Spain’s A-52 motorway. Adding to the mystery, forensic analysis found no fingerprints on the gearshift matching Jota, despite assumptions he was driving. This finding, combined with prior discoveries—a missing Tesla dashcam footage, a Google Maps detour, a second phone activated 31 seconds before impact, a tire pressure drop, an unaddressed stability control glitch, a WhatsApp message, a Porsche family photo, and a heartfelt letter found by Jota’s mother—raises profound questions about the final moments of the tragedy. This article explores the manual override, the fingerprint anomaly, and their implications for the ongoing investigation.

The Crash: A Tangled Web of Clues

Diogo Jota, 28, and André Silva, 25, perished at approximately 12:30 a.m. on July 3, 2025, when their £180,000 Lamborghini Huracán Evo Spyder veered off the A-52 near Cernadilla, Zamora, Spain, struck the central reservation, and burst into flames. The brothers were traveling from Porto to Santander to catch a ferry to England, as Jota was advised against flying due to a recent lung procedure for a pneumothorax. The crash, initially attributed to a tire blowout during an overtaking maneuver, occurred 11 days after Jota’s marriage to Rute Cardoso, leaving her and their three children—Dinis, 4, Duarte, 2, and Mafalda, born in November 2024—in mourning.

The investigation has uncovered a complex sequence of events: a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) detected a 0.5 bar drop 70 seconds before the crash, an unaddressed stability control glitch was confirmed 48 hours prior, and black box data showed gentle braking 1.2 seconds before impact. A WhatsApp message sent to Cardoso at 12:26 a.m. from Jota’s stationary phone, stating “All is well,” suggested a stop, while a Porsche family photo in the wreckage indicated a vehicle swap from a Porsche 911 Turbo S or Tesla. A Google Maps detour to a rural café was entered six minutes before the crash, a second phone was activated under the passenger seat 31 seconds before impact, and 17 minutes of Tesla dashcam footage from earlier that night are missing. Jota’s mother, Isabel Silva, found a heartfelt letter and keepsakes on his desk two weeks later. The new revelation of a manual override and unmatched fingerprints on the gearshift adds a critical twist to the case.

The Manual Override and Fingerprint Anomaly

The Lamborghini Huracán’s black box, a critical tool for crash analysis, logged a “manual override” at 12:29:59.2 a.m., 0.8 seconds before the crash at 12:30 a.m. In high-performance vehicles like the Huracán, a manual override typically involves disabling certain automated systems, such as traction control, stability control, or automatic gear shifting, to give the driver full control. This action, often executed via a button on the console or a gearshift maneuver, is common in supercars for track driving but risky on public roads, especially during a tire blowout.

The override’s timing—0.8 seconds before impact, just after the gentle braking at 1.2 seconds—suggests a desperate attempt to regain control as the Huracán veered off the road. However, forensic analysis revealed a shocking detail: no fingerprints on the gearshift matched Diogo Jota’s. The gearshift, part of the Huracán’s seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, should have borne Jota’s prints if he was driving and initiated the override. Instead, the prints found belong to an unidentified individual, with André Silva’s prints also absent, raising the possibility that someone else interacted with the gearshift or that it was wiped clean.

Several theories could explain this anomaly:

André Silva as Driver: The absence of Jota’s fingerprints suggests André, in the passenger seat, may have reached over to engage the override, possibly in a panic as Jota struggled with the blowout. However, André’s lack of driving experience with supercars and the absence of his prints weaken this theory.

Wiped or Contaminated Prints: The intense fire that engulfed the Huracán may have damaged or obliterated fingerprints on the gearshift. Alternatively, the gearshift could have been cleaned before the journey, perhaps during a recent service, though this seems unlikely given the mechanic’s confirmation of an unaddressed stability control glitch.

Third-Party Involvement: Though speculative, the unmatched prints and hidden second phone activated 31 seconds before the crash raise questions about external interference. Investigators are exploring whether the prints belong to a mechanic, a friend, or another individual who accessed the car before the journey, though no evidence currently supports foul play.

Gloves or No Contact: Jota may have worn driving gloves, common among supercar enthusiasts, preventing his fingerprints from registering. Alternatively, the override might have been triggered via a console button rather than the gearshift, though the black box specifically logged a gearshift-related action.

Dr. Elena Martinez, an automotive safety expert consulted by El Mundo, noted that a manual override during a tire blowout at high speed, combined with a faulty electronic stability control (ESC), could have worsened the situation. “Disabling stability systems in a crisis is like removing a safety net,” she said. The override may have negated any remaining ESC functionality, already compromised by the glitch, leaving the car uncontrollable.

Timeline and Investigative Context

The manual override fits into a tight timeline:

~12:13 a.m.: Tesla dashcam footage, from a vehicle Jota drove earlier, ends, 17 minutes before the crash.

12:24 a.m.: Jota enters a Google Maps detour to a rural café near Cernadilla.

12:26 a.m.: Jota’s primary phone, stationary, sends a WhatsApp message to Cardoso: “All is well.”

12:28:50 a.m.: The Huracán’s TPMS detects a 0.5 bar tire pressure drop, 70 seconds before impact.

12:29:29 a.m.: A second phone under the passenger seat is turned on, 31 seconds before impact.

12:29:58.8 a.m.: Black box logs gentle braking, 1.2 seconds before impact.

12:29:59.2 a.m.: Black box logs a manual override, 0.8 seconds before impact.

12:30 a.m.: The Huracán crashes and bursts into flames.

The override’s timing, just after the gentle braking, suggests a last-ditch effort to manage the blowout, possibly by shifting gears or disabling traction control. The second phone’s activation 31 seconds prior could indicate André or Jota was troubleshooting the TPMS warning, while the Google Maps detour and stationary stop at 12:26 a.m. suggest a brief pause, possibly to check the vehicle. The missing Tesla footage, ending at 12:13 a.m., might have clarified why Jota switched from the Tesla to the Huracán, which had known mechanical issues.

Spanish police, citing 100-meter tire marks, believe Jota was driving at 160–200 km/h, exceeding the A-52’s 120 km/h limit. However, witnesses José Aleixo Duarte and José Azevedo claimed the car was moving at a “moderate” speed, blaming the A-52’s potholes and uneven asphalt. Javier Lopez Delgado of ASEVI noted a prior crash at the same location, highlighting the road’s hazardous barriers. The unmatched fingerprints now challenge the assumption that Jota was driving, though his position in the driver’s seat and the black box’s braking data strongly suggest he was.

Implications for the Investigation

The manual override and fingerprint anomaly have shifted the Guardia Civil’s focus. Key questions include:

Who Initiated the Override? If not Jota or André, whose prints are on the gearshift, and when were they left?

Driver Confirmation: Was Jota truly driving, or could André or another individual have been involved in the final moments?

Override Purpose: Was the override an attempt to regain control, or did it exacerbate the loss of stability caused by the blowout and ESC glitch?

Investigators are cross-referencing the gearshift prints with those of mechanics, family members, or others who accessed the Huracán. The second phone’s data, the Tesla footage recovery, and the café detour’s purpose are also under scrutiny. The Huracán’s recall history, including a 2024 crash protection issue, and the unaddressed ESC glitch suggest maintenance failures, while the pyrotechnic door ejection system’s likely failure trapped the brothers.

Safety and Accountability Demands

The manual override and fingerprint anomaly have intensified calls for reform. The Huracán’s mechanical issues underscore the need for stricter supercar maintenance protocols and clearer safety alerts. The A-52’s hazardous conditions demand urgent infrastructure upgrades. Advocates are pushing for mandatory supercar driver training and enhanced dashcam reliability, especially after the missing Tesla footage. Lamborghini faces scrutiny over the Huracán’s safety systems, with potential legal implications if the ESC glitch or override contributed to the crash.

The Football World’s Grief

The football community continues to mourn, with tributes from Virgil van Dijk, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Arne Slot, who called Jota “a friend to everyone.” Liverpool delayed pre-season training, and fans left flowers at Anfield and Gondomar’s Igreja Matriz, where the brothers’ funeral drew thousands on July 5. Isabel Silva’s discovery of Jota’s letter and Rute Cardoso’s loss, compounded by the Porsche photo, highlight the personal tragedy.

Conclusion

The discovery of a manual override 0.8 seconds before Diogo Jota and André Silva’s fatal crash, paired with no matching fingerprints on the gearshift, adds a shocking twist to an already complex tragedy. Combined with missing Tesla footage, a Google Maps detour, a second phone, and mechanical failures, these findings suggest a frantic final moment clouded by uncertainty. As the Guardia Civil investigates, the football world honors two champions, while advocates demand reforms to prevent such heartbreak. Jota and Silva’s legacy endures, a testament to their love for family and football.