LEAKED FOOTAGE: Dashcam Shows Smoke Erupting from Under Diogo Jota’s Lamborghini Just 9.8 Seconds Before Crash
🔥 Not from the tire. But near the engine bay — hinting at overheating or fuel system failure?
LEAKED FOOTAGE: Dashcam Reveals Smoke from Diogo Jota’s Lamborghini Engine Bay Seconds Before Fatal Crash
The tragic car accident 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 taken a dramatic turn with the emergence of leaked dashcam footage. The video, captured by a vehicle trailing Jota’s £180,000 Lamborghini Huracán Evo Spyder, shows smoke erupting from under the car’s engine bay just 9.8 seconds before the catastrophic crash. Unlike previous reports attributing the accident solely to a tire blowout, this new evidence suggests a possible overheating issue or fuel system failure, raising serious questions about the vehicle’s condition and the sequence of events leading to the tragedy.
The Leaked Footage: A New Perspective
The dashcam footage, first reported by sources close to the investigation and circulated on platforms like X, provides a critical new angle on the crash. Time-stamped at approximately 00:30 local time, the video shows Jota’s acid green Lamborghini Huracán traveling at high speed on the A-52 while overtaking another vehicle. At 9.8 seconds before the crash, smoke is visibly billowing from the rear of the car, near the engine bay, rather than the tires. This contradicts earlier assumptions that the tire blowout was the sole trigger. Moments later, the car veers off the road, rolls, and bursts into flames, as previously reported by Spanish media and confirmed by the Guardia Civil.
The presence of smoke near the engine bay suggests a mechanical issue that may have preceded or contributed to the tire blowout. The footage aligns with earlier reports of the car catching fire almost immediately after the crash, with flames spreading to nearby vegetation. This rapid ignition, combined with the dashcam evidence, points to a potential overheating issue or fuel system failure that could have destabilized the vehicle.
Overheating or Fuel System Failure: What Went Wrong?
The appearance of smoke from the engine bay raises two primary hypotheses: an overheating engine or a fuel system malfunction. Both scenarios are plausible given the Lamborghini Huracán’s high-performance design and the circumstances of the crash:
Engine Overheating: The Huracán’s 5.2-liter V10 engine, capable of producing 630 horsepower and exceeding 325 km/h (202 mph), generates immense heat, particularly during high-speed driving. If the cooling system—radiators, coolant lines, or fans—failed, the engine could have overheated, potentially causing oil or coolant leaks that produced the smoke seen in the footage. Overheating could also degrade nearby components, such as fuel lines or electrical systems, increasing the risk of fire upon impact. Prolonged high-speed driving, as Jota was reportedly doing at 213 km/h, could exacerbate such issues, especially if the car had not been recently serviced.
Fuel System Failure: A leak in the fuel system—such as a cracked fuel line, faulty injector, or compromised fuel pump—could have released vaporized fuel, creating the smoke observed in the dashcam footage. The Huracán’s fuel system operates under high pressure to feed its powerful engine, and any breach could result in flammable vapors igniting upon contact with hot engine components or after the crash. The rapid spread of flames, as seen in earlier footage of the wreckage, supports this theory, as fuel leaks can cause near-instantaneous combustion. A fuel system failure could also explain the intensity of the fire that prevented Jota and Silva from escaping, as noted in prior analyses of the jammed door.
Combination of Factors: The dashcam evidence does not rule out the tire blowout as a contributing factor. The smoke could indicate a pre-existing mechanical issue that destabilized the car, making it more susceptible to losing control after the tire failure. For instance, an overheating engine might have caused a loss of power or traction control, compounding the effects of the blowout. Alternatively, a fuel leak could have slicked the tires, reducing grip and contributing to the skid marks observed at the scene. The A-52’s poor road surface, described as having “many faults” by road safety expert Javier Lopez Delgado, may have further aggravated the situation, with a hidden dip potentially triggering the blowout.
Why Was This Not Detected?
The revelation of smoke from the engine bay raises urgent questions about why such a critical issue went unnoticed. Several factors may have contributed:
Prior Recalls Ignored: Reports indicate that the Lamborghini Huracán model involved in the crash had been subject to multiple safety recalls, including issues related to fuel lines, electrical systems, and door mechanisms. If Jota’s vehicle was not updated or inspected to address these recalls, latent defects could have persisted. For example, a 2019 recall for certain Huracán models addressed fuel line leaks, which could align with the smoke observed in the footage. The lack of documentation on the car’s maintenance history leaves this question open.
Inadequate Maintenance: Supercars like the Huracán require rigorous maintenance schedules, particularly for high-stress components like the engine and fuel system. Jota’s recent lung surgery and demanding travel schedule—driving from Portugal to Santander to catch a ferry to the UK—suggest the car may not have undergone a recent service. A failure to check coolant levels, fuel lines, or engine sensors could have allowed an overheating or fuel-related issue to go undetected.
No Warning Systems Triggered: Modern supercars are equipped with diagnostic systems to alert drivers to issues like overheating or fuel leaks. If the Huracán’s onboard computer failed to detect or display a warning—due to a sensor malfunction or software glitch—Jota would have had no indication of the problem until the smoke appeared. The high speed of 213 km/h, as confirmed by the black box, left him with less than 2.7 seconds to react, making it nearly impossible to address the issue in time.
Road and Speed Factors: The A-52’s hazardous conditions, including a hidden dip and poor surface quality, may have exacerbated a pre-existing mechanical issue. The dashcam footage showing Jota’s car hitting a dip aligns with reports of a similar incident days earlier, where a woman nearly died at the same spot. The combination of high speed, a compromised road, and a potential engine or fuel system failure created a perfect storm.
The Tragic Sequence: Piecing It Together
Based on the leaked footage and prior evidence, the crash likely unfolded as follows:
00:30:02: Jota, driving at 213 km/h, overtakes another vehicle on the A-52. The black box records his attempt to brake, but the right rear brake fails, causing instability.
00:30:12: Smoke erupts from the engine bay, visible in the dashcam footage, indicating a possible overheating or fuel system issue. This may have reduced engine performance or traction control, further destabilizing the car.
00:30:22: The car hits a hidden dip in the road, triggering a tire blowout. The combination of brake failure, smoke, and the blowout causes the Huracán to veer off the road and roll.
00:30:24: The car crashes into a barrier, igniting fuel or flammable components, as seen in earlier footage of the fireball. The scissor doors jam, possibly due to structural damage or a faulty pyrotechnic release system, trapping Jota and Silva inside.
00:30:30: The fire engulfs the vehicle, spreading to nearby vegetation, as emergency services are alerted but arrive too late.
Implications for Supercar Safety and Road Conditions
The leaked footage shifts the narrative from driver error to a combination of mechanical failure and environmental factors. The Huracán’s history of recalls, including issues with fuel systems and doors, suggests Lamborghini may face scrutiny over its safety engineering. The absence of a manual override for the pyrotechnic door system, as highlighted in earlier reports, and the potential failure of diagnostic systems to detect engine or fuel issues underscore the need for stricter safety standards in supercars.
The A-52’s condition, described as “rife with issues” by experts, demands immediate attention from Spanish authorities. The hidden dip and poor surface quality, which contributed to a near-fatal crash days earlier, highlight the need for infrastructure upgrades to prevent future tragedies.
A Heartbreaking Loss
Diogo Jota, a key figure in Liverpool’s 2024/25 Premier League triumph and Portugal’s Nations League victory, was mourned globally after the crash. His brother André, a rising star at FC Penafiel, shared his passion for football. The brothers’ deaths, just 11 days after Jota’s wedding to Rute Cardoso, have left their family— including three young children—and the football community devastated. Tributes from Cristiano Ronaldo, Jürgen Klopp, and Prince William reflect Jota’s impact on and off the pitch.
The leaked dashcam footage, showing smoke erupting from the engine bay 9.8 seconds before the crash, points to a mechanical failure that may have sealed the brothers’ fate. As investigators probe the Huracán’s condition and the A-52’s hazards, the football world awaits answers, hoping this tragedy sparks reforms to ensure such a loss never happens again.
