The 32-year-old remained in the car, and showed incredible composure when he realised his car was on fire.
Suarez was unharmed but the incident took him out of the race, as he returned to the pit box to have the fire extinguished.
"The other crazy thing is I was able to feel the heat," Suarez said after the race.
"But because I don't run a rearview mirror, I run the rearview camera, I couldn't see it.
“The rearview camera, as you guys know, is connected in the rear bumper. I can see the smoke, but I couldn't see the fire. I can feel the heat, but I couldn't see how big it was."