After 11 days of recovery due to a serious accident at Norisring, Kelvin van der Linde has returned to sit behind the wheel of his BMW M4 GT3 Evo. The Schubert team took advantage of the first day of private testing allowed during the season to prepare for the DTM that will take place in Oschersleben this weekend.
Van der Linde, 30, expressed his satisfaction at returning to the track: ‘I am incredibly happy to be back in the racing car. The team has worked intensely and rebuilt the vehicle in just one week.’ The driver is optimistic about his participation in the upcoming race.
How the test went in Oschersleben
During the test session, van der Linde completed an extensive testing program under favorable conditions, with temperatures close to 30 degrees. Alongside him, his teammate Marco Wittmann and Dorr-McLaren drivers Ben Dorr and Timo Glock also participated. ‘We completed about 70 laps and I felt good in the car,’ van der Linde stated, highlighting that the vehicle worked perfectly.
However, despite this favorable position, the scenario against the competition in Oschersleben is more complicated, as far as BMW’s history is concerned, this track is not the best. Van der Linde is in twelfth place in the season standings and needs to make a significant leap in the upcoming race.
Imminent challenge in Misano
This weekend, van der Linde will also compete in Misano in the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup, alongside his Belgian teammate Charles Weerts. After receiving medical clearance to participate, he is determined to perform well with his WRT team after the difficulties he faced during the first half of the season.
Situation of Maximilian Paul
In contrast to van der Linde’s quick recovery, his teammate Maximilian Paul faces a longer recovery period after suffering fractures to the tibia, fibula, and a lumbar fracture in the accident. His team, Grasser, is uncertain about the participation of the second Lamborghini Temerario GT3 this weekend due to the availability of parts for repair.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
