The upcoming competition weekend in the DTM at Oschersleben will see the Grasser Racing team lined up solely with Mirko Bortolotti’s Lamborghini Temerario GT3. This decision arises after the serious accident involving Maximilian Paul at Norisring two weeks ago.
Despite the Austrian team’s efforts to have a second car ready and find a substitute for Paul, who is now injured, team principal Gottfried Grasser has indicated that the main reason for the inability to repair the vehicle is delays in the supply of parts. ‘We could have found a driver, but logistically it is not feasible to repair the car in time,’ commented Grasser.
Interestingly, the structure of the Temerario GT3 that was involved in the accident remains intact, and under normal conditions, its repair would be possible since damaged components can be replaced. However, the team does not have a spare car, which further complicates the situation.
Future Perspectives
For the team, the proposed solution is for the second Lamborghini from Grasser to be back on the grid for the sixth DTM weekend at Nürburgring in a month. ‘We are in contact with Lamborghini about this and consider it realistic,’ added Grasser.
Paul’s withdrawal, who suffered fractures in the tibia, fibula, and a fracture in a lumbar vertebra during the race, reduces the number of vehicles on the DTM grid in Oschersleben to just 20 cars.
After the Norisring Accident
On the other hand, Kelvin van der Linde, a BMW driver also affected by the accident, has been able to return to competition and will participate in Oschersleben. He has successfully completed some pre-tests at the circuit, stating that he is in good shape. This will allow him to compete on Saturday and Sunday in the GT World Challenge Europe races in Misano alongside his teammate Charles Weerts.
In the case of Maximilian Paul, who has just been discharged from the hospital in Nuremberg, the severity of his injuries involves a long rehabilitation process before he can return to competition.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
