After a monumental victory in Barcelona, driver Thierry Vermeulen has been affected by an injury that could compromise his participation in the final event of the DTM season in Hockenheim. The young driver from Emil Frey Racing achieved victory alongside his teammate Ben Green at the GT World Challenge Europe (GTWCE), but a celebration gesture resulted in an unfortunate fall.
Vermeulen, 24, jumped from the roof of his Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo but landed poorly and had to cut short his initial winner’s interview. Initially, it was thought he was suffering from circulation problems, as he fell to his knees and needed support. However, the technical director of Emil Frey, Jurg Flach, has confirmed that the fall was the cause of his discomfort.
Flach explained that “drivers wear shoes with little cushioning and a thin sole. If you jump from a certain height, this can be detrimental to the feet”. Additionally, the driver seems to have injured his left foot, which poses a significant obstacle, as he will need to apply more than 100 kilos of force to use the brakes during the competition.
The big question is whether Vermeulen will be able to compete in Hockenheim. Flach remains optimistic: “I think everything will be fine; I hope he can race without issues”. Moreover, the technical director has ruled out the need for a substitute driver, anticipating that the situation will clarify after the first practice session on Friday.
Currently, Vermeulen sits in 11th place in the championship, with a total of 98 points in his fourth season in the DTM. This year he has excelled with two second-place finishes in qualifying and a third in his local event in Zandvoort.
Meanwhile, his teammate Matteo Cairoli continues to fight for the title, although he is 47 points behind the leader and will need a chaotic race on Saturday to have any real chance. Regarding track conditions, Flach stated he would prefer to show good performance in normal conditions to make up ground, rather than rely on the anticipated rain.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
