In the last DTM championship race at Sachsenring, Nicki Thiim’s victory hopes crumbled after a dramatic collision with driver Jules Gounon, who was returning to the track after his second pit stop. The incident caused Gounon to sustain an injury to his left hand, necessitating his hospitalization.
“I don’t know what happened,” Gounon commented. “I was driving and suddenly I was hit. It was unexpected.” After the accident, he informed the team that he was feeling pain in his hand, which was immediately iced to reduce swelling.
Despite the incident, Gounon was cautiously optimistic about his injury, indicating that he didn’t believe it was broken, but he needed an X-ray. At the medical center, he was provided with a bandage and a splint to keep his hand immobilized.
An unexpected accident
Thiim, for his part, quickly went to see how Gounon was after the incident. “Health comes first,” said the Dane. Before the race, Thiim had stated he was willing to take risks, with the phrase “either the car comes back on a trailer or we score important points” written on his helmet.
Regarding the moment of the accident, Thiim explained: “Luca went completely off the track, Vermeulen also veered, and when I arrived, I completely lost control.” He pointed out that with the previous incidents, something had affected the grip on the track at that moment.
The conditions of the track
Engstler, Abt Lamborghini driver, corroborated the hypothesis that perhaps there was oil on the track, which might have caused the loss of control. “It was strange, as the brakes didn’t seem to respond as before,” Engstler commented.
Vermeulen, who narrowly avoided the accident, also noted that the conditions of the circuit were complicated. “The first sector was very dirty and there were a lot of debris on the track,” he said. The fact that both drivers experienced difficulties in the same section influenced the decision of the officials not to sanction Thiim, in contrast to Engel, who was penalized for a similar incident in the same area.
Consequences for the championship
With this race, Thiim is positioned fifth in the standings, 50 points behind leader Thomas Preining, with only 56 points available. “For me, the chances of fighting for the title are unrealistic,” concluded Thiim, who will approach the upcoming races with more calm.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
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