Nicki Thiim’s title hopes had been shattered in Sunday’s DTM race on the Sachsenring when he crashed into Winward Mercedes driver Jules Gounon, who was simply returning to the observe after his second pit cease. It occurred in dramatic vogue, because the “Mamba” was hit exhausting on the fitting entrance by the Aston Martin, leaving the Frenchman with an harm to his left hand.
“I do not know what occurred,” says Gounon. “I used to be driving and all of the sudden obtained hit. It got here out of nowhere. Sadly, the hit was on the steering.” The Frenchman instantly reported over the radio that he was experiencing ache in his hand – and iced it instantly after the crash.
“I do not suppose it’ is damaged, however I have to make an X-ray,” says Gounon, who was given a bandage and a splint on the medical heart to maintain the hand immobilized. The ache was “okay”, he stated after the race. “That is why I feel it is okay.”
“Go exhausting or go house”: Thiim didn’t rule out crash earlier than the race
hiim shortly went over to Gounon and requested how he was doing. “Well being all the time comes first,” says the Dane. “Clearly, he has one thing on his wrist if you get such an sudden hit. However he can transfer his hand.”
The Comtoyou Aston Martin driver had introduced earlier than the race that he was going to take most dangers. “I stated earlier than the race: Both the automobile comes again on a flatbed, or we rating actually good factors,” says the son of DTM legend Kurt Thiim, who even has “Go exhausting or go house” written on his helmet.
However how did Thiim expertise the crash? “Luca went fully off, Vermeulen additionally went straight on – after which I get there,” the Aston Martin driver says, mentioning that Abt Lamborghini driver Luca Engstler had gone into the gravel instantly forward of him, whereas Emil Frey Ferrari driver Thierry Vermeulen had solely simply managed to make the nook.
Thiim satisfied: “One thing was on the observe at that time”
“I see Jules popping out, I brake – and all of the sudden I fully lose grip and slide into Jules,” Thiim describes the crash. “Mistaken time, improper place! Completely no dangerous intention.” And he makes it clear: “I might not have made the nook if he hadn’t been there. One thing was on the observe at that time.”
He additionally observed within the automobile “that the deceleration all of the sudden simply dropped off. That’s all the time an indication that there was one thing there.”
Thiim additionally says he didn’t brake too late. And he feels that Engstler’s off helps his concept: “To get to the place Luca was, for instance, he must have a whole brake failure.”
“Automotive didn’t decelerate”: Engstler believes there was oilÂ
That matches the feedback made by Abt Lamborghini driver Engstler: “My feeling was that there was oil within the braking zone – or possibly I touched the white line. One thing should have occurred. It was very unusual. I hit the brakes and instantly went into ABS. The automobile didn’t decelerate in any respect. Then it simply went straight on.”
In response to Engstler, he selected a “related braking level” to the laps earlier than. And one lap later, the whole lot was “high quality once more” at that spot.
The 26-year-old suspects that the observe nonetheless being barely damp might have performed a task. “When oil and water combine, it will get much more slippery than when it is fully dry.”
Vermeulen additionally struggles: “Quite a lot of stuff on the observe”
And Vermeulen, who had simply managed to make the nook instantly beforehand and narrowly averted Thiim, additionally had issues. “I noticed Gounon popping out of the pits, so I knew I needed to brake late to cowl him,” says the Dutchman. “And I discovered a bit much less grip than I anticipated. I do not know if I used to be a bit too huge or if there was one thing on observe.”
The Emil Frey Ferrari driver is relieved that he was not the one who hit the Winward Mercedes. In response to him the primary sector was typically very soiled: “There was plenty of stuff on the observe. I feel I collected this a bit and within the braking it pushed me a bit huge.”
Marks behind the motive force’s door: That is the a part of the automobile Thiim hit Gounon with
Foto: Sven Haidinger/smg
Why Thiim, not like Engel, was not penalised
That was additionally the explanation why the stewards didn’t penalize Thiim for the incident, not like Maro Engel, who took out Kelvin van der Linde on the identical spot. Due to the opposite incidents instantly beforehand, they concluded of their report “that the observe floor at this specific level was compromised when it comes to out there grip.”
Thiim now sits fifth within the standings – 50 factors behind DTM chief Thomas Preining, with 56 factors nonetheless out there. “For me, going to Hockenheim with theoretical probabilities is just not occurring,” says Thiim, for whom the title struggle is successfully over. “You can too drive just a little extra relaxed then.”
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– The Motorsport.com Staff