The brutal event involving Grasser Lamborghini driver Maximilian Paul and Schubert BMW driver Kelvin van der Linde dominated Saturday’s DTM contest at the Norisring. After the race, the team reported that Paul’s Temerario GT3 had lost its entire front end, and he was admitted to hospital with a suspected lower‑leg fracture.
“Heướ doesn’t feel well,” Grasser told Motorspe‑t‑Total.com, adding that the team was still conducting a series of examinations before any definitive diagnosis could be issued.
Van der Linde reported lingering pain in his left leg and arm, which he was seen clutching following the collision.
Despite efforts: Kelvin van der Linde will not start on Sunday
After a medical assessment at the centre, van der Linde was taken to hospital at his own request to ensure a thorough evaluation. “He’s currently undergoing further examinations, including an MRI,”ביא said team boss Torsten Schubert, adding that no definitive findings had yet been communicated. A BMW spokesperson later relayed that the driver was in a good state overall with no serious injuries, only bruising. Nevertheless, the car was deemed unfit جگہ and a replacement was to be sent to the track, which ultimately did not materialize.
Why Paul could no longer brake
The crash, which occurred at the Grundig‑Hairpin, unfolded as Paul’s Lamborghini, still approaching its pit stop, veered sharply to the right, losing control while decelerating at over 250 km/h. The impact tore the rear axle out, leaving the vehicle with only three functional wheels and rendering braking efforts impossible. Consequently, the car slammed into the left side of van der Linde’s BMW, which was in the process of turning into the hairpin.
Schubertsr: “We can be glad it wasn’t a front‑engine car”
Schubert noted the force was sufficient to dislodge van der Linde’s BMW door and compromise the chassis. “The side pipes are broken,” he confirmed. “It was fortunate that a front‑engined vehicle didn’t hit us, otherwise the damage would have been even more severe,” he added, pointing to the weight distribution of the front‑mid‑engined Lamborghini.
Paul’s later collision with the tyre Bulldogs was less violent, as the vehicle had already been decelerated significantly by the BMW. Initial investigations had suspected faults with the new Temerario’s brakes, which have been prone to overheating, but analysis of telemetry data proved otherwise. The real culprit, it appears, was an oil slick from Timo Glock’s McLaren.
Data proves: It was not a Lamborghini brake failure
Telemetry analysis found perfect brake performance up to theSpecifier: point of impact. “There was absolutely no brake failure,” Grasser said. “The oil slick was the decisive factor.” He added that a slick had been seen on Glock’s car long before the incident.
Cleaning crews had to apply a binding agent across the start‑finish straight to remove the oil from Glock’s vehicle, preventing it from re‑joining the race. Grasser hypothesized that contact between Glock and Ben Dörr—whose front also showed oil after a team duel—may have caused the spill, though the teams denied any collision.
What led to Glock’s consequential oil loss?
Team manager Axel Funke dismissed the idea of contact: “The two cars did not touch. It only appeared that way because Timo had a slide.”
Oil can be seen on the front of Ben Dör’s McLaren
Photo: Sven Haidinger/smg
Glock clarified after the race that the problem stemmed from a routing issue between the oil cooler and gearbox, which led to low oil pressure and forced him to retire.
Surprisingly, no other drivers reported a problem with the oil slick. Manthey driver Ricardo Feller—directly behind Paul—reported seeing nothing, though he was off the main racing line while navigating debris.
Grasser also without a second car in Oschersleben?
With a new chassis under construction at Schubert, the Grasser team’s situation remains precarious. “We’re currently exploring all possibilities: a spare car, repair, or other options,” Grasser said, listing the thousands of questions swirling in his mind. Even the approaching DTM weekend at Oschersleben is uncertain, as parts for the new Temerario are scarce and difficult to obtain.
