Maximilian Paul: “My thanks go to all the first responders and the doctors”

The first DTM race at the Norisring was marred by a horrific crash. Whilst braking for the Grundig hairpin, Maximilian Paul lost control of his Lamborghini Temerario GT3 on a patch of oil, crashed violently into the barrier and then struck Kelvin van der Linde at high speed on the driver’s side before crashing into the tyre barrier at the first corner.

The Lamborghini works driver from Dresden was diagnosed with a fractured lower leg. He also suffered an injury to a lumbar vertebra. Paul underwent surgery during the night from Saturday to Sunday and is now on the road to recovery.

“The accident was a major setback for me. My thanks go to all the first responders and the doctors who looked after me so brilliantly. Now it’s time to look ahead. I’m stepping back for the time being to look after my body and my health, and I’ll be back in full force soon. I’ll be in hospital for the next few days, after which I’ll be heading to rehab. I really appreciate the support of my family, my team, my friends and everyone who’s thinking of me right now, and I’ll be consciously focusing on that support and my recovery in the coming weeks. I would like to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for the many kind words and get-well wishes. They give me strength and support me on my road to recovery,” said Maximilian Paul.

His team-mate Mirko Bortolotti has already visited him in hospital: “After the race, I drove to the hospital to visit him and Kelvin. I was glad that Kelvin was discharged straight away. Max is a fighter, and I’m relieved that his recovery is going well. I wish him a speedy recovery and have no doubt that he’ll come back stronger than ever.”

“Unfortunately, it was a dark weekend for us. Max’s crash really shook us all up. We identified an oil spill as the cause, after another car had been leaking fluid throughout the race. He then lost control whilst braking on it. Our analysis could not reach any other conclusion, as a thorough inspection of the car revealed no technical fault. All of us at TGI Team by GRT wish Max a speedy recovery and hope he’ll be back with us soon. We know he’s a fighter and will get through this difficult time,” concluded team boss Gottfried Grasser.