Mirko Borolotti has pinpointed his decided runner-up end in an eventful race at Zandvoort as being essential to his 2024 title-winning DTM marketing campaign, as he defied a delaminating left-rear tyre.
The SSR Efficiency Lamborghini driver trailed race winner Marco Wittmann’s Schubert Motorsport BMW by 7.239s on the flag, holding up an extended queue of automobiles as he struggled to make the end.
Chatting with Motorsport.com, Bortolotti defined that the race was certainly one of his standout reminiscences of the yr due to the dire implications of dropping a number of positions within the closing phases.
Thomas Preining completed simply 2.73s behind Bortolotti, however solely scored six factors for coming tenth whereas Bortolotti nonetheless banked 20 factors.
His nearest title rival Kelvin van der Linde (Abt Audi) completed third and stood to achieve most from issues befalling Bortolotti, who ultimately claimed his first DTM championship by 17 factors.
“I had a tyre failure two or three laps earlier than the tip and I needed to deliver it house in P2 with I feel seven automobiles on my bumper,” the 34-year-old defined.
Marco Wittmann, Schubert Motorsport BMW M4 GT3, Mirko Bortolotti, SSR Efficiency Lamborghini Huracán EVO GT3
Photograph by: Alexander Trienitz
“And Kelvin was the primary automotive on my bumper in that case. It was in all probability one of many hardest races, which was actually necessary.
“If the tyre would have blown, it will have been a giant setback for us. Most likely it will have been sport over.”
Bortolotti had battled Wittmann for the lead earlier than falling again within the closing excursions, as his Huracan EVO2 “turned actually troublesome to drive”.
“And it is all right-handers in Zandvoort, so you set numerous load on the tyres,” he added. “It was fairly arduous to deliver it house, that was one key race.”
Bortolotti and van der Linde had been evenly matched for a lot of the yr and completed within the factors at each race, but the Italian got here out on prime regardless of solely taking one victory to van der Linde’s three.
He believes that claiming the utmost consequence from races he had little probability of profitable was crucial to his title hopes and picked out one other second place, this time to van der Linde on the Nurburgring, for example of his constant strategy.
Kelvin van der Linde, Staff ABT Sportsline Audi R8 LMS GT3
Photograph by: Alexander Trienitz
The primary race of the yr on a brand new Pirelli moist tyre was dominated comprehensively by the South African, who received by 15.23s, however Bortolotti ensured he stored the injury to a minimal by securing second.
“Kelvin was flying and we had been nowhere; not solely us, however the remainder of the sphere was struggling as nicely,” he stated.
“On a day the place you haven’t any probability, to restrict the injury and to complete second was actually necessary.”
Learn Additionally:
On this article
James Newbold
DTM
Mirko Bortolotti
SSR Efficiency
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