A dramatic late-restart collision between GTP contenders Kevin Estre and Jack Aitken within the closing minutes was the height of Sunday’s chaotic Motul SportsCar Endurance Grand Prix.
With simply over 10 minutes remaining within the six-hour IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup spherical on the 4.048-mile, 14-turn pure terrain street course, Estre, within the # 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963, and Aitken, within the #31 Whelen Cadillac V-Collection.R, have been locked in a fierce duel for second place. As the sector charged into Flip 1 on the race’s closing restart, the 2 continued to lean into one another to realize the upperhand, however heavy contact adopted and despatched each frontrunners sliding into the outer limitations, ending their days prematurely and freezing the order beneath a race-ending full-course warning.
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The late-race melee cleared the trail for Filipe Albuquerque to cruise to victory within the #10 Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac. Estre and Aitken have been categorized in eighth and ninth place within the GTP class, respectively.
Nevertheless, the ultimate race outcomes stay unofficial. IMSA issued an announcement confirming that officers are conducting a “complete evaluate” of the Flip 1 incident earlier than finalizing the classification.
The crash additionally considerably reshuffled the rostrum behind Albuquerque. Laurin Heinrich, Aitken’s major title rival, was promoted to second place within the #5 JDC-Miller Motorsports Porsche. This promotion got here after the Coronary heart of Racing Aston Martin Valkyrie obtained a post-race time penalty, equal to a drive-through, for incident accountability with the #93 Acura Meyer Shank Racing ARX-06. The ensuing DNF provisionally slashes Aitken’s championship result in 108 factors with solely two races remaining within the season.
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Drivers hold forth
Each drivers provided differing views on the contact that derailed their sturdy runs.
Estre considered the crash as a byproduct of intense, hard-nosed racing, refusing to position complete blame on both facet.
“A DNF for us within the final ten minutes of the race,” Estre shared by way of social media. “We have been combating for a podium. However on the restart, the 31 tried to do a transfer on the left facet on the skin in Flip 1. He simply had his nostril right here. I may have left a little bit extra room. He may have backed off as properly. I do not suppose there’s 100% fault to offer to anybody.
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“However for certain there’s should-have, could-have, give a little bit room to the left. We had contact as quickly as we hit the brakes after which we have been each passengers and ended up within the limitations and that is it.
“It is unhappy as a result of we did an important race till there. One factor is for certain is that we have now to drive like maniacs to be in that place in the intervening time. That is the way in which it’s.”
Aitken was much more crucial of the aggression ranges on observe, lamenting a missed alternative to strengthen his championship standing.
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“I feel it is an actual disgrace as a result of regardless of possibly not being fairly the place we needed to be when it comes to tempo, the fellows ran a very improbable race and we managed to place ourselves within the battle for a win and a podium,” Aitken mentioned.
“And I simply suppose that the driving by a few of the others round us was over the road. Like I mentioned, it is a disgrace as a result of quite a lot of effort goes into lately and we may have had one other good consequence to go on the again of a very sturdy 12 months, however we’ll choose up the items, transfer on and crack on with the final two races.
“Clearly, improbable that the ten obtained the win and closed that out. Actually completely happy for them. And we’ll come again stronger in Indianapolis.”
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Learn Additionally:
Wayne Taylor “so f***ing completely happy” after WTR ends IMSA win drought
Wayne Taylor Racing ends IMSA win drought in chaotic Highway America end
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