Jack Aitken had a disastrous penultimate weekend of the 2025 DTM marketing campaign because the Emil Frey Ferrari driver left the Purple Bull Ring and not using a level.
The 29-year-old retired from race one in Austria earlier than ending twentieth within the second, one-hour contest, leaving Aitken sixth within the standings and 21 factors behind chief Lucas Auer.
In race one he crashed from second simply three corners earlier than the end and a lap three puncture whereas operating in third derailed Aitken within the last outing.
However what was the reason for it? “We had some contact in lap one, however nothing heavy, and it was on the opposite facet of the automotive,” Aitken instructed Motorsport-Complete, referring to the incident with eventual winner Ricardo Feller. “So, that can’t be the trigger.”
What may have been the trigger is that the appropriate rear tyre was slowly dropping stress. “There was a really small leak,” added Aitken, “similar to there was a gap within the tread, most likely from some particles or carbon, or it will probably even be from the gravel typically.
“We noticed that the stress was dropping. I used to be capable of preserve driving for a bit, however then sooner or later, the stress was so low that the tyre merely got here off the rim.”
Jack Aitken, Emil Frey Racing Ferrari Ferrari 296 GT3, Ricardo Feller, Land Motorsport Audi R8 LMS GT3
Picture by: ADAC Motorsport
What has since been advised, nevertheless, is that the injury may have been attributable to a bolt, as Emil Frey technical director Jurg Flach cited “an object on the start-finish straight” because the trigger.
The injury was much like what Aitken’s team-mate Thierry Vermeulen suffered in Friday observe, as his tyre misplaced stress slowly and seemed as if it had been attributable to a bolt.
Aitken later claimed “it wasn’t the weekend for us”, particularly as “we by no means had the security automotive to carry us again to the pack” after dropping important time because of the puncture.
Pre-Austria the six-time DTM race winner was simply two factors off championship chief Auer and with what the hole now could be, Aitken’s title hopes are all-but over forward of the Hockenheim finale, the place 56 factors are on supply.
“We go to Hockenheim and we see what it brings,” stated Aitken. “It is robust for now, however there’s nothing to do.
“The entire season, the DTM is all the time having a number of ups and downs. For positive, now we’re having a foul interval, so hopefully Hockenheim can come again to us.”
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