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 ultimate 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 underneath a race-ending full-course warning.
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 categorised 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 overview” 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 acquired 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.
Drivers hold forth
Each drivers provided differing views on the contact that derailed their robust runs.
Estre seen the crash as a byproduct of intense, hard-nosed racing, refusing to put complete blame on both facet.
“A DNF for us within the final ten minutes of the race,” Estre shared through social media. “We have been preventing for a podium. However on the restart, the 31 tried to do a transfer on the left facet on the surface in Flip 1. He simply had his nostril right here. I may have left a bit of extra room. He may have backed off as effectively. I don’t assume there’s 100% fault to offer to anybody.
“However for certain there’s should-have, could-have, give a bit of 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’s it.
“It’s unhappy as a result of we did an important race till there. One factor is for certain is that now we have to drive like maniacs to be in that place in the mean time. That’s the best way it’s.”
Aitken was much more important of the aggression ranges on observe, lamenting a missed alternative to strengthen his championship standing.
“I believe it is an actual disgrace as a result of regardless of possibly not being fairly the place we wished to be when it comes to tempo, the blokes ran a extremely incredible race and we managed to place ourselves within the battle for a win and a podium,” Aitken mentioned.
“And I simply assume 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 a number of effort goes into as of late and we may have had one other good outcome to go on the again of a extremely robust yr, however we’ll decide up the items, transfer on and crack on with the final two races.
“Clearly, incredible that the ten acquired the win and closed that out. Actually comfortable for them. And we’ll come again stronger in Indianapolis.”
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