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 vehicles as he struggled to make the end.
Chatting with Motorsport.com, Bortolotti defined that the race was one in every of his standout reminiscences of the yr due to the dire implications of shedding 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 realize most from issues befalling Bortolotti, who finally 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 dwelling in P2 with I believe seven vehicles 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 most likely one of many hardest races, which was actually vital.
“If the tyre would have blown, it could have been a giant setback for us. Most likely it could 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 tough to drive”.
“And it is all right-handers in Zandvoort, so you set plenty of load on the tyres,” he added. “It was fairly onerous to deliver it dwelling, that was one key race.”
Bortolotti and van der Linde have been evenly matched for many of the yr and completed within the factors at each race, but the Italian got here out on high regardless of solely taking one victory to van der Linde’s three.
He believes that claiming the utmost consequence from races he had little likelihood of successful was crucial to his title hopes and picked out one other second place, this time to van der Linde on the Nurburgring, for instance of his constant strategy.
Kelvin van der Linde, Crew 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 have been nowhere; not solely us, however the remainder of the sector was struggling as effectively,” he mentioned.
“On a day the place you haven’t any likelihood, to restrict the injury and to complete second was actually vital.”
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James Newbold
DTM
Mirko Bortolotti
SSR Efficiency
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