Huge bad luck at the moment of triumph: Thierry Vermeulen appears to have injured his foot just days before the DTM season finale at Hockenheim. The 24-year-old Emil Frey driver triumphed alongside teammate Ben Green in Sunday’s GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup (GTWCE) season finale in Barcelona and jumped off the roof of his Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo during the celebrations.
The protege of Max Verstappen landed so awkwardly that he had to cut his winner’s interview short immediately afterward (YouTube video at 1:24:24). At first, it looked as though Vermeulen was suffering from circulatory problems as he dropped to his knees and later had to be supported by mechanics. However, Emil Frey’s technical director Jurg Flach confirms that the jump was the cause.
“He hurt himself a little bit in Barcelona when he jumped after the victory,” the Swiss said in an interview with Motorsport-Total.com – confirming that he was referring to the incident immediately before the interview.
Can Vermeulen compete in the DTM season finale?
“The drivers wear shoes that don’t have any cushioning and have a thin sole. And if you jump down from a certain height, then that can perhaps hammer a little bit,” Flach explains.
Consequential leap: Vermeulen injured his foot during jump
Foto: SRO
To make matters worse, the son of Max Verstappen’s manager Raymond Vermeulen apparently injured his left foot – the one he needs for braking. That is far from ideal, as the drivers have to apply more than 100 kilograms of force to the brake pedal.
But will Vermeulen be able to compete in the DTM finale at Hockenheim? “I think it will go ahead as normal,” says Flach. “I expect him to drive and everything to be fine.”
Emil Frey team does not expect to need replacement driver
Asked whether the team would have a replacement driver ready just in case, Emil Frey’s technical director waves off the suggestion: “I don’t expect that we will need anyone.” However, the team will know more on Friday after free practice.
Vermeulen sits 11th in the championship standings in a difficult fourth DTM season. The Dutchman has 98 points to his name – only slightly fewer than the 101 points he had after the end of last year’s season – but he scored two pole positions and a second-place finish in 2025.
This year, two second-place qualifying results and a third place at his home event in Zandvoort have been the highlights.
Does teammate need a chaotic race in title fight?
Vermeulen’s teammate Matteo Cairoli, meanwhile, remains in the title fight, although the Italian rookie has only an outside chance in fifth place, 47 points behind the leader. The 30-year-old from Como would need a chaotic race on Saturday to get back into contention.
So is the Emil Frey team hoping for the rain that has been forecast? “I’d actually prefer it if we could show good performance in regular conditions,” Flach replies. “Then we can still make up some ground. It probably won’t be enough to fight right at the front.”
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