Fuss after David Schumacher’s GT3 race debut in the GTC Race Series: How it came to the scandal in Oschersleben and Timo Rumpfkeil’s explanation
Eclat at David Schumacher’s first GT3 race: The 20-year-old son of ex-Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher, who is also competing in the DTM for the Winward team this year, clashed with Timo Rumpfkeil at the season opener of the GTC Race Series in Oschersleben on Saturday. First on the track, when he pushed his Mercedes-AMG brand colleague off the track in the battle for fifth place, then there was an aftermath in the paddock as well.
While Schumacher received a 30-second time penalty for the manoeuvre on the final lap of the GT60 race, which dropped him to sixth place behind Rumpfkeil, the Motopark team boss was later immediately banned from the entire remainder of the event for “unsportsmanlike conduct”.
The cause was an action by Rumpfkeil during a direct encounter after the race: The reason given by the race stewards was that the 46-year-old had “deliberately jostled or pushed” his rival.
Trunk wedge: “No fisticuffs and shoving “
Ralf Schumacher then went ballistic on ‘Instagram’ and sharply criticised Rumpfkeil for physically attacking his son, but he deleted the post a short time later.
Lumpfkeil: “No fisticuffs and shoving”.
Lumpfkeil: “No fisticuffs and shoving”.
According to Rumpfkeil, however, it was not an attack. “What happened in the aftermath of the race was, in my view, blown out of proportion”, “I don’t see what is being interpreted there as unsporting behaviour”.
According to the DMSB, the trigger for race director Sven Stoppe to pass the case on to the stewards was a report from a steward who had observed the incident in Parc Ferme. Apart from that, a driver was also a witness. Both were subsequently questioned about the events by the stewards and the penalty imposed on Rumpfkeil.
Why Rumpfkeil accepted the exclusion
“For the sake of good peace, I accepted the decision of the sports commissioners, even though I do not agree with it,” Rumpfkeil explained why he did not appeal. “My concern was that everyone could have a good race on Sunday, there should be no unnecessary focus on side stories or things being blown up even further there.” He said that was owed to the organisers.
He also said he personally had “nothing against David” and was looking forward to “having a beer with him next time”.
“Incident in the last round only a small component “
In general, however, he was bothered by the hard way Schumacher, whom he also wishes “good luck for his DTM start”, was driving in a gentleman’s racing series. “The purpose of the racing series is to deliver good grassroots sport, to have some fun and to see good racing,” Rumpfkeil thinks.
“I think it is also the job of the professionals to adapt to this situation.” Rumpfkeil says he was “surprised” at “the bandages” used in the race, “with the incident on the last lap being only a small part of it.” It was “not appropriate to the race event and the setting. “
The back story of the incident
David Schumacher, who competes in the GTC Race Series as team partner to Carrie Schreiner in the Mercedes-AMG GT3 entered by Schaeffler-Paravan with the Space Drive system, had taken over Schreiner’s car 26 minutes before the end at the mandatory stop in tenth place.
Schumacher quickly found himself behind Rumpfkeil’s Mercedes and could not find a way past the amateur racer. There were a few touches before the youngster’s patience wore thin three corners before the end and he sat next to his rival on the inside in the right-left chicane.
When his right front wheel was level with Rumpfkeil’s rear wheel, he collided, sending Rumpfkeil spinning into the gravel. Schumacher finished fifth but was sixth due to the penalty.
“I was able to test the limits of the car, how it feels in the race and also the duel in the car and will now slowly approach it,” he revealed after the race. “The differences to Formula racing are already clear.” Schumacher did not comment on the accident.
Schumacher also took part in the second sprint race on Sunday – Carrie Schreiner was in the car for the first one. The Space Drive driver started fifth and finished seventh.
