A first photo taken after the serious crash at the Norisring shows Maximilian Paul on crutches—and offers hope for his recovery: What happens next
Good news for Maximilian Paul: The DTM driver, who was seriously injured in a crash at the Norisring on Saturday—suffering fractures of his tibia and fibula as well as a lumbar vertebra—has been discharged from the hospital in Nuremberg. This has been confirmed by his team principal, Gottfried Grasser.
“Max has been discharged and is now heading home to recover.” What gives even more hope: Paul’s girlfriend, Patricija Stalidzane—who was riding alongside the 26-year-old from Dresden in the Konrad Lamborghini during the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring—posted a photo on Instagram on Friday with the hashtag FREEMAX.
The photo shows Paul standing on his own in front of the main entrance to Campus South of the hospital in Nuremberg, with his left leg bandaged below the knee but without a cast. The Lamborghini factory driver is raising his crutches above his head without leaning on them.
What’s Next for Maximilian Paul After the Crash
A few days earlier, Maximilian Paul had been seen in a photo—with his father Tobias Paul by his side—looking confident as he lay in his hospital bed. This suggests that the young race car driver is already on the road to recovery following his surgery.
“I’m taking a break for the time being to take care of my body and my health, and I’ll be back in full force soon,” he announced on Monday. “I’ll be in the hospital for the next few days, and then I’ll head to rehab.”
A comeback is not yet on the table, as the severity of his injuries requires a longer recovery period. After the accident, there was speculation in the DTM paddock about a comeback at the end of the season, but that would be a surprise under the current circumstances.
Can Paul’s Grasser-Lamborghini be raced again?
Will his car be ready to race again at the upcoming DTM weekend in Oschersleben in two weeks? That, too, was completely unclear at first, but an initial inspection revealed that the most significant damage was to the front of the vehicle, which can generally be repaired.
Whether this can be done in time, however, remains uncertain. “Hard to say,” says team boss Grasser, who will be making his own comeback behind the wheel of a Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo2 this coming weekend at the ADAC GT Masters event at the Nürburgring. “The availability of parts is an issue. We’re working on it right now.” Aside from that, the team would need a replacement for Paul.
Kelvin van der Linde is training at Red Bull for his comeback
BMW factory driver Kelvin van der Linde, whose driver’s door was struck by Paul’s car during the accident in Nuremberg—resulting in bruises—is already working on his comeback. The German-South African has been part of the Red Bull squad for two and a half years and therefore has access to the Austrian energy drink manufacturer’s Athlete Performance Center in Thalgau near Salzburg.
The renowned training center specializes in data-driven performance diagnostics and post-injury rehabilitation. With the support of Red Bull experts—who also work with drivers like Max Verstappen—van der Linde is preparing there for his return at the upcoming DTM weekend in Oschersleben.
