Ticktum gets miracle after mega-shunt

Dan Ticktum’s Dallara-volkswagen was the last to arrive in the assembly area for the final race of the Formula 3 European Championship round at the Norisring last Sunday, pushed by a bunch of sweaty Motopark mechanics who gave off that air of exhausted elation you would normally expect from London Marathon finishers.

Just over an hour later, it was first into parc ferme after Red Bull Junior Ticktum had taken victory.

The Motopark rebuild – which allowed Ticktum to leave Bavaria just one point adrift of series leader Marcus Armstrong – was a ground-up job caused by a massive startline shunt in race two. Ticktum, who had qualified on the third row, stalled, and was rammed from behind by Carlin driver Ameya Vaidyanathan, who had started from the 11th row and was focusing on the car to his left rather than the stationary machine in front of him.

Both drivers were taken to hospital in Nuremberg. Ticktum had X-rays to the front, side and back of his head, plus an ultrasound, while Vaidyanathan stayed on for a neck X-ray.

“I was trying to get the car started, glancing in my mirrors,” said Ticktum. “I saw him and I knew he was going to hit me. So I held the steering wheel and braced my head against the headrest. I’ve still got a headache.”

Ticktum was allowed an engine change without penalty because it was prompted by accident damage.

Vaidyanathan was banned by stewards from the third race – not that he was going to compete anyway – and they recommended that his ‘standard of ability and awareness’ is assessed by the FIA. “I am obviously devastated at the consequences of my mistake, which took place in the high-stress environment of a race start,” he said.