Fatherhood joys for Wittmann after crash

“Welcome Leni,” the 34-year-old from Fürth writes on Instagram. “Although the call last night came as a surprise and unexpected, we are overjoyed that mom and Leni are healthy and well. This morning at 7:20 a.m. our little mouse entered the world.”

Wittmann, who has been one of the strongest drivers in the BMW squad for many years and has won the DTM title twice, posted a photo with his wife Ellen Wittmann and their daughter with the hashtag #proudparents in Fürth.

An Instagram story also proves that the past few days have been tough for Wittmann. “The past 24 hours have been unreal,” wrote the Franconian on September 18 shortly after noon, a few hours after the birth.

After returning from Japan, Wittmann crashed in the final corner of the Red Bull Ring shortly before 3 p.m. during the DTM test on Tuesday, as Motorsport-Total.com reported, for unknown reasons, damaging the left front of the M4 GT3. The car was repaired, however, and the veteran driver drove the sixth-best time in the test, which lasted until 6 p.m.

Then the next “race” followed, because Wittmann had to travel from Austria, currently overshadowed by the flood disaster, to his wife, whom he married in December 2023, in Fürth, about 500 kilometers away.

But now there is great joy: not only for the DTM driver himself, but also for his colleagues in the paddock. Drivers from almost all brands have sent their congratulations to Wittmann and his family.

Among them was his former BMW team-mate Timo Glock. “Congratulations, you three,” wrote the former Formula 1 driver. “Leni looks familiar to me.” What is Glock alluding to? His eight-year-old daughter has the same name – and is celebrating her birthday today, one day later.