Stewards rule the Fuji 6 Hours LMGT3 collision between Aston Martin and McLaren a racing incident, with no penalties after a late-race investigation and video review.

The contact involves Finn Gehrsitz in Garage 59’s #58 McLaren 720S GT3 and Aston Martin factory driver Mattia Drudi for Heart of Racing while disputing class position.

Gehrsitz exits unaided and uninjured, but the heavy impact triggers a safety car that reshapes strategy and track order into the final hour.

Officials hear from both drivers and analyze multiple angles. They find no sudden steering inputs from either car and no single party predominantly at fault.

A third car exiting the pit lane compresses the available space as the pair runs marginally offset, contributing to the wheel contact that launches the McLaren.

Both drivers state they try to hold straight lines. Gehrsitz remains in the slipstream to maximize speed while tracking Drudi alongside the pit exit blend line.

The hearing delays post-race comments, leaving teammates to provide early reaction and context.

Benjamin Goethe, Gehrsitz’s teammate, expresses relief at the lack of injury and labels the initial contact typical of hard racing that unusually escalates.

Wheel-to-wheel contact between rims precipitates the airborne moment and barrier strike, a rare and unlucky outcome rather than a reckless exchange.

From the Aston Martin camp, Zach Robichon calls it unfortunate. He notes both cars could have left marginally more room, without suggesting clear blame.

Drudi’s race pivots positively after the safety car. He gains eight places through the caution-period pit cycle, then advances further to secure second at the flag.

The sequence underlines how LMGT3 margins can swing rapidly around neutralizations, pit timing, and track position compromises.

Garage 59’s sister #10 entry, driven by Antares Au, Tom Fleming, and Marvin Kirchhofer, loses a late LMGT3 lead after staying out on used tires.

That call preserves position initially but fade sets in after the restart, allowing two Corvettes to pass as lap time drops expose the car.

Goethe frames the outcome as a disappointing swing for McLaren, reflective of endurance racing’s volatility and the fine line between reward and risk.

With no injuries and no disciplinary action, officials close the matter. The incident stands as a defining, hard-fought flashpoint of the Fuji weekend.

Across the wider Aston Martin landscape, development focus remains intense, mirroring its road and single-seater efforts, including recent Aston Martin upgrades and longer-term upgrade plans.

Visual Summary

James William

James William covers the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, from the Rolex 24 at Daytona to sprint-race formats. His reports include prototype performance reviews, GT class battles, and pit-stop strategy insights for endurance-racing fans.