Inter Europol lays out timeline for Dillmann's return from injury

Reigning Le Mans 24 Hours and Twelve Hours of Sebring LMP2 winner Tom Dillmann is expected to return to racing action in four weeks, according to Inter Europol Competition.

Dillmann suffered a fractured vertebra in a crash during the most recent IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship event at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

He has since undergone successful surgery, but has been kept out of the cockpit of the No. 43 ORECA 07-Gibson for this weekend's Motul SportsCar Grand Prix at Road America as a precautionary measure, according to the team.

Dillmann is expected to return to racing at the European Le Mans Series 4 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps on August 23rd, with another month to go until the penultimate round of the IMSA season, the TireRack.com Battle On The Bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on September 21st.

He wrote on his social media accounts yesterday: "Succesful vertebrae operation last week. I'm already feeling better and my recovery time has been boosted. Should be good to go in a couple of weeks."

In the meantime, BMW M factory driver Connor De Phillippi will replace Dillmann at Road America, partnering with Bronze driver Jeremy Clarke.
De Phillippi drove the BMW M Hybrid V8 for Team RLL from 2023 to 2024 and gave the car its first-ever IMSA win at Watkins Glen two years ago. His only other prototype racing experience was in the final two rounds of the 2021 Michelin Le Mans Cup, where he drove a Ligier JS P320 for Phoenix Racing.

This year, De Phillippi has shifted his attention back to GT racing; he's finished in the top four in two starts for Paul Miller Racing in the No. 1 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, at Daytona and Sebring. De Phillippi also leads the GT World Challenge America Pro standings alongside Random Vandals Racing co-driver Kenton Koch.