Benoit Treluyer has been ruled out of the FIA World Endurance Championship round at the Nürburgring after sustaining a spinal injury in a mountain bike accident, Audi confirmed on Sunday.
According to the German manufacturer, the injury for the 39-year-old Frenchman will heal without surgery but he will be forced to miss the July 22-24 race, as his recovery is expected to take several weeks.
As a result, Marcel Fassler and Andre Lotterer will drive the No. 7 Audi R18 as a duo, with no replacement driver to be utilized.
It will mark the first WEC race that Treluyer will miss, breaking one of the longest-running streaks for the trio of drivers, who claimed the 2012 World Championship as well as three overall victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans together.
“On behalf of Audi Sport, I wish Benoit a speedy and full recovery so that he’ll be ready to race again in the subsequent event in Mexico,” said Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich.
Treluyer, Fassler and Lotterer sit fourth in the World Championship, after losing their win in the season-opener at Silverstone due to a post-race technical infringement.