Timo Glock: I am really up for the DTM

Timo Glock is returning to the BMW family after five years as a driver in Formula One. Having successfully completed tests in the BMW M3 DTM in Valencia, BMW Motorsport awarded its eighth seat for the 2013 DTM season to the Formula BMW graduate and former test driver for the BMW Sauber F1 Team.

In an interview, Glock talks about his motives behind the move, the challenge he faces as a former Formula One driver in the DTM, and his special relationship with BMW.

Timo, what impression did the BMW M3 DTM make on you in Valencia?

“As someone who has spent many years driving in single-seaters, it was obviously very different for me to suddenly find myself in a car with a roof over my head. Fortunately the BMW M3 DTM made it very easy for me to adapt. The same goes for the members of the BMW Motorsport team, who welcomed me with open arms. I still recognised a lot of faces from days gone by, so I immediately felt at home. It was great fun. However, I also know that I must still work hard in order to get a real feel for how to push a DTM car to the limit. The test was a good start. I felt very comfortable from the word go.”

During your time in Formula One, did you always keep an eye on what the BMW family was up to?

“I obviously followed BMW’s motorsport activities. Firstly, as a result of my sporting history with the BMW family, during which I was crowned Formula BMW ADAC champion and went on to be a test driver in the BMW Sauber F1 Team. Secondly, because I regularly came into contact with BMW right from an early age. My father always drove BMWs and, as a kid in the 1980s and 1990s, I always had my fingers crossed for Steve Soper, Johnny Cecotto and co in the DTM.”

What did BMW do for your career?

“BMW allowed me to make the step up from karting to single-seater racing. The powers that be recognised my talent back then. They supported me and, in doing so, set me up for the rest of my career. Without BMW I would not have had the financial means to work my way through the junior ranks. I have not forgotten that. That is another reason why I have always had a connection to BMW. I bought myself a BMW and even asked to drive a BMW M5 for the Formula One taxi rides in Hockenheim, as it is such a great car. I just find it a class brand.”

Having spent a long time driving in Formula One, what is your source of motivation in the DTM?

“It was not always easy to spend three years in Formula One regularly watching other drivers from behind who were sometimes doing a worse job than me, but were still way ahead as they were in better cars. You want to finally be back challenging at the front of the field again and are hungry for good results. This hunger became more intense over the winter. Now is the right time for me to make a change. I am really up for the DTM.”

In the DTM, you can make a difference again as a driver …

“Precisely. Whatever happens, that is what I will be trying to do together with the members of the BMW Motorsport team. I am well aware I cannot immediately be the fastest in what is an extremely strong DTM field. However, I am determined to learn everything I need in order to be successful in the DTM.”

What makes the DTM so attractive?

“The strength in depth at the top of the DTM is fascinating. Every qualifying and every race comes down to a few thousandths of a second. It is a similar story among the very top teams in Formula One, but the difference in performance between the teams is much greater. My team-mate was essentially my only reference point. I am now putting myself under pressure to prove myself in a far more evenly balanced field. I know Formula One drivers have rarely been able to make an impact in the DTM. I want to prove I am different and will at some point be challenging for victories. Only time will tell whether or not I achieve this. I am certainly not lacking in motivation.”

What goals have you set yourself for your debut season in the DTM?

“Even though I will initially have an awful lot to learn, I would obviously like to be in the points and, where possible, challenge for podiums. Augusto Farfus showed in 2012 what can be achieved as a rookie. That is driving me on. I want to get the very maximum out of my package and claim the best results possible for BMW.”

How much are you looking forward to being so close to the fans in the DTM?

“Very much. I came to love the proximity to the fans during my year in the USA in 2005. That proximity is also present in the DTM. Formula One, in which the drivers are always very isolated from the outside world and can rarely give anything back to the fans, could learn a thing or two from the way the DTM is so open to its fans.”

You will only line up at ten races in 2013, as opposed to the 20 you have become accustomed to. How will this change your everyday routine?

When you are a potential winner in Formula One, it is no problem to spend three or four weeks in a row on the road. However, when you don’t have any great prospects, the stress really takes its toll on your body. That will be a little less in the DTM, but I still expect a tough and intense year. I will spend every minute between races thinking about how I can improve and be as well prepared as possible.