Race Your Dreams goes DTM – Episode 1, Season 3

Willkommen zur ersten Folge unserer dreiteiligen Motorsport-Serie über das Team75 Motorsport in der DTM! Tauche ein in den packenden Auftakt der DTM-Saison, während wir hautnah das Team, die Fahrer Laurin Heinrich und Ayhancan Güven sowie ihren Teamchef Timo Bernhard begleiten. Erfahre mehr über die Vorbereitungen, die Dynamik im Team und die Herausforderungen auf der Rennstrecke. Verpasse nicht den Beginn dieser fesselnden Motorsportreise mit Team75 Motorsport in der DTM!

#DTM #DTM2023 #ranDTM #RaceYourDreams #kusteambernhard #Team75 #porschemannheim #porschemotorsport #race #racecars

We are about to go racing for the first time in 2023. Yes, I have already experienced Race Your Dreams in the Porsche Sports Cup. I’ve been involved in one or two of them and have also been interviewed. And the fact that this series

Is now being built around the DTM around the DTM commitment of Team75 Motorsport is super interesting and we are very, very grateful to the Porsche Centre Mannheim. for simply taking up the topic of the DTM, Team 75 Motorsport and then giving a deeper insight.

My name is Timo Bernhard. I was a Porsche works driver for twenty years. I also had quite a successful career. Now in my second career as Porsche brand ambassador and team owner and team principal of Team75 Motorsport. The challenge of DTM for a team is of course to deal with the possibilities

You have in the best possible way. It’s really about those little details and that’s something I’ve known for two decades in my career. Just trying to combine them. Of course, we are not the biggest team in terms of manpower.

There are bigger ones than us and certainly with a bigger budget. But I believe that with our passion, know-how and simply this will to succeed. We have already annoyed the big ones quite well and celebrated some very good successes. And we will continue that this year.

Thomas Preining hads towards the chequered flag and wins. It’s the first ever DTM race win for Porsche. Thomas Preining ahead of Dennis Olsen and René Rast. Yes, the youngest driver in our team is Laurin Heinrich. Last year still Porsche Junior and current champion in the Porsche Carrera Cup

Germany. He has had a similar career to mine 20 years ago. Yes, and he will start with the Porsche with the starting number 75 in this great 75 years Porsche sports car design. The car is an absolute eye-catcher

And Laurin is for me one of those up-and-coming drivers that you will hear about in the next few years and it is important to give him the tools, but also to collect successes already. Because I am sure he can still win races this year.

In the 24 with our iconic design from last year. With this famous KÜS-Paul design. From the car that is now also in the museum and from the first DTM winning car from Porsche then starts Ayhancan Güven. A 25 years old Turkish citizen. And he is an absolute

Racer. With him you notice this concentrated emotion and power. He wants to be successful. He wants to work with the team and is a very interesting driver who has a bit more experience than Laurin.

You just notice that he is four/five years older. But they really understand each other very well in terms of mentality or also in terms of cooperation, and that is also important for that you don’t have two separate vehicles, but that you simply

Have this cooperation, this exchange about both vehicle crews, and I also promote that because that’s the only way for a team to move forward together. Of course it was exciting to celebrate my DTM debut in Oschersleben. Yes, it was a start to the DTM season. Of course, more was possible.

The first weekend at Oschersleben was not the easiest one… …no point at the end. My name is Laurin Heinrich. I’m 21 years old and I come from Würzburg. We are here in Oschersleben for the opening race of the 2023 DTM. The preparation here for the first round in Oschersleben went quite well.

Of course, on the one hand we were on the track testing at the Red Bull Ring on the official test days, but also on various private test days and on the other hand, of course, it is also important to to get to know the team.

Because the car is new for everyone, not only for me, but also for the team. It’s all about the little things, to arrive here as prepared as possible. I’m Ayhancan Güven. 25 years old and coming from Istanbul, Turkey. I am a Porsche Junior driver 2020 and 2021.

After I get promoted to Porsche driver and I drive last year GT-Masters. My main goal was driving DTM. This year I have the opportunity to come along together with Team75. After their successful season in DTM last year and my successful season in GT-Masters.

At the end of the day, I’m a Porsche driver and they are driving Porsche. So if I have opportunity to drive Porsche in the DTM, for sure they are one of the best option. Already one weekend before the end of the season. To become champion after seven events already

It’s a very special moment for me. I haven’t really realised it yet myself I need another night. It’s very difficult for me to name exact goals very difficult for me, because not only am I new to the DTM, but the cars we drive here, the GT3 cars, are also new to me.

And so are all the opponents. That’s why it’s very difficult for me to judge. I think the most important thing for me is to have a steep learning curve. To learn a lot and after the first weekend here in Oschersleben, I’ll see where I rank.

The challenges here at Oschersleben are, on the one hand, that overtaking is very, very difficult. So qualifying here is very, very important. So we are here at the Oschersleben circuit and ready for the first race of the season. Yes, Oschersleben is near Magdeburg. It’s a track that’s been

There for more than 20 years, 25 years and is characterised by the fact that it’s actually the shortest or one of the shorter tracks. And at average speed is also rather lower. That means there are a lot of slow corners. And that’s what makes Oschersleben and is very special.

That means that when you go deeper now, you need good rotation. That means the car has to be easy to handle even in the small corners, it has to be able to turn well so that the driver can be a bit more agile, drive around the corner.

So it’s different now compared to the bigger race tracks. The approach to the first DTM round in 2023 Oschersleben is clear, to get in as quickly as possible. We have some new parameters. Eben both drivers are new. The car is new this year. Just now the

Change to the 992 GT3 R from Porsche and also with the ADAC, a new organiser and also there with the new tyre partner from Pirelli. So we have a lot of new variables and that’s why the first race, the first race weekend

Is important. Just to lay that foundation that we then work from. We had a lot of pre-season road tests and free practice. But now it really counts. When the lights go green and qualifying starts. The first free sector is already gone with Ayhancan Güven with a 20.99

And there you see Güven dropping back and slowing down on the final lap. It was okay. We were in P14. We had a little bit of traffic but we got more Potential. But in general it was okay for the first qualifying.

Let’s see what Laurin Heinrich can do to try and get back in front. The Porsche Champion is in a good position at the moment. Only two tenths of a second are missing for him. Damn…He goes over the curbs in the last corner and crosses the line…but it costs too much time

The first qualifying on Saturday was quite okay. 9th place was part of it I would say. I wasn’t completely happy with my lap, but to be in ninth place, even though I wasn’t completely satisfied, was a solid starting position for me.

Okay, we were hoping for a bit more. But it is always difficult on this short track with I think just under 3.7 km and 27 cars. cars is always difficult to get that free lap when the tyre is just at its best.

And with Laurin. He did quite well for his first DTM Quali ever. With P9, so immediately in Top 10 placement. With Can it was just this He had to abort this lap twice and so with P15 it was not the result that we had hoped for or what would have been possible.

But that one. You just have to keep looking. Race one was of course an absolute premiere for Laurin premiere for Laurin and he did very well Because we are about to go racing for the first time in 2023.

DTM gets on their way here in Oschersleben. And it’s a good start here for the Porsche. Bortolloti is trying to follow him… We also discussed beforehand that we don’t need any crazy manoeuvres now. We need points. We just need a solid start to the season.

We are looking at Ayhancan Güven. The Porsche challenges the position of the car in front of him, David Schuhmacher out With Can we drove a different strategy because he was just stuck with P15 very early. The cars last year have refreshing their headlights. The Küs-Team-Bernhard car. Timo Bernhard multiple Le Mans winner.

We brought him in very early for a pit stop Both pit stops worked very well. In the end, we were P4 and P6 in the in the pit stop ranking in the race. It was perfect. Can drove up to P10. He set the fastest lap of the race. Everything went perfectly.

And then we are jumping back at the moment. The problem is he lost two more places and he’s about to lose another one here potentially on the way to the next turn to Jusuf Owega, who will be very pleased to go 14th now. So probably I am afraid of Ayhancan.

So clear an issue go over that Porsche. And I think ones he’s out of that pointing position. He might decide to put it in the garage where the tyres get of an there is an mechanical issue. And that’s when he unfortunately had a defect. A technical defect on the

Front axle. We had nothing to do with it. But in the end it was just bad luck at that point. We had to give up the race, which was a pity, because until then he had done a great job.

Laurin Heinrich who gets to move at the inside. Ah the stearing car with cold tyres. Frustration… It really not worked out as it for him. So they are coming passed him already Some overtaking manoeuvres there. I got a taste of it, how close it gets in the DTM.

Laurin Heinrich is attacking, although there is no way to get through here. I was able to improve from P9 to P7. P7 really well done. Without much contact. He was faster than many who were ahead of him. He was often stuck in traffic but just that first finish arrival the

Was important for his confidence. Welcome back to Oschersleben where we have an exciting twenty minute qualifying session ahead of us, where the grid for the race, the second round, will be decided this afternoon. Yes, there was of course the preparation directly for Qualy 2.

And we were hoping for a lot because we simply saw that the speed in the race was insane. It was a short sharp session. And everybody was complaining about that there was too much traffic out there, I couldn’t get a lap in, there was too much dust. The circuit wasn’t what we thought.

Every time someone crosses the line, somebody gets quicker. Bortolloti aimed the second place. Everybody in the top 9 has their first best lap times. Only three and a half minutes left to go in the session. Schmid and …. goes second then Lamborghini then Porsche. Much quicker than yesterday.

The qualification on Sunday was very good. We were P6 on the grid And that’s a good position to start the race. With Laurin it was exactly the opposite. He didn’t have a free lap at all and had to stop several times and then you just get that extra grip that the tyre

Might have for two or three laps at the most. He didn’t get that at all. Sunday qualifying was not so good, unfortunately. It was a big contrast for me from Saturday to Sunday. I just tried something else to warm up the tyre.

Unfortunately that didn’t work so well. I learned from that and I think the team did too. That’s why we only finished 21st on the grid, which of course in the DTM and especially on the Oschersleben track was not what we expected

And we knew that it wouldn’t be that easy to get to the front in the race Round 2 of DTM 2023 is about to raw into life. As the red lights go out we go racing with Tommy Preining look at to hold on pole position and turning into an…

Yes, at the start was at Can his row didn’t go so fast. That means he lost a place right away. It was then P7. Yes, also in the traffic jam again, so he could have gone much faster. Oschersleben is just not good for overtaking, but that’s how it is.

A look at Laurin Heinrich. He passes Franck Perrera on the inside for 17th place at the end of the… The race on Sunday, on the other hand, was very very good again. We exceeded our expectations. Then he can really start to attack René Rast spins twice in the gravel!

We were running P7 until pit stop. We brought him back in early, but from the pit stop, which went well we were then in the pit stop time window in such a way that many of those who stopped after

Us came out in front of him, but it was very difficult to overtake them, even though they had cold tyres. And there he was involved in two fights. In the end, I think he dropped back to P8.

And then you got Lucas Auer looking back from him at Ayhancan Güven. And look at Ricardo Feller Normally on the inside. He contact there between the Audi and the Porsche. Closing the gap with Güven

You gotta reflect that move. That was… “I’m not giving in” says Ricardo Feller closing the doors, squeezing as much as he could. But he had to leave the car after a few collision, he had to park the car as a result.

Yeah for sure. Leaving with zero points is not great. Especially when the Porsche is really strong in Oschersleben. There was a big potential. So I couldn’t get out of it. We have a long season. And in DTM I know it’s possible. You have weekends like this. Now we start from zero

Where the others already have 20/30 points, but I don’t see a big problem there. It’s sure a challenge, but we’re fighting back. At the front. A great view there. Looking back at Laurin Heinrich who is in 11th perspective from Lucas Auer

With that lovley livery celebrating 75 years of Porsche Sport. Also car number 75. It all makes sense now Laurin Heinrich the raining and out going Porsche Carrera Cup Germany Champion. A man who will make his mark in DTM. I overtook many many cars also the pit stop was great and

I think also with the strategy we we were able to improve a few positions there. You have to think about that. On a track where you can’t overtake from P21 to a top 10 result, the second fastest race lap. That was great cinema and he did it really well.

So at the moment I’m in the top 10 in the top 10 in terms of points. I can be quite happy with that. Well, it was only one weekend, so everything is still open. There are still seven weekends to go. A lot can still happen

But we are definitely in a good starting position. Yes, it was a start into the DTM season. Of course, more was possible. I think you can say that on balance, that a lot was possible in terms of the performance we can deliver as a team.

Especially because on Sunday there was a Porsche quadruple victory where we weren’t involved. So of course you can’t be satisfied with that, but on the other hand is not the end of the world. It’s just a matter of continuing to work and continuing to focus on the future, and we’ve

Seen a lot of positive things. Just the stops were stops were good this weekend. Fastest race lap by Can in race one. Second fastest race lap by Laurin with a huge catch-up. But clearly, if you look at it, it was easy… much more was possible from the results, but

To be honest, you also have to say that for both it was the very first DTM race weekend for both drivers. What I like about the GT3 class is that it’s a worldwide I think it’s great about the GT3 class that it’s a worldwide regulation, where there are a total of

12 manufacturers who homologate the vehicles for the GT3 class. And six manufacturers are currently competing in the DTM So Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Ferrari and Lamborghini. That makes it even more exciting, of course. And it feels like every

Manufacturer brings its top teams and top drivers to the start. So, in total, there are 27 cars that are really fighting for hundredths of a second, which is a very high level. The key data of the DTM are special compared to other series. So you have two races. One on

Saturday, one on Sunday and there is only one driver per car, which makes the whole thing exciting. In between there’s a pit stop time window where you strategically look at the best option to just make that pit stop. This is compulsory and the performance pit stop is timed.

That means the top teams can make the stop between six and eight seconds, which is really fast and it is also an element where the team is actively involved in the race result. Yes, the racing format in the DTM is all very very exciting and above all very compact.

So we start the first driving activities on Friday. There’s a free practice session in the morning and in the afternoon with 45 minutes each. 45 minutes each, and there’s not a lot of time. That means you have to know exactly what you’re doing, because if something else comes up

Red flag, the driving time is even shorter and the race weekend is then already really full up and running. Because on Saturday it goes straight on with the first qualifying session. That’s 20 minutes. But actually, you only have to do these three/four fast laps

Where these tyres have that extra grip to simply set your fastest time. The just decisive is for the starting grid for race one which starts at 13:30. Yes, and then after the race it’s time to do some analysis and prepare the car for the

Sunday where the schedule is exactly the same as it was on Saturday as again in the morning. The second qualifying, that will determine the starting grid for the second race for the second race and then the second race at 13:30

Again over an hour with this performance pit stop between pit stop between minute 20 and 40 and there it’s already going well and then the race weekend is over and you’re and it’s already back to the preparation for possible tests or for the next race. for the next race.

So there are 27 participants in total and the points system starts from clear P1 gets the most points, i.e. the winner. up to 15th place, which is quite good, because just over more than half of the riders

Have a chance to score points, which makes the whole thing a bit more equal. But it also means that you have to drive very consistently. So you really have to you have to score points in every race in order to simply stay on the ball in the championship.

Then there’s a separate pit stop classification that doesn’t affect the driver or team classification, but there’s a separate pit stop trophy and there’s also a prize for the fastest pit stop. the pit stop is awarded three points and then the second fastest two points and the third fastest one point.

And I think that’s good, because it creates an incentive. incentive. There’s also a team classification for the teams. Both vehicles are entitled to points, simply by combining a total of the results of both vehicles and a manufacturer’s ranking for the participating vehicles. a manufacturer ranking for the participating manufacturers.

We are here in Zandvoort this weekend for the second DTM weekend of the 2023 season. I particularly like the surroundings of the circuit, because we are also very close to the sea here It’s a dune circuit. We drive between the dunes. Which makes it very tricky at times,

Because the sand is often blown onto the track by the wind. blown onto the track. Because of this, the grip conditions can change very suddenly. My name is Sang Xu. I am 27 years old, originally from China. I am the vehicle and performance engineer in Team75.

So there are two main issues for my job in the company. First is to keep the vehicle condition. So I work with our mechanics to get the car into the correct specification and the best possible condition to drive and prepare for the next event and secondly I analyse the data from our

Tests and races and then try to make the better setup in the car. So I would always run several setup possibilities in simulation and then think what is the advantage and disadvantage between all setup. And then in test, even on the race weekends we will try a few

Different setups in the test and then we can and then we can analyse again on site and then the best possible setup to drive. So compared to Oschersleben, Zandvoort has a completely different focus. Zandvoort is a track with a lot of uphill and downhill and it focuses a lot on

The entrance to the corner and Oschersleben has a very big focus on the middle of the corner. focus on the middle of the corner. That means we have to stabilise the car a lot more for the corner entry. to keep as much speed as possible

In the middle corners. That means we have to have to give the car a lot more down force to the rear axle and stabilise the car with the suspension settings. to give stabilisation in the corner entry.

Turn one is the best overtaking opportunity here at Zandvoort. You get there in fifth gear and down to second gear. I think that’s one of the few overtaking opportunities here. Then very interesting is Turn 3, which was recently rebuilt. 3 years ago is now a steep curve with a

Huge banking. There are a few different lines. I think it will also be interesting to see which driver drives there and how. Then for me personally I think the name of the bend is “Scheivelak” and it first goes over a hilltop, then downhill and then uphill again on the right. Very fast

Curve. In any case, you have to squeeze together. It depends on the driver and the last curve is also interesting, like in NASCAR, like Daytona, a steep turn that goes full throttle. And therefore the tyres and the car are technically very stressed here. So you need a stable set-up …problem

In this corner we have a lot of pressure on the tyres and that for an hour, which sometimes makes it not easy. What is very very important here in Zandvoort is qualifying. The track surface is also very, very rough.

Has a lot of grip. That means with the new This means that the new tyres can only be used for one fast lap, and has to be right. And that is exactly the art here at Zandvoort.

Unfortunately, all the Porsches have been given a relatively heavy BOP. That means more ballast and less engine power compared to the competition. We have to find the car in the performance window the best balance. And in my opinion the BOP has not changed our tasks much.

For us it was okay the free practice sessions. We gained a lot of impressions about the car. But we have also that some manufacturers, especially Mercedes, are very competitive and will be difficult for us to beat. will be difficult for us to beat, if it is possible at all

On the weekend. But that happens even in a close championship, that there are advantages and disadvantages for the different concepts on different tracks. for the individual concepts, and you have to fight your way through. The free practice sessions were solid for us.

The DTM calendar is across Germany with two foreign races. The first race was in Oschersleben and then we went straight to Zandvoort. The first race abroad. Very exciting race track. Then the season highlight somewhere at the Norisring,

Because it’s the only city race and they always say the “Franconian race”. and they always call it the “Franconian Monaco”. It has a bit of flair with extremely full grandstands. There’s the Nürburgring. That’s one of the home races of

. And then on to the Lausitzring. Sachsenring also Sachsenring is always very popular with the fans, so will be really full. The second foreign race then at the Red Bull Ring and then the grand finale our

Second home race in Hockenheim and exactly. I think that’s always been a good place for us as well. We come to the second weekend of the season. The track is 4.5 kilometres long… In Qualy 1 there was a bit of a rude awakening that the other manufacturers really could have made significant gains.

The first qualifying in Zandvoort was good. We were in P 11. The laps were very good. I only had a bit of dirt on the track on the last lap which is why I lost some time. But as expected, we were very happy with the car and how qualifying went.

So qualifying was good on Saturday in Zandvoort. So Q1 in Zandvoort unfortunately didn’t go so well for me…. Unfortunately we lost our way a little bit. a bit of a gamble. I think we went a bit in the wrong direction with the set-up of the car on Friday

And so it didn’t go so well, but we knew it was going to be fast. so well, but we quickly knew what the problem was and what we had to change. From that I think we ended up in 20th place.

After each session we had a short briefing briefing among the race engineers and the drivers. We discuss what is happening on the track, what is the feeling of the drivers and what is

The disadvantage in the setup and then we think about what is a possible change in the car or in the driver. And we have a plan planned for the next session and then we will try some new idea in the next test or in the next race.

It’s ready to go racing then round three gets on their way as the lights go green. And it’s a great start for Maro Engel. We can here somebody smoking Unfortunately, the first race was over quickly. I wanted to stay out of everything.

I think I made up three/four positions on the first lap. positions on the first lap. But unfortunately two cars in front of me touched each other and then a part went flying and exactly the part got stuck in my wheel well… So I think it can’t be more unlucky than that

That’s why I had to park the car. park the car. Of course I was very frustrated after a suboptimal qualifying to have to end the race prematurely. to have to end the race prematurely. But the carbon part was so jammed in the wheel housing that that we couldn’t have continued the race

And that’s when we decided to park the car. the car because there was a possibility of further consequences or damage could have resulted. could have resulted. Safety is simply the top priority.

The first race on Saturday in Zandvoort was difficult. We were fighting for 10th place. Unfortunately, we had a wrong pit stop strategy. Here is another time release. Here is Ayhancan Güven in the Porsche…He is behind….

Then I had to fight a bit on the track…I wouldn’t say we had a wrong strategy, but in the DTM you always have to drive a different strategy than your opponents, who have a free track.

And I only fought with others, which cost us three to four positions. So we ended up in P 13. I finished the race in P 13. But that was good because it was my first points in the DTM.

With Can, we had a very close race. A very A very good race up to a certain point. Then we finished 13th. We were a bit involved in the out-lab in the out-lab, but we definitely

Showed a good race pace and he gained a lot of experience. gained a lot of experience. For the second race. But it was important to get these first points for him. After he came away empty-handed in Oschersleben.

Good morning everybody and welcome back to Zandvoort. The cars literally are about to head on to the track for for second twenty minute qualifying session of the weekend. This ones is set the great for race to round four. Yes, qualifying two was a hot one because there was another red flag, an interruption.

It looks like he’s made heavy contact barrier. Somewhere along the way this is going to bring out a red flag Also Alessio Deledda. Also into. Now this is excactly what all the drivers…

For us it still worked. We didn’t go out too late, but for both of them it was just that they both had to stop their fastest lap because of the red flag.

It was really chaotic I would say. I had a good lap and then I was even got better but then ist was red flag and everyone pit And then I decided together with my team, but to be honest I got the responsibility for it, to not go out again.

And some people go out and they improved. So we were P5 and then we go back to P8 after red flag. So maybe it was not the best decision from my side. But in the end I make it and then we start P8 for race two..

He could get pole position. We are about to find out in three minutes but really one lap it’s gonna be. Q2 in Zandvoort went very very well we are on Sunday we moved in the right direction. We knew that on Saturday we were a bit wrong on Saturday. But then we also knew

What we had to change on Sunday. That worked worked out well. I was in P3 in qualifying for a long time. Unfortunately, a red flag came out. That set me back a bit,

But I still knew that I had more pace in the race. I knew that I had more pace in the race and that I might even be able to move up. From that the mood was very good after qualifying.

The start of the race. The second race of the weekend. Ran four of DTM 2023. Ricardo Feller and Thomas Preining are the front row of the grid. Maro Engel is right behind of us.

The lights go out and then go green. And it looks like a good start for Ricardo Feller. Preining also has a good start, but Maro Engel is coming from the inside. So Laurin Heinrich is aim on at the full of position and I think a…

In the second race in Zandvoort I had a good start and could improve from 5th to 4th position. Then I was able to hold the position for a long time. I had to start on used tyres because of my top 5 finish.

But then I knew that after the pit stop on new tyres I might be able to move up again. Race two in Zandvoort was okay. We were fighting for Top 10. And then in the pit stop we were on the wrong strategy and we go backwards.

Unfortunately, the race was over very quickly after the unfortunately over very quickly after the pit stop. I thought that it would go back to the front, but then I got spun. Oh we got a slip from Laurin Heinrich. So Heinrich gets going again and will…

As a result, we had to end the race there too early. It was a great pity, of course. A black weekend for me in Zandvoort. Twice zero points. Twice I didn’t finish. I think it couldn’t have gone worse in the races.

We finished P13 which was a good result for us because it was the first points of the season. We got three points and I was really happy because I mean after Oschersleben I know we need to get some points And I think with this race we started.

I would say it was a quite positive weekend. We were one of the fastest porsche on the track whole week. It was really good. Also with the team. We have now better atmosphere. We start to know each other better with mechanics, with engineers.

With everybody in the team. So I think it’s a great weekend. Unfortunately, I am only 16th in the championship at the moment, because I have not finished half of the races.

Because of the two retirements in Zandvoort. Accordingly, the goal now is to catch up again. I think I have the potential for much more than that and that’s why I just want to collect points and make up points. and make up points.

Yes, in total Ayhancan scored 12 points from both races, which means 23 for the first points in the DTM and Laurin unfortunately missed out on both races. both races empty-handed.

Yes, in Zandvoort you could see that the team was able to work on the details even more. They were able to pull out even more and I think that everything ran much smoother. smoother as well. Also with the new vehicle and the drivers have settled in more. because it’s not just this

Fastest lap now or this pit stop now or this points collected now somehow collected points, but you have to go more to the base. Simply this cooperation, this communication, this what information can I pass on to the team, so that the engineer information to the team, so that the engineer

Is not sitting in the car with them, but picks up this information in such a way that he gets to the exact point where you can improve the vehicle. So it’s a very complex process that simply requires a bit of time and

At the end of the day it was easy to say that the worked a lot better at Zandvoort. So I live in Gronau in western Germany. So normally I born and grow up in Istanbul, Turkey.

Until last three years I was living there full time and now during the seasons I sinced Covid I moved to Germany during the seasons. I was doing sim racing for a really long time and during pandemic I was a Porsche Junior driver. And in that time

There was a Road to Le Mans. You now because of pandamic there is no real racing in that time and they to 24 Road to Le Mans in virtual. So after I came here for one race Road to Le Mans. But then I decided to stay longer in the house.

Gronau is nice place, but for sure social life is not mega here. So I spend most of time with myself of running, going bike, doing sim racing and doing daily stuff in the house for myself.

If I have a real race generally I practice for the next track and what I can to in the Sim that I can first of all practice the track yes but then I can practice different procedures, like pit in, pit out, the starting, where I need to brake after the start.

This things I can practice in the Sim. Some other times there is a competition in the Sim. I am also a professional Sim driver. So if there is a championship or a big racd in the Sim. Then I focus on this competitive and car.

Then I focus on this. So it really depends on the programme and the calendar. We can learn on the Sim for the race weekends the racing lines, the braking points and some base line setups, which help us during the race weekend.

Physical and that having a restart button on the Sim is really different Yes the running is for me the easiest workout because you just need shoes and shorts and then you can start running. For bike, for swimming, I need longer time.

The area we live is quite nice with the nature. We have great parks around. So where I live it’s just one kilometer that I can go into the park. Then it’s really relaxing. When I running I can think from the last races and I can analyse them.

And then I can think about the next race. Last year I drived GT-Masters and my goal was to get a seat on DTM. This was Ayhancan Güven. What great driving from the porsche driver.

I am an official Porsche driver, so my first contact is always Porsche. So at the end Porsche told me that I will drive for Team75 And from that moment I start to contact with the team. I was super happy because they are the first winner on DTM with a Porsche

So it’s really important having also Timo Bernhard as a team boss. This is really important as a young driver for me. Timo can help us for sure because he’s an old racing driver and he have an idea what’s going on behind the steering wheel.

And with all of his experience for sure he is the right person to tell us what to do. That is important to me. Simply this know-how that I have learned myself in my career, the impressions that I have had myself

And to pass on these steps to the drivers as well. I think that’s a very elementary exchange that we have there. It’s important to me never to come across as arrogant. The bottom line for me is to combine and also to give support.

So we are in Norisring this weekend for round three of DTM. Traditionally, it’s very hot and the many braking curves are extremely hard on the material. Especially on the brakes. That means you have to start the weekend in a completely different way. approach to the weekend.

But we are also going back to our successful We also go back to our place of success from a year ago, because that’s where we took our first DTM victory and this is the first historically valuable DTM victory ever for Porsche

And as a result this car is now in the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart Zuffenhausen. We did some simulator sessions. I checked my notes and on-boards and all the data from last year. And I also watched some races from the last year to see how things going around.

I’ve never raced at the Norisring before. This is my very first time on the track, but I think it is not too much of a disadvantage. Because the track only has a lot of corners and is not that long. I hope I have enough time to learn the track in the practice sessions.

Also we did a track walk with the team to see what is differnet compared to last year, To see if there is any different painting or new curb or something. Because every year is different We check pit entries, pit outs. It’s the small details that makes the difference.

Yes, because the track is of course not permanent, it’s a temporary street circuit, you can’t test there. So I’ll do my first laps on the race weekend, but of course I’m prepared. I have prepared myself.

On the one hand in the simulator, on the other hand with on-board videos from previous years, which the team makes available. We don’t have so many corners. I think this is on the calender the shortest track. So we have turn 1, which is quite big happen and heavy breaking.

So probally we come with 2.60 there and we I don’t know…we drop to 50 kph or even less. Turn 1 is really messy there. A lot of people trying to get in position. So you need to be very careful there.

And then we have Turn 23, “The Schikane”, and I think it is the most technical corner of the track where you need to position your car really good for next corner.

Entry you need to be close. Bright side you need to brush the wall and next left you also need to brush the wall to gain a time.

And then we have the finalcorner, which is also happen, but it’s a little bit slower compared to first one in terms of speed you will be there But it’s also a little bit bumpy there when braking. So it’s not easy to stop the car.

And then you need a really good traction because then there is a really long straight. At the Norisring, the qualifying format is a bit different. Normally all the cars do their qualifying and the grid in a 20-minute session. At the Noring it will be split.

There are two 20-minute sessions and one group A and one group B, which is determined after free practice two. So even placings and odd placings these groups are split and we had both cars split. So one was in group A. That was Laurin and group B was Can.

Welcome to this wonderful place the Norisring. And we are about to get into qualifying for race of DTM. Yes, I wasn’t completely satisfied with qualifying one on Saturday, although the feeling wasn’t really that bad, unfortunately the lap time didn’t look so good.

I knew it wouldn’t be that easy, especially at the Norisring. My very first race, my first qualifying was not what I expected. But of course I have my sights set high for the race. Ayhancan Güven is just on seconds fastest. All of a sudden we have many more drivers in the 49.

So Ayhancan Güven also improving their less to see what he does through this so final sector. Because it seems to be the final sector to catching some final drivers out. When it comes to Ayhancan Güven…Wow 48 …didn’t catch him out quite as much as he goes into the 48 with a 48.967.

So today Qualifying was good at the Norisring. Because of it short track we have two groups because of traffic. And I finished my group P2 in my group and all row P3. So we have just a start race from P3. The cars accelerate and it’s a brilliant start from Calvin van der Linde.

Ayhancan Güven trying to gets to inside of Thomas Preining. Keep your eyes on elswhere whos gonna go where. The race on Saturday. I had a good start and was able to make up three/four positions. Unfortunately I was pushed into the wall by a rival at the exit of the first corner

Into the wall by a rival. That’s how it is sometimes at the Norisring. It’s just a close race. Unfortunately, I then had a puncture I somehow managed to get back to the pits. I’d say I somehow managed to get back to the pits.

The team pitted really quickly and I was able to stay in front of the leader, which was very important. Then I just had to hope for the safety car, so that I could catch up with the rest of the field again. That’s exactly what happened. I was very lucky.

By the second over ranking. Güven and then there is full…between them. Luca Engstler. in strife pride. Yeah, Schumacher go together with Engstler So today race in Norisring was good. In the start I get P2 and I was following leader. And I think we have good pace.

Then we came in for a pit stop and in consultation with Porsche – we always have the opportunity to talk to each other during the race – we discussed the situation at and finally decided that we should attack for P1. So not only defend now, but actively attack

At the pit stop for P1. So we were the latest to stop in the first group, in the leading group. As a result, yes, we were in the lead, but only for two corners, because then this train of the top five cars came from behind.

There is Ayhancan Güven. Wow. He ist out now in the team. Know that absolutley perfectly he’s gonna make that car as wide as possibleto but with that cold tyres he’s never going to be able to do it. Until pit stop I was P2. Then we have safety car so gaps get really closer.

And then in the pit we lose a little bit time compared to others and then they passed me in the out lap. So I finished P5.For sure the best result for this year, but I feel we have more in it in that day, in the car.

For sure the podium was a goal for that day. But it didn’t happend P5. But still the best points we have this year. It was perhaps a bit too much of a risk to stop later. It would have been easier, I think, if we had stopped earlier.

Had the chance to keep the podium. We took a risk to win. In the end, P5 was okay. It was a good race, but when you see the pace and especially that

He was actually in P2 the whole race until the stop, it was of course also more difficult. he was on P2 the whole race until the stop, there was more in it. So I was last after the first safety car phase. But at least I was back in the field and

Was able to fight my way back to the front bit by bit. It was a really good race with a good strategy and good stops. He had an extra stop, where normally you have no chance to score points. And that was a strong race.

Thanks to a great pit stop by the team and my fastest lap in the race, I finished in the top 10. I took home points, which everyone thought would be impossible at the Norisring, from last place to 10th place. It was a nice experience after a not so good qualifying.

Then to see that the pace is there and that motivated me even more for Sunday. After I had the fastest lap on Saturday lap on Saturday, I knew that I had the pace to deliver on Sunday in qualifying. in qualifying. That’s exactly what I managed to do.

Here comes Laurin Heinrich. Can he deliver now? He has to finish P1 to get 48 points I succeeded. I qualified in 2nd place in my group, which ended up being fourth on the grid. For me the best qualifying result. After Zandvoort it was fifth place. Now here at the Norisring it’s fourth place.

You can see an improvement. That makes me happy. And for me it was a great starting position for the race. Ayhancan Güven tries to respond to those two who are ahead of him. In terms of that times Ayhancan Güven is currently at P3. But standby he’s in purple sector, through sector two is

This gonna be a great time for Ayhancan Güven well it’s certainly improving he goes second fastest. The qualifying two in Sunday for me…I drive better. But my position was okay. I was P3. Just the two BMWs was to quick. They were one two and I was just behind them.

That day was the maximum and then it’s P5 for the race. If you see where we started in Oschersleben and two races later we have both cars in the top 5 in the quali. This was the right starting position.

And you can also see this trend that we have. Meticulously going forward, working and just stalking us. And to look at our big goal of winning races. It’s Sheldon van der Linde and Laurin Heinrich in the next row ahead of Ayhancan Güven and Mirko Bortolotti.

Look at Ayhancan Güven driving on the inside. He’s on the inside of Thomas Preining now and he can make P3 here. He’s done that. He denies Thomas Preining. Yes, I wanted to be a bit more careful in the race than on Saturday, where I had to fight my way through

Everywhere. I wanted to be a bit fairer on Sunday. Without contact with opponents. Unfortunately I made made a few wrong decisions at the start. I left the door open, which didn’t work out in my favour. I lost a few positions there.

Race two on sunday to be honest the start was really simular like the day before. I gain position again. I jump P3. And agian I have a good speed. I was really close to P2 all the time.

“Güven in your back is really quick”. Probably Sheldon is aware of it. Yes he’s really quick Yeah Ayhancan he is looking… Yes Race two. That still had a little bit of an effect, because yes…there clearly, there we were from the pace and from everything

Absolutely a candidate for victory. So you have to say that. Can drove more than half the race in P3. He was in the leading BMWs for a long time and then we had a stop, stopped one lap before the BMWs. Yes the stop was unfortunately on the right side

There was a small delay at the rear wheel, which lost us time. We lost some time because of that. In the pit stop I was just behind Sheldon who was P2.

And I was like really close, so I was planning to get him there. Dive pit. Then pit took a little bit too long and then I was a little bit on hurry to catch him. So when the car end up I release my break.

To accelerate. But the car was still up and then I turned my rear wheel which is penalty in this championship. It’s for safety for the mechanics. It’s dangerous. When he went back out on the track, he was fourth. Only lost one position,

But the subsequent penalty “Penalty Lap”. That just put us back to P8. And from there, he couldn’t get away because it was simply too tight and too compact. Second day hurt more. Because second day I think the win was closer.

Second day we had chance for the win but because we were really fast. But just in the pit stop everything goes backwards. Unfortunately, we lost a possible podium and maybe win. So for sure not the optimal… In the end, I was able to come home in a good position with seventh place.

I was not completely satisfied. Especially after the good starting position. Of course I had planned for more , but that’s how it is in the DTM sometimes. Top 10 twice at the Norisring. Even with a few hurdles I have to be satisfied with and they were definitely good points. definitely good points.

We scored points with both cars in both races. But of course it was clear that we wanted this podium and this victory. Yes, being able to start my first season in the DTM was of course very exciting for me.

Especially at the beginning in Oschersleben. I was able to settle in very quickly. I quickly realised that my pace is actually there and that I just have to get it right. That gave me a lot of confidence in myself and also in the team. And yes, I’m glad that

I’ve always seen an improvement from weekend to weekend, that I’ve been able to work my way closer and closer to the top. Which is very positive for me. I hope that the upward trend will continue and, of course, in my rookie season in the DTM, the

Priority for me is to always see an improvement and to work on myself. and to work on myself. So first three race of the DTM so far for me it’s quite positive. Because the first two week, the first two races we have zero points and we start from

Really back the season. To be honest this was mental disadvantage. But after the first race we we just start to get better and better. Like Zandvoort was the first we got the first points, Norisring we even got more points. And even we were fighting for the podium in both races.

So for sure after Oschersleben this feels good but still long way to go and still a lot to achieve. Still we are hungry and we want more. Yes, at the moment the whole field is still very close together. From

We already have 32 points for Ayhancan and 31 for Laurin. That means they are very close together. That is currently P7 in the team ranking. But that’s also so early. Of course we are not satisfied with the current points and positions, but

This is a snapshot that doesn’t make me nervous in any way, but you can clearly see this upward trend. To have scored points with both cars in both races at the weekend . To have both cars in the top 8. To have both cars in the top 5 in the qualifying as well

. That’s what it’s all about and refining that further. Of course, at some point we have to get those big placings and points to move up. But that will be a result of our hard work. So we’ll keep at it, and in the snapshot there are a lot of

Positive impressions, but also clear, of course, we want to move forward – that’s the bottom line.