Hungaroring preview with BMW’s Timo Glock

Despite a Mercedes winning both the last DTM round at Oschersleben and the Monaco Grand Prix, be honest – there’s much to separate the DTM from Formula 1 in terms of an even playing field and driver quality. A common link between both series in 2014 though, is that they’ll both head to the Hungaroring this year – the DTM on the weekend of June 1, and Formula 1 on July 28.

Both series have been involved with the twisty 4.4 kilometre dustbowl of a track since the mid to late 1980s. However, while Formula 1 has continued to return to the Hungaroring since 1986, the DTM left after one race in 1988, which was won by BMW’s Johnny Cecotto.

The Hungaroring then, seemed a one off in the DTM’s 30-year history. But after Brands Hatch was removed from the 2014 DTM calendar due to repeated poor attendance and a lack of interest from British motorsport fans, the Hungaroring was brought back by the DTM’s organiser, the ITR. For the first time in 28 years, then, the DTM returns to the outskirts of Budapest.

While none of the 24 current DTM drivers competed in the first 1986 race (the oldest driver on the grid, Mattias Ekström, would have been seven and according to his Facebook page, at that time “played with toys […] and rode around on my BMX), the first pre-season of the 2014 DTM season took place at the Hungaroring.

In the run-up to the Hungaroring race, BMW MTEK driver Timo Glock – who prior to his 2013 DTM switch, scored the best result of his Formula 1 career with second in a Toyota at the Hungaroring in 2008 – caught up with TouringCarTimes to discuss why he enjoys the Hungarian circuit, and why – in addition to BMW’s potential performance – he doesn’t understand why he has a huge Hungarian fan-base.

1. TouringCarTimes: You’ve always gone well around the Hungaroring. What is it you like about the place?

Timo Glock: It is a cool race track and it never gets boring in the car. The elevation changes and the combination of corners make it so interesting and in addition, in summer you have pretty high temperatures, so Budapest is a really demanding event.

We tested there with our new BMW M4 DTM before the season and the test went well, so I am really looking forward to the race weekend on this great circuit.”

2. TcT: You have a big fan base in Hungary. Why do you think this is?

TG: I cannot explain why I have such a support in Hungary – but for sure I really enjoy it. It is true, though – I always get a particularly large amount of support from the fans in Hungary.

Also the show run we did in Budapest in April was a great experience, the fans gave me a sensational welcome so I’m happy that the DTM returns to the Hungaroring after 26 years and I think that the fans will get to see a great race.”

3.  TcT: How does a DTM car handle around the Hungaroring?

TG: Of course, the handling of a DTM car is different to a Formula One car, but that goes for every circuit we are racing on. You have different braking points, different lines and you take the corners in a different way.

In Hungary you don’t have long straights, so it will be important to find a flowing rhythm through the combinations of corners and to take as much speed as possible through the turns.

Based on our experiences there at the test and at the first two rounds in Hockenheim and Oschersleben, I am confident that our new car will cope with the challenges of the Hungaroring pretty well

4.  TcT: How do you feel in your second year as a DTM driver? Are things more settled, and did the 2013 Hockenheim season finale win change anything?

TG: It did not take me long to settle into the DTM, to be honest. Last year I felt at home in the series, but for sure, this year I am even more used to the routines and work flows.

The win at Hockenheim last year was a fantastic experience for BMW, me and the MTEK team. Of course, it is my goal to be on the podium regularly, but you have to remain realistic and should not raise your expectations too high.

The DTM is highly competitive, at the first two rounds at Hockenheim and Oschersleben we have already seen at the first two rounds how small the gaps are, so we have 23 drivers who potentially can win a race.

So for me personally, my main goal for my second season is to improve on last year, and then we will see what might happen.

Glock currently lies 9th in the DTM standings with 10 points.