Tim Heinemann: a profile feature about the inaugural champion of the new DTM Trophy
His start: a winner in virtual motorsport, he convinced in a real-world test
Six victories: a strong package with Mercedes-AMG and HP Racing International
Bernd Schneider has won the DTM five times and is known as ‘Mr. DTM’. The driver from the German state of Saarland has a strong reputation in the motorsport community and his opinion is appreciated. Normally not somebody to show huge emotions, Bernd Schneider doesn’t hide his enthusiasm when speaking about DTM Trophy champion Tim Heinemann: “His speed is impressive.” Two years ago, Heinemann convinced the former DTM star who has supported him ever since. In the 2020 season, the 23-year-old raced in the inaugural DTM Trophy to show his skills on the DTM platform – in a new race series in which only the driver matters, in which there are no driver changes and that established itself as a high-quality race series right away. Tim Heinemann did exactly that: he showed his skills, won six races in a row, scored another three podium finishes, and conquered the title in a commanding way, even before the finale at Hockenheim from 6-8 November.
Virtual motorsport title win earns him real-world drive
“The way Tim is implementing things is impressive. He does what he is told to do, is working very professionally and doesn’t do any damage,” Schneider sums up his protégé’s qualities. Tim Heinemann’s story, meanwhile, sounds like a modern fairy tale. In 2010 and 2011, he competed in kart races, but more as a hobby. He changed to sim racing and became successful in virtual motorsport. In 2018, he won a virtual championship organised by Mercedes in the DTM environment. The reward: a test drive with GT4 and GT3 sports cars in the presence of Bernd Schneider and also against the record champion. Schneider was stunned: “Tim was exactly as fast as me.” And that in spite of the fact that Tim had endurance racing specialist Manuel Metzger sitting alongside as a passenger. “With the GT4, I was a tad faster,” Heinemann corrects with a smile and adds with visible gratitude: “Bernd is playing a major role. We are talking almost on a daily basis and he is supporting me in many ways.”
Tim Heinemann can rely on a strong package that includes not only Bernd Schneider, but also the proven Mercedes-AMG GT and, first and foremost, the HP Racing International team. As the team manager and car engineer, Daniel Weber is playing a key role. “We are a small team, we are like a family,” Weber says. The fact that the outfit, from Weil der Stadt, a city in Baden-Württemberg, is running only one car has advantages and disadvantages at the same time: on one hand, there is no teammate with whom Tim Heinemann could compare data, but on the other hand, the team is focussed on him for one hundred percent. “We are all pulling together, every weekend again,” Weber explains.
Next goal: with a GT3 sports car in the DTM
“Tim’s preparation for the races is simply mega,” the car engineer says. “He is studying data and videos almost endlessly and implements it all without any mistakes during the races. He is incredibly concentrated on his tasks at hand, is highly ambitious, asking questions all the time, also knows how to deal with criticism and is always focused on the next step.” The next step – the big question. Where will his career path lead him after this title win? “I see him in GT3, preferably in the DTM,” Bernd Schneider says. “We would like to keep him on board and continue the journey together with him,” Daniel Weber adds. And what is Tim Heinemann’s own goal? “I want to continue to develop myself, don’t want to stop. So, therefore, I would like to step up one level, preferably into GT3. My goal is the DTM, that would be my dream,” Tim Heinemann summarises his plans.
Heinemann, who was born in Essen and grew up in Heinsberg, has moved to Fichtenberg in the meantime. As an industrial management assistant, he is working for a suspension company that is also involved in motorsport and that also includes a sim racing provider. That is where he is coming full circle. Being behind the wheel is his favourite activity, but he is also spending time with sim racing, running, and tennis. He refers to himself as a funny guy, “relaxed, somebody you can have fun with”. In the paddock, Tim Heinemann comes across in a different way, more focused, as mentioned. Bernd Schneider is convinced that Tim Heinemann will be making his way, already because of his “impressive speed”, and that, after all, is still the most important thing in motorsport.