Tim Heinemann took part in the 24-hour races at the Nürburgring and Spa this June, which did not go as planned. In an interview, the former DTM driver looks back on the races.

What were your thoughts when this year's race calendars came out and you saw that all three big 24-hour races were taking place right after each other and you knew that you would be competing at the Nürburgring and Spa?

Tim: Of course, it was immediately clear to me that it would be an exhausting June for everyone involved. Not only for the drivers, but also for the teams and mechanics, it was a very demanding time and logistically challenging. From a driver's point of view, however, I was of course very much looking forward to it, and to drive two of the 24-hour races is certainly something special, because they are the highlights of the year not only for fans, but also for drivers.

Did you prepare for the races differently than in a normal year because of the double header?

Tim: My preparation was normal in that sense. Since I had already been allowed to drive both races, I knew what to expect. Accordingly, I was able to prepare myself well and train on my simulator as usual.

The two races were not to go as hoped... At the Nürburgring you were eliminated despite a good preparation, why?

Tim: Hopes were really high after the very positive preparation. Unfortunately, we had to park the car due to damage to the drive shaft and therefore no more propulsion. It's a shame because we were well placed and even after a few setbacks, a podium would still have been within reach.

How much did the absence hurt after a strong pre-season?

Tim: A retirement always hurts, because especially at a 24-hour race you want to arrive. With the knowledge of our potential, the retirement was of course doubly disappointing. However, I have the feeling that the Falken team sticks together even in difficult times and that these times make us stronger.

Despite perfect weather, there was again a curiosity at the Nürburgring: race interruption due to power failure. How was this situation for you?

Tim: That was bizarre. The weather is perfect, and yet there is an interruption. At first, it felt like a bad joke.

Just a week later, you started at Spa-Francorchamps. Here, too, things looked really good at first, until there was a serious incident in the second hour, which also affected your race. Can you say more about that?

Tim: Directly in front of me there was the serious accident of the McLaren and Porsche, in which fortunately nothing worse happened. Unfortunately, our car was also damaged by the debris lying around and we had to pit for repairs, which caused us to fall backwards. Nevertheless, it still looked good, because our speed was very good. Unfortunately, there were more incidents during the night that threw us further back, and finally we had to park the car due to damage.

How disappointed were you with the course of the two 24-hour races this year?

Tim: Of course I was very disappointed, because I always have the goal of getting a top result. Especially after the good preparations and after it looked promising on the race weekends. However, it's part of it, "that's racing". In both cases, I couldn't change anything about the situation, so there's no point in worrying too much about it and I'm concentrating on the next upcoming races.

What will the rest of your season look like?

Tim: The GT World Challenge continues with the next race at the Nürburgring and the Nürburgring Endurance Series in the Falken Porsche.

Planning for the 2026 season is already starting – do you already have rough plans for the coming year?

Tim: There are no plans yet, and I'm currently still fully focused on 2025. But of course, my goal is to continue to compete on the Nordschleife in the Falken Porsche and to further expand my GT World Challenge commitment. Competing not only in Europe, but also internationally is another goal.