Exclusive with champion Scheider
Timo Scheider was the man to beat in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters 2008. It took the German seven seasons of trying before the title finally was his. TouringCarTimes met up with Scheider just after he had been crowned champion for an interview
“When I consider that I almost was without a job two years ago, without any sponsor money and without a contract, it makes it even more special for me to win the title now,” said Scheider.
Describe your championship-winning season!
“It has absolutely been one of the most spectacular and best season I have ever had. Six times on the front row, three race wins and being on the podium this often, it’s something all driver dreams off. I’m very happy now.
When I consider that I almost was without a job two years ago, without any sponsor money and without a contract, it makes it even more special for me to win the title now.”
Your career in DTM has been long and with many ups and down, how has it been in your perspective?
“It has really been a hard time! In my first year of DTM, which was a learning year, I was able to tease the old foxes like Joachim Winkelhock, Manuel Reuter and Uwe Alzen sometimes. After that we had a year, where we can honestly say we didn’t have the material to be successful. The only references I had were my team mates.
Luckily, the insiders noticed that I had beaten champions like Winkelhock, Laurent Aiello, Peter Dumbreck, Marcel Fässler and Reuter. Those are very well known names in international motorsport and they all have won races and championships. That has made sure at the very least, that the insiders didn’t forget my name during my year out of DTM.
And of course I’m very happy that they have given me another chance. Most of all of course – (Audi Motorsport-boss) Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. It’s great that I can repay their confidence in me now. It’s a conformation for me and all of the critics in the paddock as well.”
In 2005 you had one year in the FIA GT championship, in the team Vitaphone Racing, owned by Michael Bartels. Was that a way for you to try and get back into DTM, or was a return to DTM not a goal for you at the time?
“It was clear for me that I needed a team in the GT championship that was successful. The deal with Bartels was made at the very last minute. We became the vice champions that year, after we lost it at the very end. But after all, the season was very important for me, simply because I was able to experience success in a total different way. Besides, I could race on tracks all over the world, something that has helped me developed myself. But it was clear to me that I wanted to use the success to get back into DTM. I had tried to race for Audi in 2003 and 2004, in 2006 it finally worked out.”
Audi is working on a younger driver line-up in their sports car program at the moment. Would that appeal to you or do you only see your future in Touring Cars?
“In principle I’m open for everything. I’m happy that Audi is racing in different areas of motorsport and covers a large target group by doing that. If you want to be successful in DTM you have to focus on one thing only and I really hope to stay with Audi in DTM for a long time. Of course I’d love to try racing in sportscars, because those cars are very interesting.
If it was up to me, I’d be racing in DTM for the next 15 years and end my career with 5 years of racing in sports cars. It might sound a bit exaggerated now, but I have great respect for people that are driving in sports cars. But those guys also know that it’s very hard to be successful in DTM. And to do both right is very hard, so that’s not an option my eyes.”
Would you like to take part in the 24 hours of Le Mans?
“Yes, without a doubt. The race it selves really appeals to me. I won the 24 hours of Spa with Vitaphone. Daytona and Le Mans are really two races I want to win someday.”
It seems to be very difficult to be in the very top of DTM. Great drivers like Frank Biela have failed to be competitive despite having won the championship before, why do you think that is?
“We just have to acknowledge that the DTM has reached such a high level in terms of drivers and technique, that you can’t just get in and be fast from the moment go. It doesn’t work that way anymore. I’ve been a professional race driver for quite some years and I’m sure that if I would make a guest appearance in for example the Porsche Carrera Cup, I would not be competitive.
In the DTM it’s even twice as hard to be able to survive. The times when you could easily get in to the top are over. To be really successful, and I think there are about ten drivers that are able to win in DTM now, you have to be working on the subject and the car permanently. The contact with the engineers, mechanics and the rest of the team is also a decisive factor. That’s one of the important things I’ve learned this year, and it’s the first time in my career I’ve experienced such a special unity.”
What do you think about the future of DTM?
“I’m realistic. I know that with just two manufacturers we’re far from an ideal situation. Most people want a new manufacturer to join the championship and the ITR has been working on that for quite some time now.
Perhaps the high level I just spoke about scares off the potential newcomers. That goes for the drivers as well as the manufacturers. But the ITR will continue to try, with new regulations for instance, to make it as easy as possible for a new manufacturer to be able to be successful as well.
At the moment I think we got a very interesting form of motorsport and we’re able to do that with just two manufacturers. But again, it’s also a problem that every second guy you’re fighting with is your team mate. So from that point of view I really hope there will be a new manufacturer in 2009 or 2010.”
