GTronix360° Team mcchip-dkr driver presentation Heiko Hammel
Heiko Hammel has been very successful in various German racing series and piloted the Renault R.S. 01 already in 2017. He was a big help, especially to find the right fine setup for the R.S. 01. You will learn more about Heiko in the following interview.
How did you get into motorsport?
My dad drove hill climb, car slalom and rally events. When I was five, he put me into a kart and three years later, I became German kart champion. I endet my kart career with fifteen and moved to the Toyota Yaris Cup.
Your biggest success in motorsport?
My podium in the ADAC GT Masters was certainly a highlight, but also various championships and individual victories in the Toyota Yaris Cup and Seat Leon Supercopa were great successes. DTC Champion 2014 and the overall podium at the VLN 2017 were also impressive results.
Your expectations and targets for season 2018?
I would be very happy to receive a blue lamp for our „Chappie“ at the 24h-qualifying race. A good course in the 24h-race with top 10 result would be desirable. In the Youngtimer Trophy I would like to reach my first overall victory in 2018.
How does the Renault R.S. 01 compared to other GT3 vehicles and where are the pros and cons?
The Renault R.S. 01 is through the stiff carbon chassis, the good aerodynamics and the direct handling certainly the most agile car I've ever driven. On the Nordschleife is exactly this combination, due to the many bumps to drive partially critical. The biggest disadvantage I see in the rain, because the traction control compared to a current GT3 vehicle is not so mature.
How do you prepare for a race weekend?
I go to gym 1-2 times a week, go running and ride a lot with my racing cycle. Right before the race weekend, I analyze my onboard videos as well as those of other drivers and cars. Especially when behaving in traffic, one can always look at some situations and learn from it.
What do you do when you are not in the race car?
Since I earn only occasionally money with racing, I still have a normal job. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get a long-term contract, but I'm independent for that. I work for an energy company where I work as a network planner, an office job in the field of electrical engineering. A big contrast to motorsport, but all in all, I am very satisfied with the situation. I don’t have to drive a car race to earn a living. For that, I have another company called Hammel Rennsport Service, which manages even racing assignments, builds racing cars and is active in the field of racing gearbox construction. So it never gets boring.
Tags: VLN, Nürburgring,
