DTM Lausitzring 2018
T imo Glock was a late starter in terms of motorsport. The Hessian did not gain experience in karting until he was 15 years old. After a four-year learning phase with a few titles, Glock was ready for Formula BMW, in which he also became champion straight away. The national Formula 3 finally led to the Formula 3 Euro Series. Here Glock finished his premiere season in fifth place - three places ahead of compatriot Nico Rosberg.
Six years after the first attempts at karting, Formula 1 was waiting for the now 21-year-old. As a test and reserve driver for Jordan, Giorgio Pantano's retirement in Canada in June had the opportunity to make his debut in the premier class. As Nick Heidfeld's team-mate, Glock finished eleventh, but was later swept into the points up to seventh after the disqualification of the two Williams and Toyota cars. In the last three races of the 2004 season he was allowed to replace Pantano again, but did not get past three 15th places.
Timo Glock makes a stop in the USA
The following season was then It's over again with the Formula 1 adventure. Glock was drawn across the pond to the American ChampCar series. With an eighth place in the championship and the title 'Rookie of the Year', the trip ended relatively successfully. The likeable German then looked for his way back into Formula 1. In order to recommend himself again for the premier class, Glock made an attempt in the GP2 junior series.
After a fourth place in his first season, Glock was In 2007 he was signed to the BMW-Sauber team as a test and replacement driver. But when Robert Kubica overturned at high speed in Montreal, team boss Mario Theissen preferred the young Sebastian Vettel as a substitute pilot for Indianapolis. With the victory in the GP2 series, however, the season ended more than forgiving for Glock.
Toyota puts Glock in the regular cockpit
As a reward, Toyota has already waved a new contract for Formula 1 Glock replaced the retired Ralf Schumacher at the Japanese racing team and moved to the vicinity of the development center in Cologne. The season was a bit bumpy at first. Glock mostly got the short straw against the experienced team-mate Jarno Trulli.
It wasn't until the seventh race of the season in Montreal that the first points were scored in fourth place. Four races later followed with a second place in Budapest, the first podium and the previous highlight in Timo Glock's career. At the season finale, the Cologne-based man was again in the limelight when he was Lewis Hamilton in the penultimate cornerhad to let happen and thus enabled the Briton to win the championship.
The year 2009 started out promisingly for Timo Glock. The German was able to score consistently in the first four races. After that, only a few counters jumped out. Glock suffered the biggest setback at the end of the season. The season ended prematurely with the training accident in Suzuka. Just a few weeks later, Toyota withdrew from Formula 1.
Difficult start at Virgin
Although Glock was also in talks with Renault, he decided on the safe Virgin variant. However, not much progress was made with the new Formula 1 team in 2010. Hydraulics, transmissions and differentials took turns causing painful failures. In between, Timo Glock was able to show his talent from time to time in qualifying, but in the end there was a zero in the column behind his name.
That shouldn't change in 2011 either. The engineers' revolutionary approach to developing a car completely without a wind tunnel was a flop. After a few races, Chief Technology Officer Nick Wirth was kicked out. A new partnership with McLaren gives at least some hope for the future. It is well known that Timo Glock does not give up. Nevertheless, the contract extension until 2014 came as a surprise.
(Status: 01/2012)
