Double Oranje power: DTM home race by the sea for Schuring and Vermeulen

• Vermeulen discusses his relationship with Formula 1 world champion Verstappen
• Schuring talks about childhood dreams and putting his courage to the test in Zandvoort

Munich. The arrival of the DTM in Zandvoort from 6th to 8th June will set the hearts of two drivers racing especially fast: local heroes Morris Schuring (Manthey Junior Team) and Thierry Vermeulen (Emil Frey Racing) are really looking forward to their home race on the Dutch North Sea coast. In this interview, the Porsche youngster and the Ferrari driver chat about childhood memories of the coastal circuit and the key points on the track. They also reveal what influence Formula 1 star Max Verstappen has had on their motor racing journey.

How much are you looking forward to the DTM weekend in Zandvoort?
Vermeulen: I am happy that Zandvoort is still on the DTM calendar this year and I am really looking forward to seeing all those fans from my home country.
Schuring: I live in Amsterdam now, which means that Zandvoort is very close to home. It is just great to see family and loads of friends at a DTM event. And my orange-coloured car is a perfect fit, of course. I am sure that it will be a great weekend.

Do you have any childhood memories connected to Circuit Zandvoort?
Vermeulen: I used to go to Zandvoort fairly regularly: for example, I was there when Max Verstappen competed in the Formula 3 Masters. I can well remember his father Jos doing a few showruns. That was my first contact with the circuit and I still have happy memories of it.
Schuring: I was 13 when I went to the DTM in Zandvoort. My father knows Philipp Eng from when they raced together on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife, so we were visiting him. That was pretty cool! At that time, I had just started out in karting.

What are the key points in Zandvoort?
Vermeulen: The middle track section is still very old and gives you plenty of opportunities, but it is also an area where mistakes can happen quickly. One misjudgement can write off your whole weekend. That makes it a crucial passage that you really have to get right.
Schuring: I think that Hugenholtzbocht is particularly exciting, in the first sector. You don’t see banking that high on many other tracks. Finding the perfect line is pretty challenging, but you can make up lot of time if you get it right. The Scheivlak turn is also impressive. Approaching at high speed, you can only see the sky as you are racing uphill a bit – and then you are suddenly going very fast. You need a lot of courage as a driver to get the turn right.

Which Dutch drivers were your childhood role models?
Vermeulen: I followed a lot of drivers when I was younger. Max Verstappen in particular has helped my career a lot. He was very involved early on and it is impressive to see his level of engagement in motor racing away from Formula 1. Max has always been someone that I have looked up to.
Schuring: Max Verstappen has done so much for motor racing in the Netherlands. But other drivers have also been inspirational for me: Larry ten Voorde, Jeroen Bleekemolen or Jaap van Lagen, for example. It is fantastic to see how strong Dutch motor racing has become. And I am proud to see us represented in Formula 1 as well as in the DTM. It is such a special feeling to be a Dutchman racing in the DTM.

Formula 1 star Max Verstappen recently drove the Ferrari 296 GT3 from Emil Frey Racing at the Nürburgring – did you have any tips for the world champion?
Vermeulen: We have known one another for a long time, but Max doesn’t need tips from me. We have chalked up plenty of days of testing for Emil Frey Racing in recent years, which has developed into close cooperation between us. Max knows the Ferrari extremely well, he has driven it a lot and he is really fast, as you can see.

Do you have any tips for up-and-coming young racers?
Schuring: Sim racing has become so important. It really helped me, especially during the Coronavirus pandemic. Those experiences from the simulator proved to be a huge help when I got back into a race car for the first time. But the most important thing is to savour the sport and just enjoy it. That is key for me.
Vermeulen: You have to be open to criticism when you are younger, in order to recognise your own weaknesses. The more you work on yourself and try to improve, the better you will perform on the track. My father always said that in the end, it’s the lap time that counts – you don’t get points and trophies for anything else.

What are your objectives for the DTM home race in Zandvoort?
Schuring: To be as successful as possible. Reaching the podium in the home race would be really special. Two years ago, I won the race in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup at the Formula 1 weekend in Zandvoort. That was a phenomenal feeling.
Vermeulen: I only just missed out on the DTM podium when I finished fourth in Zandvoort last year. We want to get everything right as a team this year and make it into the top three.