Heimgartner Ready to step up with MW Motorsport
Rising V8 Supercars star Andre Heimgartner will take the next step in his career this weekend when he joins reigning champions MW Motorsport for the start of the 2014 Dunlop Series.
The 18-year old joins MWM following a promising rookie year in the second-tier class driving a Triple Eight-built, Finance Ezi-supported, Falcon.
Heimgartner continues with backing from Finance Ezi this year and enjoyed his first taste of MWM's ex-Ford Performance Racing equipment at a test day at Winton Motor Raceway last Monday.
Impressed with his new driver, team principal Matthew White says he's looking forward to working with the talented New Zealander throughout the season.
"I'd like to think that the Finance Ezi Falcon can be in the top five this season," said White ahead of the season-opener in Adelaide.
"Andre has shown speed in a number of different classes now and we were very impressed with him at the test.
"He's still very young so we've got to work with him on race craft and when to take risks.
"I think that if we can be in the top five throughout the year and challenge for a race win here or there it will be a great effort for a young guy in a quality field."
Heimgartner is also competing in New Zealand's V8 SuperTourer Series this year, ensuring he has already raced twice prior to the opening Dunlop Series round. He was recently signed by Dick Johnson Racing as a development driver.
MWM will field three Falcons at the Clipsal 500, with Heimgartner joined by fellow youngsters Morgan Haber and Ryan Simpson.
Having won five of the seven rounds in 2013, the team has been further bolstered this year by a new engine supply deal with KRE.
The Queensland-based firm has powered Jamie Whincup and Triple Eight to victory in the last three consecutive V8 Supercars Championships.
The Dunlop Series will contest a pair of 27 lap races across Friday (from 1815) and Saturday (from 1745) at the Clipsal 500, which again promises to lure a large crowd to the Adelaide Parklands over its four days. Tickets are available for the event now.
"Stepping into the championship winning team and cars from last year I thought it would be impressive and I certainly wasn't disappointed," Heimgartner said of his new Dunlop Series car.
"I was able to gain a lot of confidence in the car throughout the day and feel that it was a lot better than what I had last year.
"I'm still improving my driving, but we have a great base to start with. I can't wait to get to Adelaide and see what unfolds."
Consistency will be the key, he says.
"The experience of last season will be a great help because now I know more of what to expect.
"I've really got to work on being consistent. Last year we showed speed at some rounds but had bad luck at others.
"We'll need to improve that as well as making sure we're qualifying towards the front. When you qualify further back in the pack that's where the trouble happens early in the races. We want to be in front of that."
Heimgartner was positive about V8 Supercars' move to run two qualifying sessions to separate two groups of cars with such a large field.
"I like it because last year we were turned around in the first race a couple of times which just destroyed your whole weekend under the old format.
"This year the races are a bit longer as well. I think the combination of those two things really means it's the year to be in a good car."
And the ultimate question – can he challenge for the title this year?
"We'll give it our best shot," Heimgartner replied.
"I'm not one to talk myself up, but the team and I are all pretty confident that we'll have a good year.
"We've got to concentrate on taking it step by step and seeing how it goes."
