One Year On - Marcel Tiemann Talks To DSC
Still Fighting To Win

May 23rd 2010, Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari Imola: it’s a beautiful day in Italy and the start to the second race of the International GT Open is just seconds away, when Marcel Tiemann in a Phoenix-Racing Audi R8 LMS crashes heavily into the wall. Everybody at the circuit realizes within seconds that this accident has been a heavy one. A year and a couple of days after his accident DSC had time to catch up with Marcel, before the fourth VLN race of the season (with thanks to Manthey-Racing, his longtime team).

“I am actually doing alright right now,” began a very strong sounding Marcel. “The loss of my field of view to the right side is still ongoing and for me this is the biggest problem. Because of this I am still not allowed to drive a car; if you are blind in one eye you are allowed to drive a car, but with a loss of your field of view you are not allowed to. My doctors give me a very slim chance for a return of my full field of view, but I am here to prove them wrong.

“After my accident I received so much help from the whole Motorsport community. Michael Schumacher and Jean Todt offered all the help possible right after the accident, and thanks to them I received treatment from some Ferrari doctors in the hospital in Bologna. In Italy, having somebody from Ferrari helping you can’t be the worst thing. When I got to Bologna my brain pressure was rising pretty hard, which resulted in surgery to remove my skullcap. I also had numerous broken ribs, which also hit my lungs and resulting in fluids draining into them; and than I had a crack in my vertebrae, plus numerous other small injuries. But all of them have healed so far.”

After Marcel was given the go-ahead to be moved, the five time winner of the 24 Hours Nürburgring was transported to the Universitätsklinikum Munich-Großhadern, where they prepared the implant of his skullcap. “Now I have a skullcap implant, coming from the USA. Between the stints in the hospital in Munich I went into rehab in Bad Aibling. There I had to do a lot of basic learning, most importantly starting to talk again. For example, I confused a fork and a knife, which made it very hard on me; but right now I might still confuse it but not as often as I did back then. I still have to watch that I am not speaking too fast, because if I do I will have problems with my breath. Another problem I have right now is my real short-term memory - I can talk to you and minutes later I might not remember what we talked about; but I am also working hard on that.

“My immediate future will be on the island of Mallorca; I have decided to ditch Monte Carlo, where I can’t get the optimal medical care. I have bought an apartment in Palma de Mallorca and I am in the middle of my move to the Island. My mother also lives on the island, but not too close to me that she will keep an eye on me every day, but close enough if anything should happen.

“If my field of view comes back, I want to try a return to racing; and after a time of getting used to it, I want to fight for podium finishes. I don’t want to race just for fun, but to win. I still have the poise in me to fight for top positions, but I know there is more in life than just motorsport and before the accident I started to build myself a second source of income, by investing in retirement homes.

“I have seen the crash numerous times now, and it didn’t look that bad on the first view, but it had so much impact on my life. Before that I never had that many big time crashes, probably because I was a complete driver, proven by my five wins in the 24 Hours Nürburgring. Angelo Lancelotti, who pushed me in the wall, still hasn’t apologized yet, but I have forgiven him for what he did. I have no memory of the crash at all plus some time before and after it, so I don’t know if anything went on between him and me before the race start.

“I am so grateful for everyone has given me his support: My Mom and family and friends, who stayed by my side from my accident until I was released from rehab; my doctors in Italy and Germany, I am sure I will visit them sometime and thank them in person; The whole motorsport community, from which I received numerous messages of support after my accident; then Porsche, Manthey-Racing and Phoenix-Racing, who did everything in their power and I know that they will be there for me during my future.

“Because I am moving to Mallorca, I won’t be able to come up to the Nürburgring for the 24 Hours, but I will stick the TV on and cheer for all of my friends; and be sure that I will come back to the ‘Ring sometimes soon!” he smiled.

Olaf Manthey: “It is just great that Marcel is here when the whole Porsche Motorsport team is here and they can see what steps he is taking. It is just a big get-together of the Manthey family. What impresses me the most is Marcel’s will to continue.”

Sören Herweg