As Thierry Vermeulen continues to establish himself within the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM), his focus has naturally shifted from adaptation to refinement and success. Speaking exclusively to Pit Debrief, the Emil Frey Racing driver reflected not only on his recent development, but also on the areas he believes will prove decisive as he continues to progress in one of GT racing’s most competitive environments.
Having already built a solid foundation in recent seasons, Vermeulen now approaches 2026 with a clearer understanding of where gains can be made—and how those improvements can translate into consistent results.
Vermeulen highlights Qualifying progress and racecraft development
When reflecting on his evolution as a driver, Vermeulen pointed first to a key area of measurable progress: his Qualifying performance. In a championship where track position plays a crucial role, particularly given the limited overtaking opportunities on certain circuits, improvements over a single lap can fundamentally shape a race weekend.
“I feel like Qualifying has had—especially last year—we were very strong in qualifying, which I think comes down to just confidence and understanding the tyre.”
Expanding further, Vermeulen explained that this progress has not come by chance. Instead, it reflects a growing understanding of one of DTM’s most distinctive technical challenges—operating within a narrow tyre window under unique conditions.
“Of course, it’s one of the only championships that is running cold tyres, which, in Qualifying, is quite a specific technique, and it comes quite precisely to bring the tyre in the correct window, managing traffic.”
Beyond outright Qualifying pace, Vermeulen also highlighted how experience has begun to shape his racecraft. Wheel-to-wheel battles, decision-making under pressure, and situational awareness have all improved as he has gained more time in GT3 machinery.
“But apart from that, you also just get more experience of the battles.”
That accumulation of experience is particularly significant given his relatively late start in motorsport compared to some of his peers. As a result, each season has brought noticeable growth.
“I, of course, had a later start to racing but, in the meantime, got quite a bit of experience, and now it’s time to use that experience in the races, and that will hopefully keep developing into the next year.”
Vermeulen on his expectations and a focus on consistency as he targets DTM success with Emil Frey Racing
Looking ahead to the new campaign, Vermeulen speaks with a balance of ambition and realism. While his confidence continues to grow, he remains acutely aware of the demands of competing across a full DTM season.
“I mean, I’m getting more and more [experience] every year, and my dream of winning the championship is becoming bigger.”
This growing ambition reflects both his personal development and his belief in the team’s potential. However, he is equally clear that achieving such a goal requires continued improvement.
“I know from the last years we still have a lot to learn, and I have to improve more in order to do that.”
However, rather than focusing solely on headline results, Vermeulen identifies consistency as the area that will ultimately determine his success. In a championship where the points spread is often tight, even a single difficult weekend can have lasting consequences.
“I think last year was a solid step forward, but it’s quite easy to look at the results, and we just have to make my bad weekends better. And that’s the focus for this year: to try and have no weekends where you go home with zero points, because those affect your championship chances too much.”
By addressing those inconsistencies, Vermeulen aims to build a more complete campaign—one where strong results are supported by resilience during challenging rounds.
“So this year I go into the championship with a fresh mind, keep what I’ve learned the last years, and try to just be more consistent, and hopefully that will bring us a top three in the championship at the end of the year.”
Long-term ambitions and career perspective
While his immediate focus remains firmly on the upcoming season, Vermeulen also allows himself to look further ahead, outlining the ambitions that continue to shape his trajectory in GT racing. As his experience grows and his confidence builds, so too does the clarity of his long-term objectives. At the centre of those ambitions lies a goal that is both simple and defining: achieving success at the very top level of the championship he now calls home.
“Well, ideally I win the DTM championship for the next 10 years. I would be pretty satisfied then, but I think that’s maybe a bit ambitious. So for me, for sure, on top of my bucket list is winning the DTM championship.”
At the same time, he places significant importance on the environment in which he pursues those ambitions. Stability, enjoyment, and strong working relationships all contribute to performance, and Vermeulen makes it clear that his connection with Emil Frey Racing plays a vital role in that equation.
“And apart from that, I really hope that I can be part with Emil Frey in the DTM for many more years because, honestly, every session, every lap, working with the team over winter is something I really enjoy.”
Expanding horizons across GT and endurance racing
Beyond his ambitions in DTM, Vermeulen also looks to expand his presence across other major GT competitions. Having already begun to establish himself in parallel programmes, he views these opportunities as both a challenge and a chance to further develop his skill set.
“Of course, apart from that, we are fighting in the GT World Challenge Sprint, in which we have had some really good results, but there the ambition is definitely to win the championship.”
His focus on competing for titles extends naturally into these series, reinforcing a consistent mindset across different championships. At the same time, recent experiences outside Europe have broadened his perspective and introduced new possibilities for the future. His debut in the United States, in particular, has added another dimension to his career outlook.
“And, of course, this year I made my debut in the US, which was honestly a really cool experience, so who knows—maybe some opportunities will come there.
Alongside these ambitions, endurance racing remains a natural progression. Like many drivers in GT racing, Vermeulen sees the major 24-hour events as key milestones, representing both prestige and a different kind of challenge compared to sprint racing.
“And like every other driver, you have the big 24-hour races in mind, the big endurance races that I’m slowly starting to participate in and I hope to also be winning.”
Ultimately, his ambitions reflect a balance between immediate goals and long-term aspirations, combining competitiveness with a desire for longevity in the sport.
“So those are my goals, and for sure I hope to be in this environment for a very long time.”
In this way, Vermeulen’s outlook extends beyond individual seasons, focusing instead on building a sustained and successful career at the highest level of GT racing.
Vermeulen building towards the next step in DTM and success with Emil Frey Racing
Taken together, Vermeulen’s reflections underline a driver entering a new phase of his career. No longer focused solely on adaptation, he now looks to refine, consolidate, and maximise his potential across a full season.
With improved qualifying pace, growing race experience, and a clear emphasis on consistency, he positions himself to take another step forward in 2026. Whether that translates into championship contention will depend on execution—but the direction of progress is already clear.
