In profile: Tijmen Van der Helm

Get to know MP Motorsport’s Dutch star Tijmen van der Helm a little better with an inside look at the 17-year-old’s biggest achievements, his racing heroes, and his favourite tracks.

NAME: Tijmen van der Helm DATE OF BIRTH: 26/01/2004 NATIONALITY: Dutch 2021 TEAM: MP Motorsport

FIRST RACING MEMORY

“My father, Gerard van der Helm raced, and I always went with him before I started racing myself.

“I started doing races in 2013. My go karting career was pretty good, I won almost everything. Then we stepped up to F4 and there were a lot of changes and a lot to get used to, it wasn’t the easiest. I went to New Zealand and did the Toyota Racing Series and that was pretty good, we had no problems, and I won a race. “

RACING STYLE

“My quali hasn’t always been the best, if I am honest. I think racing is my strongest point. In races I think I am pretty aggressive. We are working to improve my qualifying performances. We know that we need to work on that area, so that we can start higher up in the field and fight for points.”

BIGGEST RACING ACHIEVEMENT

“In karting, I became a World Champion, a European Champion and a Netherland’s Champion all in the same year. That was my biggest achievement. Winning in the Toyota Racing Series was also pretty good.”

RACING HERO

“I don’t really have a racing hero and there aren’t any drivers who I follow in particular. I look up to my dad, he’s a good person and he’s smart. I would say that he is more of a hero to me than anyone else who is driving."

FAVOURITE TRACK ON THE F3 CALENDAR

“I think that I would have to say the Hungaroring. I like all of the tracks on the F3 calendar this year, there is a good collection.

“Hopefully, we will have fans at Zandvoort, that would be good. I drove the track last year but without DRS and there wasn’t much overtaking because of that, but hopefully this year that will be different because we will have DRS.”