Q: How did your first season in DTM go?

HAND: The thing about DTM is that I didn't know anything. It was the first time in a long time that I went into a series and drove a car that I had no idea of what was going on. It was so different. You can say you're a quick learner, and I am, but then you get over there and you realize that hundredths of a second knocks you out of qualifying... You're like, 'Man, if I just knew the track a little better. if I just knew the concept a little better.'

Hand showed encouraging progress through his first year of DTM and sets his sights on podium finishes in 2013. (Photo: LAT)

But the way I did Valencia and Hockenheim last year, I was in the mix and I now think I can come out of the box in the mix. But there's going to be some new stuff for me as well. They've moved me to BMW Team RBM, so that's a team I've never driven before. So far, I'm excited with what I see.

This year they've changed the format, so there's not as much practice. So that's a good thing that this year isn't my first year!

The whole year for me will be another great opportunity to be back in DTM and make some history, which is what's on my mind. I get to go and be the first American to, I hope, get on pole or win a race. Whatever I do, I'm the first American. For me, that's a big deal and I'm really proud to fly the American flag over there.

Q: What was the biggest challenge in adapting to DTM racing?

HAND: It was more the whole thing. it wasn't the culture as I was fine with that and it wasn't the mentality as it's hard racing. The difference is that it's just hard racing for an hour straight. You start when the green lights go and every hundredth [of a second] you lose is a hundredth you have to find because there's basically no safety cars.

That's what you have to get your head wrapped around. You can't just get off the line easy and nice and give some speed at your own pace. Because then you'd be back-of-the-pack-Jack. You've got to go-go-go right from the word-go. That was a little different to get used to. How you do the standing starts, and the two-second pit stops... Just the things you focus on are slightly different.

But I felt like I've been welcomed over there, very nicely by DTM, other drivers and especially by BMW. I felt right at home. BMW told me from the get-go, 'We want you to be you. We didn't put you over here to change. We wanted Joey Hand. We want the American and however you come.' That for me was a big deal and I felt really good about it.

Nothing's changed. I still feel like they still want me just to be me and that's the part I bring to it.

Q: What are your goals this year in DTM?

HAND: I have to get on the podium. I'm going to be looking to be a top-10 qualifier every race and that's going to give me a chance to run top-fives and fight for podiums. I think that if we have good pit stops, and I do my job. I had a shot at a podium at Hockenheim but we had some issues during the pit stop and we went backwards. If I start like I finish, then my goal will be to be on the podium more than once.

If you have a shot at the podium, you have a shot to win.

John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at