Laurin Heinrich: Staying with AO Racing 'huge' for career

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For Laurin Heinrich, the 2025 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season has been more than just a grind, it’s been a culmination of personal growth, team chemistry, and the fire of intense on-track rivalries.

Coming off his emotional win at Sebring earlier this year, Heinrich has continued to establish himself as one of the standout talents in GTD PRO. But when you talk to him, it’s clear that his success isn’t just about natural ability. It’s about people—specifically the ones standing behind him.

'Massively,' Heinrich said when asked how his rapid progression and support system have shaped his growth.

'Everything was new. Not only the tracks, the team, the people I’m racing against, my teammates and everyone around me. Now staying with AO Racing is huge. Also speaking about my progression as a driver, I could only progress so well because I had the right people standing behind me.

'You learn the most from mistakes. The worst thing is if the people you think stand behind you then blame you for your own mistakes. That’s exactly not the case at AO Racing. They stand behind me all the time, no matter what.'

Forming partnerships

In his second full season with AO Racing, the landscape has changed. Familiarity with tracks has increased, racecraft has sharpened, and most importantly, his relationship with co-driver Klaus Bachler has blossomed into something incredibly rare in the world of elite motorsports.

'This year having Klaus on board, this is for me, the cherry on the cake for me is one of the best if not the best teammate I've ever had,' Heinrich said.

“He has a ton of experience. He's a great guy, obviously, we speak the same language as well, so there’s no language barrier so that’s also good. I mean, two days ago, I just I was with him in Austria. We spent some time. We were in for dinner, did some sport.

'So yeah, we have a really strong bond, and, in the end, we have no secrets. We exchange each other about driving about anything, basically. And I think that's also why we work so well, and in the end, we can just profit off each other.'

GTD Pro title battle heats up

With that bond in place and AO Racing firmly behind him, Heinrich is now locked in one of the most heated championship battles in GTD Pro. This is a duel which has grown increasingly personal and tactical as the season has progressed. The primary rival? Corvette Racing.

'It’s a tough battle,' Heinrich admitted.

'We’ve had some proper fights, but I think that’s what IMSA racing is all about. If winning the championship is a walk in the park, it wouldn’t feel as nice as it is like right now, where we have big fights every race. Obviously, we're trying to take points away from each other.

'It's a bit of an interesting dynamic because Corvette has two cars, which you can argue is maybe a bit of an advantage, especially as one of these two cars is not really in the championship fight anymore.

'So, if you want, you could use it a bit here and there, but everything has been, I think, quite fair within the borders so far. I enjoy it, racing that hard against such good drivers and teams. That just makes me better, and I think it's also what racing is all about.'

As the season enters its final stretch, the pressure will only intensify, but Heinrich welcomes it. For him, it’s not just about trophies, it’s about proving himself, learning from every lap, and building something lasting with a team that’s had his back from the start.

And with AO Racing looking at a GTP programme in the coming years, it seems that journey might only just be getting started.

Feature image: AO Racing