Heating press for vulcanizing a vehicle tire under a vacuum, - having a heating press upper part and a heating press lower part, wherein the heating press upper part has a hood upper part mounted thereon and a container, which contains mold parts (16, 18, 21) of a vulcanizing mold, in this hood upper part, wherein the hood upper part has a first circular ring, which is arranged fixedly on the heating press upper part, and a second circular ring, which adjoins this first circular ring coaxially in an axial direction and can be telescopically retracted and extended in over the first circular ring in an axial direction P1, - wherein the heating press upper part and the heating press lower part are connected to the container such that, when the heating press upper part is being lowered through a total stroke that takes place in an axial direction, during which total stroke the open end of the hood upper part moves onto the heating press lower part, the mold parts (14, 16, 17, 18, 21) of the vulcanizing mold can be closed in the radial direction, - wherein vacuum-tight seals (5, 9) are arranged between the two circular rings (23, 24) and between the second circular ring and the heating press lower part, - wherein the total stroke can be traveled in a manner composed of a first partial stroke (TH 1) and a second partial stroke, - wherein, after the first partial stroke (TH 1), the hood upper part can be moved in such a way that it rests on the heating press lower part by way of the extended second circular ring, and the interior space of the hood can be closed in a vacuum-tight manner by the seals (5, 9) although the vulcanizing mold is still open in an air-permeable manner and - wherein a pump and a vacuum tank, by means of which a vacuum can be generated in the interior space of the hood after the first partial stroke (TH 1), are provided, wherein the vacuum tank and the pump are connected to the interior space of the hood (4, 7, 31), and wherein the vacuum tank and the pump are connected to one another, and - wherein, after the second partial stroke (TH 2), the hood upper part can be moved in such a way that the second circular ring can be retracted in further over the first circular ring and the vulcanizing mold can be completely closed under vacuum conditions in the interior space of the hood. - having a heating press upper part and a heating press lower part, wherein the heating press upper part has a hood upper part mounted thereon and a container, which contains mold parts (16, 18, 21) of a vulcanizing mold, in this hood upper part, wherein the hood upper part has a first circular ring, which is arranged fixedly on the heating press upper part, and a second circular ring, which adjoins this first circular ring coaxially in an axial direction and can be telescopically retracted and extended in over the first circular ring in an axial direction P1, - wherein the heating press upper part and the heating press lower part are connected to the container such that, when the heating press upper part is being lowered through a total stroke that takes place in an axial direction, during which total stroke the open end of the hood upper part moves onto the heating press lower part, the mold parts (14, 16, 17, 18, 21) of the vulcanizing mold can be closed in the radial direction, - wherein vacuum-tight seals (5, 9) are arranged between the two circular rings (23, 24) and between the second circular ring and the heating press lower part, - wherein the total stroke can be traveled in a manner composed of a first partial stroke (TH 1) and a second partial stroke, - wherein, after the first partial stroke (TH 1), the hood upper part can be moved in such a way that it rests on the heating press lower part by way of the extended second circular ring, and the interior space of the hood can be closed in a vacuum-tight manner by the seals (5, 9) although the vulcanizing mold is still open in an air-permeable manner and - wherein a pump and a vacuum tank, by means of which a vacuum can be generated in the interior space of the hood after the first partial stroke (TH 1), are provided, wherein the vacuum tank and the pump are connected to the interior space of the hood (4, 7, 31), and wherein the vacuum tank and the pump are connected to one another, and - wherein, after the second partial stroke (TH 2), the hood upper part can be moved in such a way that the second circular ring can be retracted in further over the first circular ring and the vulcanizing mold can be completely closed under vacuum conditions in the interior space of the hood.