The Le Mans 24 Hours to be held in September

I don’t think the month changes the way you approach the race. It will be tough this year because many drivers won’t have been behind a wheel for some time. Some might have lost their bearings a little. We’ll have to be really careful out on the track. It would be fantastic to win a September 24 Hours.

Le Mans Hypercar and LMDh

I think it’s great. The ACO has taken the right corner at the right time to introduce new technologies that are of interest to manufacturers, like hybrid systems and hydrogen. I hope I get a chance to be involved, and particularly the future Peugeot Sport programme as I’m in a Formula E team that is part of the PSA Group. Secretly, I hope to drive that car and to have a decent chance of winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
I talk to the people at Peugeot because we belong to the same company. But having said that, I don’t think they’re in a position yet to choose their future drivers.

Hyperpole at the 2020 Le Mans 24 Hours

I think it’s fantastic as it’s very tough to get a clean lap at Le Mans. I’ve never had one in qualifying in the three years I have been coming here! The car that will be in pole position will be the fastest and not necessarily the one that has been luckiest regarding traffic. We’ll try and achieve the perfect lap and we’ll also see the maximum potential of the cars and drivers without the problem of traffic. 

His view of the European Le Mans Series

The ELMS is a great, competitive championship. There are some good teams and fast drivers. It is raced on some magnificent European tracks. Unfortunately, there are date clashes with the Formula E championship. If ever we manage to avoid such clashes, I’ll come back to ELMS with great pleasure.

His own favourite race at the Le Mans 24 Hours

My second time in 2018 was my favourite. It was my first with G-Drive Racing. We had a very competitive car and led the LMP2 field from start to finish. We made the podium and then were disqualified 24 hours later. But the weekend itself was fabulous.

The toughest parts of the Le Mans circuit

All the turns are tricky as they are followed by long straights and if you don’t take one very well, you can easily lose several tenths of a second. Tertre Rouge is one of the most difficult as it’s a very fast turn and the grass is very close to the ideal line. You try and come out wide but if you clip the grass, you can end up hitting the barrier.

The opening stint at the Le Mans 24 Hours

It’s a special experience and you feel the pressure building when the French anthem is played before the race. It’s very emotional. We are like lions in a cage at the start but once we’re off, we forget the stress. We attack from the opening laps and throughout the 24 hours.

The first time he drove at night at Le Mans

It was during free practice. I was a bit lost at first. I must have been about three seconds off the top times and I had to force myself to go faster. I also remember my first night stints during the race. You feel like you’re in a world of your own. There is something very peaceful and magical about driving at Le Mans at night.

Starting out in the Auto Sport Academy on the Bugatti circuit

There are two racetracks that really impressed me when I stepped up from karting and the Bugatti was one of them. When I did my first laps on the Bugatti with the Auto Sport Academy, I really felt the history of the place. I felt very small. I knew then that I would love to take part in the Le Mans 24 Hours one day.