How do you feel before your first Le Mans 24 Hours ?

Wow, it’s a real mixture of emotions!  I am so grateful for the opportunity to drive at Le Mans for one of the most iconic sports car teams in the world. I have always aspired to drive at Le Mans and to make my debut with Oreca is a huge privilege.

 I am also excited, as a driver you always want to push yourself and there is no other challenge like Le Mans. I feel ready for Le Mans, I have fitted into the team well, and testing has gone fantastically so I am just waiting to get out on track.  

What does Le Mans means for you ?

Le Mans is without doubt the biggest race in the world. I have always watched it and wanted to be there in the top class fighting. I was so disappointed to not drive last year when I was reserve driver in the R10, but I feel prepared now.

The mental challenge of Le Mans is unique; you have to be safe, consistent, intelligent but also fast. The race requires the whole team to work together and follow a very clear strategy.

You also have to remember the history of this race and respect it. Many fantastic teams and drivers have failed at Le Mans so you have to remember this and always expect the unexpected.  

What do you hope for this Le Mans ?

First of all I hope for a smooth, safe and consistent race. Our first objective has to be to finish, it is such a tough race for the team, car and drivers that getting across the line is an incredible achievement. I also hope for some luck. At Le Mans you definitely need a little bit of luck on your side. If we get these things then who knows where we may finish, we have a great chance of being top petrol and maybe even more.

What do you think about Oreca : the team and the car ?

The team has been fantastic with me ever since I tested the Oreca at Paul Ricard. As soon as you work with the engineers, mechanics and technical staff you can see why they have been so successful. It is a pleasure to work in an environment where the whole team pushes and strives for the same goals. In Soheil and Didier I have fast and experienced team mates and for my first Le Mans this really counts. I have a great relationship with them and we all work very well together.

The car really is exceptional; from the first lap I drove it I knew it is the complete package which is a credit to the development team at  Oreca. We have also proved at Paul Ricard that the car performs exceptionally well on the Dunlop tyres. Dunlop really is a great company to work with and they will be pushing very hard at La Sarthe.