When did you go to Le Mans for the first time?
“It was 2008 as a spectator – the race had always fascinated me. When I made the decision to switch from single-seaters to join Audi in DTM, I hoped that one day I’d be part of the legendary race with the ‘factory’ Audi Sport squad.”
You made your Le Mans 24 Hour race debut just two years later with the privateer Kolles team
“Having to share a car with two other drivers always means that you get less time in the car than you would hope but I was fortunate that in 2010 the Audi R10 TDI , which had won at Le Mans in 2007 & ’08, ran without problems throughout practice and for the first 21 hours of the race. Unfortunately a mechanical problem in the 22nd hour side lined me and we were classified 32nd but essentially did not finish.”
What are your impressions of the infamous Le Mans track?
“I absolutely love it. There’s such a variety of corners that makes it extremely challenging. Long, fast straights that lead in to slow chicanes which require you to be very late on the brakes. The most exciting part of the track for me is the Porsche Curves that are extremely challenging and push both car and drivers to the limit.”
Aside from the fact that the duration is 24 hours, what makes this annual race so tough?
“Nowadays if you want to win, you have to push hard every single lap of the race – remember just 13.854secs was the winning margin last year. With over 50 cars on-track, you’re constantly overtaking. But it’s in traffic where a driver can win or lose the race. However there’s a fine line between being aggressive and crashing out so it’s important to take measured risks. There is such a variety of cars in other classes piloted by drivers with varying levels of experience and ability. Add this to the fact that I could be in the Audi for up to four hours at any one time, the demands on the driver are extremely high.”
How many 24 hour motor races have you contested and when was your first?
“The 2012 Le Mans 24 Hours will be my fourth twice-around-the-clock race. My first 24 hour race was the Nürburgring 24 Hours around the Nordschleife in 2010 driving an Audi R8 LMS. We qualified on pole but unfortunately one of my co-drivers had contact with another car early in the night causing our retirement. Then I drove at Le Mans in 2010 and contested the Nürburgring race again last month in which I finished 32nd. We were comfortably inside the top-10 until the 11th hour when our car lost over 30mins for repairs after a team-mate unluckily made contact with another car.”
You successfully raced single-seaters between 2002-07 (Formulae Ford, Renault & Three plus A1 GP) before joining Audi for four seasons in DTM. What is it that you now enjoy about endurance sportscar races?
“I love the numerous overtaking manoeuvres. Pushing 100% and diving up the inside of other cars many times every lap. The ‘traffic’ element is the biggest single difference to single-seater racing. I also really enjoy the extra physical demands placed on me.”
Sharing the Audi R18 ultra with two other drivers means that you all must make sacrifices and compromises in terms of you all being comfortable in the car.
“This starts immediately from the initial seat fitting phase because with three drivers sharing the same car, you have to find a solution that suits all three even if it’s not perfect for you as an individual. Remember we are all a different height, shape and build. Our driving styles vary too and therefore we require different behaviour from the car in terms of handling for example but it’s vital to find a set-up that brings the best performance from all three of us.”
Is it fair to say the Le Mans 24 Hours is the highlight of the year for you?
“Absolutely! It’s a race that I have been working towards for the last six months. I am, however, very fortunate to be running another programme in the FIA GT1 World Championship for the Belgian Audi Club Team WRT alongside my Le Mans preparations so it’s already been a busy 2012 for me.”
What are your aims in the 80th running of the 24 hours of Le Mans?
“Le Mans will be only my fifth race in a sports-prototype and my second for the ‘factory’ Audi Sport team. But having finished third on the debut of the R18 ultra in the six-hour race at Spa last month, I will be at least targeting a top-three podium result.”
Will you physically prepare any different for Le Mans compared to the one-hour DTM races you contested last year for example?
“Even though it’s extremely important to be fit in the DTM, I have now increased my exercise regime to ensure that I’m fully prepared for the extra demands that are placed on the driver through the increased G-forces but also by the fact that I could be in the Audi for up to almost four times longer than in a DTM race. I do more neck focussed exercises to help with the greater G.”
Can you “switch off” during the race when you’re not in the car and sleep?
“I hope that I will be able to relax after my ‘stints’ in the car but in reality it’s very difficult. Your adrenalin is so high and even though you’re not physically in the car, it’s still ‘your’ car so you want to know what’s happening at all times. In 2010, I found it very difficult to sleep and in the end was awake for over 36 hours during the course of the weekend.”
Source : Audi UK