One of the new competitors present in the Le Mans Series this season was the Q8 Hache Team. Previously entered in the European Open F3, the team ran a Lucchini in the Le Mans Series. And even if the challenge was formidable, the Spanish team showed their worth, progressing from round to round, step by step. It is in this progression that 2010 will continue, with mostly likely a two-pronged attack: a Lucchini and another car to be determined. Team Manager Miguel Angel Sanchez recaps their first season in endurance racing, while looking ahead to the future for the team.
Until now, the Q8 Hache Team was used to single-seaters. But 2009 was synonymous with new experiences for the Spanish team as it opted to run in the Le Mans Series. “We have always wanted to run in a bigger international category ,” explained Miguel Angel Sanchez, the Team Manager. “This season, we had the opportunity to enter the Le Mans Series. We studied this project and decided not to miss this opportunity. We made this choice late, just before the start of the season, and we were able to get the Lucchini, with the support of the team who owned it.”
With a car that suffers in performance compared to the competition, the team had their work cut out for them. For Q8 Hache Team, the objective was simple: “We entered this season like an apprenticeship. We improved on the car, showing that we were able to do good work. Also, we tried to get the Le Mans Series to be better known in Spain. As a result, I think we will see a lot more support from our country next year.”
Speaking of Spain, the country was represented by a 100 % Hispanic driver line-up during the second half of the season. Fonsi Nieto and young drivers Carmen Jorda and Maxi Cortes took turns driving the Lucchini. “There are many quick young Spanish drivers and we want to show them that single-seaters isn’t everything,” said the team boss. “There are incredible series, like the Le Mans Series, where drivers can show their potential and become professionals. We’ve always wanted to have young drivers, but also intelligent and capable drivers because the races are long. And with Maxi, Carmen and Fonsi we reached this goal.”
Before looking to the future, we must first look at the past. A past that was relatively positive, according to Miguel Angel Sanchez. “Several people have noticed our work: the media, sponsors, and also other teams. Therefore we are happy with the season. We learned a lot in order to do better in the future. We were slower than we had hoped to be, but the last race at Silverstone showed our progression. In fact, we were only one lap away from being classified in the finishing order, which was our goal. But the next season will be different…”
So this means the Q8 Hache Team has a future in the Le Mans Series to look forward to? “We will be here next year. We had a lot of fun and I must say that the organizers really helped us in this first outing. I think this championship has a good future.”
What will be the team’s program? Miguel Angel tells us a bit more: “After a learning year, we want to consolidate our presence in the Le Mans Series in 2010. We want to run two cars, still in LMP2, which is the category we enjoy the most. We will keep the Lucchini, but for the other car, we are looking at different possibilities. We have interesting propositions. Our references are the cars that ran well in 2009. We’d also like to participate in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.”
The identity of the other car will be announced by December. Upon delivery, the team will begin an intense testing program. Drivers will be tested before this, in November.
Rainier Ehrhardt and Anthony Megevand