24h Le Mans
RECORD HOLDER FOR PARTICIPATIONS AS A DRIVER IN THE LE MANS 24 HOURS, HENRI PESCAROLO IS NOW A TEAM MANAGER. THE FRENCH DRIVER HAD SIX ENTRIES IN THE SEBRING 12 HOURS IN THE 70S, THEN IN THE 90S BEFORE RETURNING TO AMERICAN SOIL FOR NEW ADVENTURES WITH THE PESCAROLO SPORT TEAM IN 2001 AND PESCAROLO TEAM THIS YEAR. HE SHARES HIS MEMORIES ...
Henri, has the the Sebring 12 Hours changed?
"Not at all, I feel to be back forty years ago! At the time, the circuit and paddock were already anachronistic by European standards and nothing has changed. There are still no grandstands and it's completely crazy to see race cars make their way among the spectators to go from the pit lane to service truck. Only the size of trucks has changed: they are much bigger! "
What are the peculiarities of the Sebring circuit?
"Drivers have no reference point because of the flatness. At night, some drivers have become completely lost and don't know where they are going! The track is so wide that it is difficult to anticipate the manoeuvers of slower cars. Traffic management is not new at Sebring. Moreover, the alternation of concrete and asphalt makes adjustments very difficult to determine, particularly in terms of shocks. The circuit is very bumpy and if we make the car comfortable to drive, performance suffers. It's all about compromise. "
What are your memories of the race?
"I have good and less good memories. The last time I took the start of the race, I ended up KO! At the time, the bridge that is at the beginning of the pit straight was not protected. I was driving the Joest Racing Porsche 962 of which hit the bridge support. The car bounced and slid all the way to my pit where Madie Pescarolo (his wife) was waiting for me. I was unconscious and I woke up in hospital. I also had a great time, especially in the 70s because we discovered America. With Avec Andrea de Adamich and Rolf Stommelen, my team at Autodelta (Alfa Romeo), we would first go to Daytona and stay in the United States until the Sebring 12 Hours, to our delight. It was great! "
The 12 Hours of Sebring in 2012 also remains in the memory of Henri Pescarolo Pescarolo. The venerable old Pescarolo 01-Judd, at its final race, finished in sixth place overall, and third place in the LMP1 class. This bodes well for the rest of the FIA World Endurance Championship.
Interview by Cécile Bonardel
Photo: SEBRING (FLORIDA, UNITED STATES), SEBRING INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY, 12 HOURS OF SEBRING, THURSDAY 15 MARCH 2012, FREE PRACTICE.
