The view from up here - the season seen from the podium. “After a season that’s lasted for more than a year, we’ve reached the last race in the lead of the  championship having consistently finished all the races on the podium. On top of that, we won the best race of all, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which goes to prove that everyone has done their job well, with nothing left to chance. One thing I really like about the team is the professionalism and the cool, calm and collected approach. Intercontinental races are still a bit new to me, but because the team is so chilled, I am too.”

A sound trio of drivers with teammates Nicolas Lapierre and André Negrão - “I really like Nicolas as a person. I’d already got to meet him during a one-off appearance at a race we won together for another team. He’s a calming influence and never gets worked up; his level-headedness means you can look at things with a clear mind. You can assess things far more quickly with Nicolas because he knows exactly what’s needed to boost a car’s performance quickly. I’ve really got to know André over the course of this Super Season. He’s got great velocity and makes very few mistakes. The three of us get on really well together, which is really important, not just over the championship, but also for preparing a race as substantial as the 24 Hours of Le Mans.”

24 Hours of Le Mans 2019, the implications of a Super Finale - “We feel poised, because we’ve shown throughout this Super Season that we’ve got what it takes to come out on top, but that doesn’t mean we can take anything for granted. I’m going into this 24 Hours of Le Mans in the same way as those I’ve raced  before. It’s a very different type of race; you have to stay focussed from start to finish, with the main aim of not making any mistakes. Even though we’ve had great results all season, we’re approaching Le Mans a bit differently, because it’s almost a championship in its own right and we really want to do a good job. After what happened last year [Signatech Alpine Matmut was declared winner after G-Drive Racing was disqualified], we’re even more determined to secure an outright win on the Sunday, complete with podium ceremony and La Marseillaise. We’re also representing a great French make which is supported by a lot of fans. And it would be a nice birthday present for André!” Indeed – André Negrão will celebrate his 27th birthday on 17th June, the day after Le Mans.

Photo - LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), PLACE DE LA REPUBLIQUE, 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, SCRUTINEERING, SUNDAY 10 JUNE 2018 - A year after winning the LMP2 class, Pierre Thiriet and his teammates André Negrão and Nicolas Lapierre (left to right) are back to bask in the buzz of the 24 Hours of Le Mans with their sights set on securing a double whammy: the race itself and the World Endurance Championship FIA LMP2 Endurance Trophy.