You have just had your first outing at the Circuit des 24 Heures du Mans. What are your impressions?

It’s a unique place! I’ve heard a lot about it in racing circles. I was really surprised by the amount of grip on the track on Sunday [Test Day]. When I went around the day before, I didn’t really believe it but the track does have very good grip. And the portion I expected to have most grip – where it is part of the permanent racetrack – is actually where it is not as good. It’s quite surprising. The section from the Porsche Curves through to the Karting turn would be better with more power. It’s not that easy now that we go through more slowly, but I wouldn’t say it’s the most difficult part of the circuit. The Indianapolis/Arnage sequence is the trickiest. You can take a few risks there but they can be costly. It’s always about balancing risk and performance. Ultimately, I feel that the changing conditions throughout the race are the decisive factor. You drive a car, and then you jump out for several hours. And when it’s your turn to go back out, you have to be quick straight away, so you must understand the track or read the grip, and that’s tough, I guess.

Has the 24 Hours of Le Mans always been part of your career plan?

To be honest – no, because I’m the kind of guy who focuses his energy and attention on what he is doing, and nothing else. When I was in F1, it was F1. When I switched to rallying, I focused only on that. If you had asked me the question ten years ago, of course I would have replied that it’s one of the greatest motorsport events in the world, and the greatest endurance race, but it would have been like asking a sprinter if he had thought about running a marathon. I would undoubtedly have said yes, for fun, but I wasn’t there for that. Quite the opposite, in fact, as these last two or three years since I stopped Formula One, my priority was short races. But probably because I’m not getting any younger, I began to realise that Le Mans was a race that I’d like to go to, to watch, and perhaps, if an opportunity arose, maybe take part in. I was supposed to compete in 2017, but it didn’t work out. It’s wonderful to be here today. It’s a great challenge, which is what I love. I hope that, on Sunday, I will leave satisfied that I have finished the race. That is my main aim.

You have made a very good start to the season in ELMS. Does that give you confidence for this race?

We have indeed started the season well. It was a little surprising but we were soon up to speed. When we went to Barcelona at the start of the season, we were very well prepared after the tests at the same racetrack. In Austria, some might say we were lucky. Others might say we chose the right tyres. I know how it happened from inside the car and can tell you that it’s not by chance that our strategic decisions paid off. Then, at Paul Ricard, we were leading when we were hit with a penalty that put us back. We still managed to finish in a respectable fifth place. Finally, at Monza, our race was not as clean as it could have been. However, we have led the championship since the first race. The standard is high and we are up against some strong teams with outstanding driver line-ups. This week, we are pulling out all the stops for this big race, but the last two rounds [Belgium and Portugal] will be crucial for us, so we can’t switch off. As for our chances of winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans, I’m not really thinking about that. The way I approach it is to focus on myself, on us as a team, to try and run the best possible race. If someone does better, then well played! I’d sooner finish fifth, knowing that we couldn’t have gone any faster. For a rookie, that would be a marvellous success. It would be better than finishing fourth, for example, knowing that we made mistakes on the track or that we could have opted for a better strategy. I always feel better when I know a race has gone smoothly. It gives me a boost for the next race and more confidence in our capabilities.