The Austrian driver describes how he has had to face a series of set-backs this year:
“I was supposed to be running in the World Endurance Championship with Team SARD-Morand (#39 Morgan Evo - Nissan LMP2), who were going to field two cars. When I got to Silverstone for the first round, there was no car, no team. It was really strange. They had major financial problems, so they took drivers who could pay and there was no place for me.”

In the end, Klien managed to slip behind a wheel at the last minute, driving the #4 CLM P1/01 LM P1 for Team ByKolles with Vitantonio Liuzzi and Simon Trummer.
“Once the season is under way, it’s difficult to find a free space, but I managed to do two races with Team Bykolles (Silverstone and Spa-Francorchamps, Ed.) It was a good experience. It’s always good to be behind the wheel. The CLM is a good car. It has come on a lot, as we have seen recently. It’s just difficult for a private team to race in LM P1.”

After two races with the Austrian team, Klien set his sights on the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He was keen to race on the legendary course for the fifth time:
“I was supposed to be racing at Le Mans with KCMG (in the Oreca 03R - Nissan with Tomonobu Fujii and Satoshi Hoshino, Ed.) We did the Test Day. But unfortunately we were the first reserve car and nobody pulled out. Right up to the last minute, I thought it would be possible, but it wasn’t to be.”

The former Peugeot endurance driver hasn’t driven in a World Endurance Championship race since, but has been racing all the same:
“Last month, I went to Japan for the 1,000 km of Suzuka in Super GT. I was driving for Lexus Team Sard with Kohei Hirate and Heikki Kovalainen, but we had a technical issue and ended up eleventh. It was a good experience. It’s a superb championship.”

We caught up with Christian Klien in Le Mans where he was driving in the World Series by Renault. But he was already planning for 2016:
“I want to get back into endurance, that’s for sure. That’s what I’m aiming for. I am still in contact with Team SARD-Morand. Their project has been put back a year. I also have good relations with KCMG since Le Mans. I want to take part in the World Endurance Championship and above all the 24 Hours of Le Mans.”

David Bristol / ACO — Translated from French by Emma Paulay

Photo: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, LE MANS 24 HOURS, SUNDAY 31 MAY 2015, TEST DAY. Christian Klien was at the Le Mans 24 Hours Test Day this year and hopes to drive in the actual race in June 2016.