24h Le Mans
Enormously experienced driver with Ferrari, in F1 with Minardi, this year Gianmaria Bruni wants to win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the fourth time in GT. Will it be possible with a new car?
Gianmaria Bruni is currently the most experienced Ferrari driver in endurance. With two FIA Endurance GT Drivers World Cups (2013 and 2014), he is also the driver with the most victories in the World Endurance Championship (WEC), equal to Russian driver Roman Rusinov (12 wins). And "Gimmi" Bruni has three class victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (2008, 2012 and 2014). He won with the two previous generations of the Ferrari sports car, the Ferrari 430 and 458 Italia. Does he think the 488 GTE, debuting in 2016, can win in its first year at the 24 Hours? "It's always hard the first time. To win the 24 Hours of Le Mans, it takes some luck an also that everything goes the right way. For now, the car is good and I'm confident, but we're not the only ones in that case," admits the driver who prefers to remain humble. The GTE version of the 488, presented November, 2015 at the Mugello, has been hitting the track for several months. During the 2016 Prologue which took place at the end of March, the 488 GTEs climbed to the top of the timesheets. The beautifual Italian, whose exterior does not differ much from the 458 Italia to an unknowing eye, does actually include true innovations. The main change is the supercharged 3.9-liter, V8 twin-turbo engine that has replaced the aspirated 4.5-liter, V8.
Is it a car capable of reuniting Bruni with victory? The Italian had a difficult 2015 season, with only two wins at Silverstone and Fuji, and had to settle for fourth place at Le Mans. "Faced with a lack of luck or race incidents, there's nothing to be done. The only good reaction is to put your head down and do your work. I don't look backward, what is past is past. Now I am focused on this season, and am counting on the whole team and my new teammate. I think we have everything we need to fight in the areas we had difficulties in 2015, and make our return."
This new teammate is the Brit James Calado, already an AF Corse driver, who recently supported the Italian in Toni Vilander's place. "James a montré l’an passé qu’il savait être rapide (five podiums including second place at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, editor's note). "He is the youngest driver this year in our team (26 years old, editor's note), but for his age I find he is already very focused on training and improvements continue. He is doing everything to follow the more experienced drivers like me, and I think that's the right approach! It's a good way to have strong team spirit." The two men seem to get along very well given their interactions at the Prologue in AF Corse's pit. When one asks what British drivers James Calado and Sam Bird bring to the table (the team's new driver), Bruni mentions their speed, youth, and jokes: "In any case I hope they don't bring with them English weather. James has been with Ferrari since 2013, to me he's a kind of 'half-Italian' (laughs). He is even learning to speak our language."
Focused, without veering from the timetable as he responds to demands, Bruni could win once again at Le Mans. He has even said in several interviews that the best win of his career is the one he clinched in 2014. Why? "Because it was a truly great race, with a tight battle. Up until the last moment, we didn't know who would win, it was undecided. One always says their last win was the best because it's the most recent one remembers well. But I hope my favourite will be the next, in a few months." The 24 Hours of Le Mans? Of course!
Translation by Nikki Ehrhardt / ACO
Photo: During the Administrative and Technical Verifications at the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans, Gianmaria Bruni will present a Ferrari 488 GTE for the first time.
