24h Le Mans
They are torn between wide-eyed wonderment and the pressure of the occasion. Like most years, a host of newcomers will be adding their names to the legendary race’s roster. Big names from other disciplines will line up alongside ambitious youngsters caught up in the excitement surrounding the Hypercar class.
At Le Mans, the serious business begins quite a while before the traditional starting ceremony. A full week before, the drivers get a first-hand taste of the local public’s enthusiasm for the event at Scrutineering. “It’s hard to believe that the race is still a week away,” says young Alpine driver Olli Caldwell, enthralled by the extraordinary atmosphere. “There were thousands of people in the city centre. Everything I’ve seen so far has been unbelievable.”
While the young Brit’s excitement could be put down to his relative inexperience, Daniil Kvyat has over 100 Formula One Grands Prix to his name and yet is no less enthusiastic. “Le Mans is one of those legendary races that everyone knows – it’s unique,” he says. “I’m impressed as the race is still a week away and yet there are so many fans here already.” Despite their widely differing backgrounds, they all talk about their participation in the 24 Hours of Le Mans as an accomplishment.
For seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson, making his Le Mans début at the wheel of a jaw-dropping machine, it stretches back to his earliest years. “I dreamed of this race as a kid. I remember my dad telling me how the drivers used to run to their car at the start. I’ve been fascinated by it ever since.” Belgian rookie Ulysse De Pauw, 21, racing for AF Corse, agrees: “Competing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans is an honour, especially in the Centenary year. It’s a childhood dream that has involved many sacrifices.”
Coping with pressure plays a large part in a professional driver’s performance. The 33 rookies starting the race will undoubtedly feel a touch of apprehension that is conveyed in different ways. Even for Johnson, who has nothing more to prove. “We have put this entry together like any other racing programme,” he said. “Chevrolet wanted something competitive that would rival the LMGTE Am field. As racing drivers and a racing team, it’s difficult not to race hard. We have a lot of pressure related to the car’s intrinsic performance. We don’t know where its weak points or its strong points lie, and we don’t know how it will behave compared to the GTs.”
His Hendrick Motorsports teammates have already competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, yet Johnson still faces a daunting challenge at the wheel of the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. “I’ll have to watch out for the regulations and the differences with American races. The pressure lies in these unfamiliar details and that concerns me,” the American confesses. Others worry about the things that make Le Mans one of a kind. “It’s the first time I’ll race at night, in total darkness,” admits Caldwell. “I mean, I’ve already competed in night races in the Middle East but the racetracks are lit up over there. Finding yourself in the pitch black after Mulsanne must be strange.”
It is important for newcomers, however, not to place an extra burden on themselves that could have a detrimental effect on the team. “Our primary objective is to finish the race. Well, it’s mine anyway!” Caldwell continues. “As a rookie, my job is to help the team as much as I can – and enjoy it. That would be great.” Kvyat is on the same wavelength: “It shouldn’t add any extra pressure. If anything, I think being a rookie helps alleviate it.”
The presence of seven Hypercar manufacturers hasn’t gone unnoticed among the pack of hungry young wolves. They all know that the opportunity is there in the premier league of endurance racing for those who make a name for themselves. Talent spotters have had their eye on Caldwell for some time in the single-seater world and he even did a test in the Alpine Formula One car at the end of last year. He knows that a strong Centenary race will score points with a view to Alpine’s Hypercar programme. The French constructor will reveal its prototype on Friday 9 June. “Everyone knows how important the 24 Hours of Le Mans is to Alpine," says Caldwell. "Many teams will be watching my performance and the other youngsters so I can’t make any stupid mistakes. I’m aware that this race could be decisive for the next step in my career. Nothing has been confirmed yet, but I’d sure love to be in the Alpine Hypercar next year.”
As an AF Corse racer, albeit in LMGTE Am, de Pauw has noted the fans’ enthusiasm for the Ferrari 499P managed by his employer. “I am here to enjoy it, but I also need to think of my future,” he says. “I can still progress and maybe, one day, end up in the Ferrari Hypercar. I’m not feeling too much pressure yet regarding the race, but that will surely come!”
Kvyat has already taken a step into the future as he is responsible for developing the Lamborghini LMDh that he sees as an “extra challenge”. Even NASCAR stalwart Johnson is already looking to come back: “I hope this won’t be my only Le Mans experience. I’d love to come back later and why not with the Cadillac or Corvette programme.”
As the 24 Hours of Le Mans turns a new leaf and heads into its second century, the race continues to nourish the dreams and ambitions of eager drivers.
