Your first 24 Hours of Le Mans as a driver: "It was in 1999 as a reserve driver for Mercedes. The first time I did Le Mans was in 2003 in the Ferrari F550 Prodrive. I was thrilled to be doing my first 24 Hours of Le Mans. Le Mans is the summit of a career. At the same time, I was nervous because it's a huge event. I was afraid to make a mistake. Now, experience has made it easier for me. Things like Scrutineering or the Drivers' Parade in the city, I found them stressful, I didn't really want to go. I just wanted to get in the car and do the race. Now I'm more relaxed and enjoy every moment I spend here. When you race for the first time here, you can't take everything in right away. You enjoy driving but you don't appreciate everything else going on enough."

Your best memory at Le Mans: "I would say my win in 2007. 2008 was also a victory, it's something so special especially at Le Mans, but it was my second. It felt different. The one in 2007 was so special, with the DBR9 GT1. It was a true reward for the whole team, for Aston Martin and it remains one of my best experiences. There is no better place in the world than the Le Mans podium. It rained that year, but the crowd was enormous!"

Your worst memory at Le Mans: "Unfortunately, it was in 2012 when we lost Alan Simonsen to his accident. It serves as a reminder of the degree to which this race is a feat and gives you a different perspective of the race. Motorsports has its highs and its lows."

The teammate who has most marked you: "I have been very lucky with all the teammates I've been able to have. David Brabham had a lot of influence on me. He is very different and that's what's interesting. He gave me a great deal. A driver like Antonio Garcia (now a current Corvette Racing driver, editor's note) is also very fast. He pushed me to go faster still. The person with whom I've worked the longest is Stefan Mücke. We have really become good friends."

The significance of your helmet design: "When I was a kid and watched Formula 1 Grand Prix, my favourite team was Leyton House Racing. The blue in my helmet comes from that team. There is also a bit of influence from Gerhard Berger (former Formula 1 driver, editor's note) because I loved the design of his helmet. Mine dates back to 1996, there is a direct line with the blue but then elements around it have been changed."

Translation by Nikki Ehrhardt / ACO

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