You drive the Porsche 911 RSR for Porsche North America in the United SportsCar Championship. Is it difficult to go from an LM P1 car to a GTE?
One of the hardest things is the change of people, the team. What I do as a driver is the same in any car. I drive the car to the maximum limit of speed. The technical approach is similar. Take the 911 RSR and the 919 Hybrid: they look very different, and the speeds are very different. People think the cars are so different that one driver can’t drive the other car because it’s so much faster, which is very wrong. A very good driver in a GT is a very good driver full stop. As long as you have the experience and the information of how to extract the performance, it’s the same job. To get the best from aerodynamics is different to getting the best from weight transfer of a car. One thing with the 919 is that in the faster corners, it’s very much like a formula car, which I used to race. You use the aerodynamic grip to keep the platform stable so as not to lose the aerodynamics. Then in the slower speed corners, the weight of the car is very significant. So then you need to use this weight transfer to help the cornering, just like in a heavier GT car. So, honestly, I have the best of both worlds.
 

Do you think your formula days were most helpful in preparing you to drive an LM P1?
I think it helps, but it’s not critical. For example, look at guys like René Rast, who did not race so much in a formula car but he’s for sure one of the fastest drivers in a Le Mans prototype. He can drive a Porsche Cup car or an Audi R8 LMS at the same level as an LM P1. I’m sure if he were to drive a Formula One car now, he would take time to understand it, and once he did, no problem. I think it’s good to show the relationship between the different classes in our sport. It’s still motorsport and from a driver’s point of view, you still do the same things, whether it’s a formula car or a GT car. You still need to get maximum grip out of the tyres at all points. You still turn a steering wheel and press the pedals. When you have experience of changing between cars, for sure, it helps you improve.
 

You’re driving in the FIA World Endurance Championship this season. Are you satisfied with the performance of the Oreca 05 Nissan in LM P2?
After our qualification in pole position at Nürburgring, yes. The first time I drove the car was at Silverstone and we were too slow. But the car was new and we needed development, which has clearly happened. It’s one thing to be fast in Le Mans but then to be fast in a normal track condition like at Nürburgring shows they’ve made good improvement. That’s good for the rest of the season, that’s for sure.
 

Do you have any details about your schedule for next year?
Yes. I will be racing with Porsche! (laughs) I would like to think I’ll be at Daytona again with a GTLM car and I would like to think also I’ll be at Le Mans with the LM P1 car.

Ticket sales for the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans (18–19 June) will open on Tuesday 3 November for ACO members and Friday 6 November for non-members.

David Bristol / ACO
 

Photo: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), 24 HOURS CIRCUIT, LE MANS 24 HOURS, SUNDAY 14 JUNE 2015, FINISH. Nick Tandy (left) celebrates victory with Earl Bamber (right, fist in air).