Porsche: “Porsche’s strong point was their speed. Audi and Porsche really were the two constructors who made the greatest progress since 2014, much more so than Toyota. Last year was a bit of a learning curve for them. Not only did they learn a lot from their own experience but also a great deal from what Audi was able to do before. Porsche are also extremely rigorous in every area. Audi were quick and I thought they would have made the difference strategically in terms of their tyre changes but it has got to be said, Porsche didn’t make a single mistake! When they had to step on the gas during the race, they put in the right drivers at the right time. Their lap times during the race were incredible. Porsche were just better than everyone else – that’s all there is to it!”

Audi: “Audi were also very fast – just as quick as Porsche – but they had more reliability issues than in previous years which was not necessarily the case of their main rivals. I think this was the decisive factor in the outcome of the race, rather than speed. The driver lineups were good and Audi’s strategy is always spot-on.”

Toyota: “Toyota had what it takes to win the race last year. After the close-season, they were pleased to have clipped off a few seconds but compared with the gains made by Audi and Porsche, they were never at the races. Of course, their reliability was good this year but they were lacking speed and in a race like this, without this element, you cannot win at Le Mans. They got a slap in the face because of this difference.”

Nissan: “I’d prefer to be a little more uncompromising than others with respect to Nissan. What surprised me was their technical choices. When I first heard of this project and when I saw the car, I wondered how it could work out. I have to say I’m astonished that they were allowed to build this car for Le Mans.
It was their first year and they have learned a lot. Going forward, I just hope that they will go back to the basics for the 24 Hours. In my opinion, they need to start from scratch and build a car in the same way as the others do, something more conventional because this year’s car will never work.
I don’t want to be too hard on them. When constructors come to Le Mans, reliability and performance issues are a frequent occurrence. Nissan is a great constructor, capable of tremendous things. They simply made a mistake, that’s all!”

The 24 Hours of Le Mans: “The battle between Audi and Porsche set the scene for a superb race at Le Mans this year with a magnificent tussle in LM P1, and in LM P2 and the GTE classes too. That’s what we want to see!”

Nico Hülkenberg’s victory and the prospect of seeing other Formula One drivers: “I’m delighted for him and I think it’s great! When I drove in Formula One, we weren’t allowed to race at Le Mans as our contracts prevented us from doing anything but F1. However I think that Formula One and Le Mans are compatible as Nico Hülkenberg has just proved. It’s a different experience and gives single-seater drivers an opportunity to see another aspect of racing. I’m sure that there would be more of them competing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans if they were not restricted by their contracts.”

Will we see Olivier Panis back racing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans? “I’ve taken part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans four times (with a fifth-placed finish in 2009 and 2011 as his best result, ed.). It was a magical experience, but I’ve turned a new leaf now and shan’t be competing in this race again.”

Olivier Panis was a consultant for Eurosport at this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, and also commentates on the WTCC season.

David Bristol / ACO
Translated from French by David Goward

Photo: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, WEDNESDAY 10 JUNE 2015, PRACTICE SESSIONS. According to Olivier Panis, Nico Hülkenberg’s winning performance could give other current Formula One drivers ideas.