We me up with Graff team manager Rauturier a few hours after the 24 Hours of Le Mans podium ceremony when he was still on cloud nine, unwinding with his family in the team hospitality area. Beaming with pride, he feels the result is a just reward. “It’s the payback for six years’ hard work. We started in LMP3, then LMP2 in the European Le Mans Series before moving on to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. A podium finish on the second year at Le Mans is a real result. It’s fantastic! It’s difficult to put feelings into words. It’s just magical to stand up there and see the expanse of people below. I tried to pick out my team members. It’s just out of this world! I can’t describe it."

But it wasn’t all smooth running. One car did not make the finish and the other battled for position right down to the line. "What with the #40 Oreca 07-Gibson going off in the Porsche curves half way through it wasn’t an easy race [Fielded under the G-Drive Racing name with Graff providing technical support]. The driver was tired and made a mistake. Unfortunately, it’s the sort of thing you can’t get away with in the Porsche Curves. It’s part of the race. Lots of drivers went off in that area. This year we had a solid, experienced crew with the #39 Graff SO24 Oreca 07-Gibson.They did what was expected of them. Vincent Capillaire was a pleasant surprise, especially in the early hours of the morning. Tristan Gommendy and Jonathan Hirschi are part of our European Le Mans Series crew [with Alexandre Cougnauld] and they make a great pair."

The second place for the #39 is provisional as two teams have been disqualified but have appealed the decision. Whatever the final outcome, the result is a moral booster for a team that had a difficult time earlier this year in the European Le Mans Series. “True, the beginning of the season was difficult, for several reasons. We weren’t quite ready for the first race in Le Castellet and we had technical gremlins and a collision early in the race. At Monza, the second round, we had driving issues (two offs at the beginning), which I am not afraid to own. It was difficult to instil the drivers with confidence. This result is good news for everyone. It was important to do things well as we are all fans of motor racing, and of endurance and Le Mans in particular."

Pascal Rauturier hardly takes the time to savour the moment before he starts looking ahead. “This is going to boost us for the rest of the season, and beyond, because we’re already thinking about 2019. We won’t be doing anything revolutionary [smiles]. We’ll carry on in LMP3 [the team fielded four Ligier JS P3s in the Michelin Le Mans Cup and Road to Le Mans this year] and LMP2. It goes without saying that we’d like to be back at the 24 Hours of Le Mans next year. The big race is the core of our campaign. We also have some ideas following the new regulations that the ACO announced on Friday morning. We’ll give it some thought, but I believe they’re on the right track."

Photo: Pascal Rauturier spent the whole 24 Hours on the pit wall!