You’re quite new to endurance, so could you tell us a bit about your career before endurance?
Most of my background is in formula car racing, so I’ve come through Formula Ford, ADAC Formula Masters, Formula 3, GP3 and GP2 (in which I still compete), so basically the whole ladder up to Formula 1. I haven’t managed to make that final step yet, but if you can’t make that final step then endurance is a natural step to the side.

What do you think about your season with Aston Martin Racing in the World Endurance Championship so far?
This is my third season with them and it’s nice to stay with a team for a decent amount of time. As you move up the junior categories, you stay with a team for just one year and progress onwards. Now I’ve got to know the GTE very well. This is my first full season in the pro class, which has been good. Unfortunately I had to miss the Fuji race because of a clash with GP2. We’ve definitely had some positive points because we won our race at Spa [starting from pole, Ed.], got the pole position at Le Mans and fought for the lead at Le Mans for part of the race. Then since Le Mans, we’ve had the Balance of Performance adjustment, which hasn’t been in our favour. We still managed to get another pole position in Austin. Hopefully we can get another podium towards the end of the season.

What are your thoughts on your race at Le Mans?
For me personally, it was probably one of my best weekends of the year. The qualifying result and my stint averages were great. I can’t be anything but happy really. It was my first time at Le Mans so it was important not to make mistakes. When you’re a rookie, your first priority is not to crash or go in the gravel, which I managed to achieve. Second, we managed to do that with some good speed. Unfortunately, my teammate had a small lapse in concentration which cost us the race [while leading the class, Fernando Rees ran into the #46 Oreca 05 Thiriet by TDS Racing in the first chicane on Mulsanne, Ed]. It happens, you know. There are hundreds of people on the team and it takes one small mistake from one person to make it all go wrong, that’s just the nature of Le Mans. That's just the way it goes. But I’ll be back in years to come and will try to go for the top step!

David Bristol / ACO | Translated from French by Clair Pickworth

Photo : LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), PLACE DE LA REPUBLIQUE, 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, MONDAY 8 JUNE 2015, SCRUTINEERING. Richie Stanaway made his mark at this year’s 24 Hours by bagging pole in the LM GTE Pro class.