Winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2010 with Audi, Romain Dumas is one of the first drivers confirmed by Porsche to take the wheel of the future LM P1 prototype in 2014. He looks back on his memories of his long career with the Stuttgart manufacturer in both prototype and GT classes.

Like team-mate Timo Bernhard, also announced by Porsche for 2014, the French driver will race the 90th anniversary edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans at the wheel of a 911 RSR of Porsche AG Team Manthey (LM GTE Pro). It will be his sixth participation in La Sarthe (out of thirteen, including 2013) at the wheel of the celebrated German GT.

Romain Dumas and the Porsche 911: "I drove for the first time in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2001. I joined Freisinger Motorsport because of a combination of circumstances: I was racing at the time in Japan with Toyota where I used Yokohama tyres, which was Freisinger's partner, and I knew Le Mans very well because I was there with Elf. This year, it rained and we finished seventh overall at the wheel of what was then a GT2 with Philippe Haezebrouck and Gunnar Jeannette. I continued to drive for Freisinger Motorsport in 2002 being paid to race by Porsche, who gave me my first contract in 2003, while letting me do what I wanted on the side. So I drove for the first time in prototypes for Nasamax. Then it was the adventure with the Porsche RS Spyder prototype from 2006. "

Romain Dumas and Porsche RS Spyder: "This prototype is the best I have ever drove. I had a great time in the United States with this car. The victory at the 12 Hours of Sebring in 2008 with Timo and Emmanuel Collard is one that has remained the most in memory because there were many manufacturers, Peugeot, Audi, Acura ... Although, due to regulations, we see more closed prototypes today, I always preferred open prototypes, and I continue to drive this type of car, like the Honda HPD team Muscle Milk Pickett Racing in the United States. But the Audi R18 ultra (closed car, ed) with which I won last year's 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps WEC last year was a very, very good car. "

Romain Dumas, Porsche AG Team Manthey and the FIA World Endurance Championship 2013: "At Silverstone, we were always around the third and fourth position. The Aston Martin Vantage was very fast throughout the weekend, while the Ferrari 458 Italia was almost the same as us. The 911 RSR Version 2013 is a brand new car, and can only improve at every race. I've always been a strong supporter of GT, I have always raced in that class, and I have not had a season where I have not driven at least once in GT. I am very pleased to have been selected to drive the 911 FIA WEC because the level of competition is so good that we will enjoy it! "

Jean-Philippe Doret / ACO

Photo : SILVERSTONE (UK), 6 HOURS OF SILVERSTONE, 14th AVRIL 2013. This year Romain Dumas shares the wheel of the 911 RSR in the FIA World Endurance Championship with Marc Lieb and Austrian Richard Lietz, also Porsche works drivers.