The third driver of Red Bull Racing will be driving a Toyota Hybrid TS030 in the upcoming 24 Hours of Le Mans. He was preparing for this event this weekend, during the first round of the ELMS Castellet.

Sébastien Buemi will probably not want to remember his first experience in endurance racing. Having missed practice due to a technical problem, the Swiss driver could not drive in the race due to fuel starvation (due to a problem operating the reserve) immobilized the Oreca-Nissan that was being driven at the time by his team-mate Bastien Brière. Although it was not the experience he was looking for, the Toyota works driver has absorbed the atmosphere of endurance racing, a discipline he will discover on the 16th and 17th June during the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

This weekend at Le Castellet was not the most rewarding for you ...

 

 

 

 

Sebastien Buemi: "Sure I'd expected a different race ... but in these two days it was still possible to observe how the various teams work. I got into the mood of endurance, a discipline I did not know."

What are the main differences with Formula 1?
"The behavior of a prototype is different, more oversteer. With four categories of cars with different performance levels, traffic management is important. The time of flight is longer in endurance since a quadruple stint well over three hours. I still have much to discover."

In Endurance, you drive with your team-mates, not against your team-mate. Does this bother you?
"This is new for me to have to share my car, but it pleases me. It is interesting to find the right compromise with team-mates. Sometimes, the driving position or settings are not optimal, but that is the charm of a team sport!"

So the discipline pleases you?
"Yes, it is a lot of fun. I can't wait to be at Le Mans."

Your cousin Natacha Gachnang came here in 2010 (Ford GT). What did she say?
"She told me how the week unfolds. The circuit at night and involvement with the spectators ... It looks amazing!"

The Toyota team is ready to face its opponents?
"For now, everything goes well. We're on schedule. We still have much testing to do. As we have not had any real confrontation with Audi, it will be too early to risk a prediction. We will know more after the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (WEC May 5th, 2012)."

When was your last time driving the car?
"Last week I drove at Le Mans... on a simulator! I was at the headquarters of Toyota Motorsport in Cologne. Soon I'll drive the real-life TS030 Hybrid."

Julien Hergault

Photo : CIRCUIT PAUL RICARD HTTT (LE CASTELLET, VAR), PRIVATE TEST TOYOTA, 16th FEB 2012. At the Le Mans 24 Hours (16th and 17th June), Sébastien Buemi will share the wheel of a Toyota TS030 Hybrid with Anthony Davidson and Hiroaki Ishiura.