After two consecutive wins on the 24 Hours of Le Mans and a powerful begin within the WEC with three straight victories, the general public sees Ferrari as the favourite—though the drivers don’t essentially agree, as they shared from the stage throughout yesterday’s Pesage, moderated by official presenter Bruno Vandestick.
Giovinazzi: “We now have extra expertise”
“I’m very joyful to be again right here at Le Mans; it’s a particular race and a particular monitor. It’s all the time nice to race right here. The final two years have been nice for Ferrari [and for us]; we gained two years in the past and final 12 months the #51 completed on the rostrum.
They’re good reminiscences, however I do know it is going to be troublesome [to repeat that], for a lot of causes—Le Mans is an extended race. However I feel we began the championship fairly effectively this 12 months with three wins and two for the #51. So clearly the purpose is to win once more, but when not, scoring factors for the championship can be essential.”
On the query of why the #51, which didn’t win a single race in 2024, has already gained two this 12 months, a joking comment got here from the opposite crew:
[Nielsen off-stage:] “As a result of [Giovinazzi, ed.] is significantly better this 12 months.”
—“I belief my teammates. I feel it’s expertise. The primary 12 months was our first season on this championship with this automobile. However now we’ve extra expertise with the automobile, with the championship, with our teammates. So we all know higher the best way to work and I feel that’s the important thing to why we began fairly effectively this 12 months with three wins already.”
Calado: “We’re working to enhance”
“This race offers double factors, so it’s all the time the one which decides who fights for the championship. However up to now, as Antonio mentioned, it’s been a very good begin to the season and the automobile is de facto robust. So we hope to convey that strategy [also] into this race, however as we all know, something can occur.
However we’re doing our greatest, and as you mentioned, we’ve had good outcomes the previous two years, however I feel this 12 months may very well be probably the most troublesome ever.”
The main target then shifted to the #51 race engineer, Baptiste Allain, who returns for a second 12 months in a row.
“He’s actually French. [everyone laughs] No, however he’s nice, and everybody asks us about it, as a result of lately we all the time modified engineers—perhaps it was our fault, I don’t know. Baptiste has stayed the final two years and actually helped us, he’s a wonderful engineer and we will solely reward him. He works onerous, and we’ve an ideal relationship.”
When requested if historical past will repeat itself, with new producers like Ford pushing to beat Ferrari:
“I don’t know. Others are doing their job, we’re doing ours—and truthfully, they clearly know we’re robust. In the course of the season we’ve been robust, in order that they’re undoubtedly pushing to beat us. However on the similar time, we’re working onerous to enhance. We will’t cease working and we’ll do our greatest to proceed this workforce efficiency and purpose for extra victories.”
Pier Guidi: “The season has simply began”
The mic then went to Alessandro Pier Guidi, who was requested the way it feels to reach right here main the standings. The #51 is eighteen factors forward of #50, 36 forward of #83, and 38 forward of Toyota #8.
“I don’t really feel just like the ‘King’; the season has simply began. We’re at Le Mans, which is probably the most particular race.
Everybody desires to win Le Mans. We’ve been fortunate sufficient to win it as soon as already total, and we’ll attempt to do it once more, however we’re additionally excited about the championship. To remain forward, we’ve to work onerous till the top of the season, and that’s what we did over the winter and at first of the season.
We all know the others are robust and there can be loads of competitors, particularly right here at Le Mans.”
A fan then requested a sarcastic query: “Aren’t you bored of being paired with Calado for 8 years?” The 2 have one of many longest-standing partnerships within the collection, relationship again to the 2016 Le Mans 24 Hours.
“So long as we maintain profitable, we’re having enjoyable. We now have a very good relationship, even off monitor. Since I joined Ferrari, I’ve been paired with James, and we’ve constructed a powerful bond within the automobile and out of it.
I feel it’s an additional enhance to enhance, as a result of when you recognize somebody that effectively, you recognize what they want, what they need. Typically we don’t even want to talk—we perceive one another, and that’s constructive for our workforce.”
Nielsen: “We now have an ideal relationship”
The star of the ultimate hours of final 12 months’s Le Mans was clearly Nicklas Nielsen, who accomplished two energy-saving stints within the rain, compensating for a door situation throughout the third-to-last cease that allowed the #50 to win:
“If we might, we’d attempt to end a number of laps forward of the others! So no, we’re not attempting to create any sort of present for the followers, sadly.
However you recognize, as I mentioned, with this race, so many issues occur, and it looks as if that’s all the time how we’ve to win.”
After a 12 months, there was additionally time to replicate on the previous victory:
“It was superb. I imply, I feel for all three of us, it was the large dream since we began racing in endurance. To win Le Mans—but in addition to do it total in Hypercar and with Ferrari. And for us it was actually nice to win the 12 months after the sister automobile—two [wins] in a row for Ferrari. Being a part of a workforce like that is superb. And it’s greater than a workforce—it’s a household. In fact we race towards the sister automobiles on monitor, however all of us six have an ideal relationship. That’s additionally what’s actually particular about this workforce.”
Molina: “Followers aren’t strain”
For Molina, final 12 months’s version was additionally unforgettable:
“Le Mans is a particular and really robust race. If you’re in a race like this, the place you combat actually onerous, feelings construct.
As quickly as we noticed Nicolas cross the end line, it was like an explosion of every thing. It was a particular second. Typically we got here very near profitable this race. If you attain a purpose like this, it’s very emotional. All of the work behind it and all of the sacrifices you make in your profession, they repay.”
“I’d say the followers’ strain isn’t actual strain.
The fervour the Italian followers put into Ferrari is unimaginable. It makes us work more durable and attempt to give again all that vitality. I wouldn’t name it strain.
I feel we prefer it that method. We all the time attempt to do our job. The Components 1 guys are additionally attempting to do their job.
So, normally, we’re attempting to make folks joyful.”
Fuoco: “Higher to combat within the race than for Hyperpole”
Antonio Fuoco returned to pole place within the latest 6 Hours of Spa, however the Hyperpole at Le Mans, which he gained in 2022 with a Hypercar file, isn’t on the prime of the Calabrian driver’s targets:
“I imply, not likely. Within the race, that’s the place the factors are ultimately. So even when we don’t make Hyperpole, I’ll be happier if we will combat within the race.
However normally, in case you don’t make Hyperpole, it means the race can be onerous too. So we attempt to do our greatest after which we’ll see.
Because the others mentioned, something can occur. For certain if one of many two automobiles manages to combat for the win, it’s good for the workforce, for the constructors’ championship and in addition for the drivers’ championship.
However we additionally know this 12 months can be actually robust. Possibly even harder than the previous two years. And we simply need to attempt to do our greatest and maximize the end result.”
Kubica: “The most important problem of my profession”
The Ferrari #83 AF Corse, the “massive yellow one”, appeared with a yellow submarine on the roof—a transparent reference to the Beatles’ “Yellow Submarine.” However after wins for the #50 and #51, will or not it’s #83’s flip? Workforce veteran Robert Kubica doesn’t see it that method:
“It’s a bit simplistic to place it like that. […] It’ll be a giant problem—as all the time, Le Mans is a really massive problem, to succeed in the top and much more so to win. So initially we want to verify we end, after which we’ll attempt to end as excessive as potential.
I don’t anticipate a straightforward life from our competitors. So it is going to be one of many greatest challenges—clearly not simply of the 12 months, however most likely of my profession.”
Phil Hanson: “Stunned by the 499P”
Philip Hanson’s ninth Le Mans can even be his first with the Ferrari 499P:
“My first response was very constructive. It was actually totally different from what I used to be used to final 12 months with the Porsche.
I used to be pleasantly stunned by how the automobile has carried out within the final races. However sure, it’s a really totally different driving fashion from the Porsche. So it took a little bit of getting used to at first.
However there are various benefits I see in it. However inherently, it’s a really totally different automobile to drive. I’m wanting ahead to seeing the way it feels at Le Mans.
I feel these automobiles are designed for Le Mans, so they need to really feel of their greatest window right here. And I feel that’s the expertise I’m most excited for tomorrow.”
Yifei Ye, the house driver
For Ye Yifei, this can be his fifth Le Mans, the second with Ferrari, and for the Xi’an-born driver—welcomed warmly by followers—that is all the time a particular race, virtually a house occasion:
“I’m fortunate that the general public loves me. Thanks. Le Mans is a metropolis I’m very linked to.
I got here right here once I was 14. It’s been 11 years now. I realized to talk French right here and in addition obtained my driver’s license. So [for me] it’s virtually a house race.
And from a sporting perspective, racing right here with Ferrari, combating for the win, is an unimaginable honor. We’ve seen that Ferrari performs effectively; we managed to win the primary three races. However we additionally know the rivals are very near us. So it is going to be very robust, as Robert and Phil mentioned.
However we’ll give it every thing we’ve and see the way it goes.”
Each Ye and Kubica got here very near profitable LMP2 in 2021, when a throttle failure on the WRT #41 dashed their hopes simply 12 km from the end:
“The automobile is able to profitable. However I already realized in 2021 with Robert that even when we’re main the race on the final lap, one thing can occur and cease us. So we’ve to be sincere. And we’ve to remain targeted till the top of the race. It is going to be robust—perhaps rain will come like final 12 months.
It’ll be thrilling for you, the spectators.”
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