The WEC 6 Hours of Spa Francorchamps which took place in Belgium a month ago, second round of the FIA World Endurance Championship, was the scene of a much deserved first championship victory for the No.8 Audi R18 of Lucas di Grassi, Loïc Duval and Oliver Jarvis. We caught up with the three to talk about the weekend ahead, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans itself.
Despite this success, indeed perhaps because of it, Audi is far from complacent as it heads into the official test day for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Oliver Jarvis: “I don’t think winning in Spa changes much, but of course it’s great to get that first win, especially for us in the No.8 car. It’s been a long time coming and we’ve worked hard to get it. Even without it though, we would come here with the same approach and have to work very hard at the Test to get the car in the best possible shape for the race.
“We know we’ve got a lot of work to do despite winning both races so far on track. I think Porsche definitely has the advantage in pure speed and Toyota looked very strong at Spa, so we’re not underestimating the task ahead. I have to say this year has been incredible: the amount of issues and difficulties the three manufacturers have had has been a complete change from previous years when reliability hasn’t been a factor. It’s the most open 24 hour race I’ve been involved in since I started at Le Mans.”
For the first time in many decades there will be an increased number of cars on the grid, from the 56 of recent years to 60. No more than 60 cars have ever started the 24 Hours: this figure was achieved four times in the early 1950s before the previous version of the pit complex was built. But how much, if any, will these additional cars affect the infamous ‘traffic’ that faces every driver in the quest for a clean lap?
“Traffic is always a huge part of the race,” continues Jarvis, “and although four more cars doesn’t sound a lot it makes a huge difference. More important though than the number is the quality of the field. We have to see here at the Test what the other guys and girls are up to. If you have good quality drivers the traffic isn’t an issue, but when there are some amateurs who perhaps lack experience and confidence they struggle to be aware of what’s going on around them. This is what makes it exciting!”
Talk between the trio of Audi drivers from the No.8 car turned to the new installation of the SAFER barrier at the Porsche Curves. Lucas di Grassi explained that they had done a track ride on bikes to have a closer look at the new alterations and additions for 2016: “I think they’ve done a great job there on safety. It will be a bigger challenge for us but at the same time make it a safer corner. It’s a positive, there’s no negative, and hopefully we will be able to see more of these in the future.”
Loïc Duval voiced an opinion common to the three team mates: “A track must challenging. None of us likes a track where you have so much run off that you escape ‘punishment’ if you make a mistake. That challenge is what drives us to be better so, when you have success, you know it’s really deserved.”
