Antonello Colleta, Head of Attività Sportive GT, Ferrari
“This year didn’t offer to us as many positives as 2014 but one of them was for sure the Silverstone race. We came there knowing that it would be very difficult to win it. The Aston Martins were very fast and the temperatures usually do not help our tyres.
“In qualifying almost all went wrong and we started the race from behind with both our cars in the GTE-Pro class. At the start Gimmi had to stop to avoid a spun prototype and so thing went from bad to worse. Then we were perfect with car No.51 in strategy at the first FCY. We just filled the tank and we were lucky enough to have another FCY to help our comeback. A little after the halfway point it was clear we would win that race. Incredible!
“The Le Mans 24 Hours is “the” race, the event everybody looks forward to. We were confident we could achieve some good results in the GTE Pro class but in the race all went wrong.
“The No.51 was damaged in an accident when Fisichella was hit by an Audi at the end of a FCY phase and the No.71 had a problem with the starter motor and we lost four laps. Then, No.51 was able to come back into the lead but we then had a gearbox problem. I was disappointed because we would be second and third on the podium but all you want in Le Mans is a win.
“Then in LMGTE Am it came to the final hour and the accident of Aston Martin No.99. So, the No.72 car of SMP Racing took the lead and won. I was so happy because that team is the result of a big project. We started working with SMP the year before, when we told Andrea Bertolini to help the team mature. He did an outstanding job in 2014 and did even better in 2015. For all the work it was behind that car in that moment and I was so proud.
“The second win of the year was at Fuji and was something fantastic! It was a tactical masterpiece.
“We knew it would be raining at the beginning of the race but we were sure that in an hour or so the track would be perfect for slick tyres. But the rain went longer than expected and in wet conditions we know Porsche is faster than us.
“AF Corse took the key decision at the first pit stop; the team didn’t change tyres or driver on the No.51. Toni Vilander was fantastic in his defensive driving, keeping a reasonable distance to the Porsche.
“At two and a half hours from the end we decided it was time to take a gamble if we wanted to win the race. At the stop we had fuel, driver change and fitted slick tyres on the car. Gimmi was screaming and complaining during the first lap, and then the tyres reached the working range and started performing perfectly. Porsche didn’t make the same move and had to stop again. This is why we won the race. It was great.
“Also, I would like to mention the first pole position for the No.71 car for our young crew, Davide Rigon and James Calado, in Japan. The first win of No.83 Ferrari in China was also memorable.
With thanks to Davide Marchi of Ferrari for this interview
Thibaut Villemant, Sportscar Editor, Auto Hebdo France
The 2015 FIA World Endurance Championship had all the makings of being an exceptional season. The opening round, the 6 Hours of Silverstone, confirmed this fact with repeated sparring and exchanges between the No.7 Audi R18 e-tron quattro and the No.18 Porsche 919 Hybrid, and the identity of the winner only being known a few minutes before the finish. But what about the start of the WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, a race at which Audi and Porsche each entered athird car?
The sight of theseeight LMP1 hybrids climbing up Raidillon from Eau Rouge and attacking the Kemmel straight and then coming back down the old pit straight, several at a time, remains a highlight of the past year. In 2015, endurance racing definitely entered a new era. With a Toyota Racing team which one hopes will have a better season next year, 2016 promises to be even better!
