While they worked their way through Scrutineering on Sunday, we quizzed this year’s crop of top drivers, not only about their thoughts and hopes for next weekend’s race, but also about the heroes of the sport who’ve inspired them …
Norbert Singer, nominated by …
Marc Lieb (Porsche 919 Hybrid #2) – You simply can’t argue with the quality of someone who was involved with or at the core of sixteen wins at Le Mans. His ability is amazing and, as well as that, he’s a really sweet guy.
Tom Kristensen, nominated by …
Pipo Derani (ESM Ligier Nissan LMP2 #31) – Of course, it has to be Tom. I’m very impressed that he made endurance his only focus and, in doing that, showed drivers like me what could be achieved with a career outside single-seaters.
Andreas Siedl (Porsche Team Principal) – It’s an astonishing achievement to win so much, particularly since I know how tough it is to win even one race at Le Mans.
Matt Howson (KCMG Oreca 03 Nissan #47) – It’s obvious that he is the epitome of the endurance racing driver. He’s done it with class – a sportsman on the track and simply perfect off it.
Anthony Davidson (Toyota Gazoo Racing #5) – Some people say he was in the right place at the right time. If that’s true, then he was astonishingly lucky for an astonishingly long time, and I simply don’t believe that’s true. He was always one of the strongest competitors out there and a real team player, but a powerhouse of a driver.
Olivier Pla (Ford Chip Ganassi Ford UK GT #66) – Tom is as perfect a man in this sport as I know, from the point of view of a driver, with his performance, and as a human being, with his attitude.
Earl Bamber (Porsche Motorsport 911 RSR #92) – It’s Tom Kristensen. I followed his career all the way through. Winning a 24-hour race just once is so difficult, but to win it as many times as Tom is just unbelievable.
Allan McNish, nominated by …
Simon Dolan (G-Drive Racing Gibson-Nissan #38) – Because he’ll like me for saying it!
Harry Tincknell (Ford Chip Ganassi Ford UK GT #67) – Of course, Allan’s my manager and my mentor, and of course, I look up to him (figuratively speaking, Ed). The important thing, though, is why I feel that way about Allan. It’s the way he approached this race, his tenacity, and the way he dealt with traffic. It’s also the way he conducted himself within the team – and still conducts himself within the team. There’s still so much I can learn from him, and I’m very lucky to have had him in my corner.
Frédérick Sausset, nominated by …
Jono Coleman (SO 24! Ligier Judd #22) – What an astonishing story of an amazing man. His drive is a real inspiration. I have no doubt he’ll be successful.
Henri Pescarolo, nominated by …
Jacques Nicolet (Owner, Onroak Automotive) – Henri has been an amazing inspiration to all privateers and to everyone in endurance racing. What an astonishing 40-year career he had with this sport and with this race.
Julian Canal (Greaves Motorsport Ligier Nissan LMP2 #41) – Amazingly, we’ve only met two times, but his knowledge of the sport is astonishing. My engineer worked with Henri and tells fantastic stories of what was achieved with so very little.
Pierre Fillon (President, ACO) – For many people, and for so long, Henri was this race. Nobody has a longer history here of direct involvement.
Sam Hignett (Team Principal, G-Drive Racing) – What Henri achieved as a driver was amazing, but what he achieved as a privateer entrant is something we can only dream of.
Greg Murphy (Team Principal, Murphy Prototypes) – As a driver, Henri was exceptional, and as a team owner, he was an example to all privateers who have followed.
Chris Amon, nominated by …
Brendon Hartley (Porsche 919 Hybrid #1) – It was fifty years ago this week that Chris Amon won here, in an all-Kiwi car, and I’m delighted to say that I know him quite well. I look up to him and his achievements. He’s been hugely supportive, both to me and to other Kiwi drivers.
André Lotterer, nominated by …
Richard Bradley (KCMG Oreca 03 Nissan #47) – He’s hugely impressive and a fantastic example to all of us on what can be done beyond a single-seater career.
Nick Tandy, nominated by …
Kévin Estre (Porsche Motorsport 911 RSR #91) – It’s quite amazing how, with very limited race mileage, Nick and Earl stepped into the LMP1 car and won the race.
Derek Bell, nominated by …
Nick Tandy (Porsche Motorsport 911 RSR #91) – Derek is an absolute gentleman with an amazing record here, and I’m not afraid to say I’m a huge fan.
Marino Franchitti (Ford Chip Ganassi Ford UK GT #67) – Derek is a gentleman with a truly great record here. He’s very generous to those of us who’ve followed him, with his knowledge and his experience, and I’m humbled to call him a friend.
Jos Verstappen, nominated by …
Tim Greaves (Team Principal Greaves Motorsport) – I was lucky enough to meet Jos last year, and we talked about the Porsche RS Spyder which he raced in 2008. I remember very well standing on the inside of Copse Corner at Silverstone, and I’ve never seen any driver throw any car into any corner with such conviction. It was quite breathtaking.
Yannick Dalmas, nominated by …
Jean-Philippe Belloc (Larbre Competition Chevrolet C7.R #50) – Yannick is often overlooked, but that would be wrong. He won this race four times with four different teams and four different cars. He was never the favourite to win, but what he achieved was fantastic, and he’s certainly one of the greats.
Jean-Claude Plassart (former ACO President), nominated by …
Tim Mayer (FIA Steward) – All too often, when people get together to talk business, there can be problems that stop us in our tracks. I recall an important meeting when myself and Scott Atherton were discussing an important step for the ALMS. The meeting was not going well. Then Jean-Claude stopped, paused, and said; “Gentlemen, let us be pragmatic.” It proved to be a seminal moment. Our relationship changed dramatically and stayed constructive and cordial thereafter. He was one of the coolest guys under pressure I ever met. There is no finer tribute than to say he made a difference.
Stefan Bellof, nominated by …
Alex Wurz (Reserve Driver Toyota Gazoo Racing and Grand Marshal) – Aside from Tom Kristensen, who has so many wins, it would have to be Stefan Bellof I guess. I never met him but he always seemed like such a good guy, and I’ve heard so many crazy stories about him. He also drove quicker than Senna at Monaco – how cool is that?
Jacky Ickx, nominated by …
Richard Westbrook (Ford Chip Ganassi Team UK Ford GT #69) – I always admired Jackie Ickx. What he did in F1 and then moving over to sportscars, and what he did for Porsche and Ford as well, for such a long time in very different machinery.
Andy Priaulx (Ford Chip Ganassi Team UK Ford GT #66) – I’d have to go with Ickx. When I think of Le Mans I think of Pescarolo and Ickx. Those guys were so special – it was a very special era.
Patrick Pilet, nominated by …
Pierre Ragues (Larbre Competition Corvette C7-Z06 #50) – Hmm…. (looks over at the Porsche drivers) … how about Patrick Pilet?
He’s French …
Pedro Rodríguez, nominated by …
Memo Rojas (Greaves Motorsport Ligier JS P2 Nissan #41) – Rodríguez means so much to motorsport in Mexico, and to see him in the Porsche 917 was incredible. Also my dad, Guillermo Rojas, who raced (a Porsche 911 Carrera RSR) here at Le Mans in 1974. He had such a huge influence on my life.
My Dad, nominated by …
Joey Hand – I don’t have any heroes other than my Dad. I don’t do heroes.
GG, SK & MP, with thanks again to John Brooks for most of the photographs.
