The announcement last month that Oliver Jarvis was to join the SARD Lexus GT500 squad for Super GT in 2014 added a third programme to the Englishman’s calendar with commitments already on the books for the Audi Customer GT programme and, of course a role in the #3 Audi R18 at Spa and Le Mans
So how did the deal with SARD come together?
“It came about after I raced in Japan back in 2007 and while Loic, Benoit and Andre all continued over there my career took a different turn.
“I did come very close to doing a deal a coupe of years ago but it was pretty difficult with calendar clashes and other commitments. I always stayed in contact and just thought the time was now right, with the Super GT Championship moving over to new cars the playing field would be a little more level than at other times. Everyone is starting with these cars from scratch.
“It was always my intention though to go back at some point, the cars are great and the racing is absolutely incredible out there.”
There’s not an element of potential comparison between the now common basis for the Super GT and DTM cars is there?
“No, not at all. I can understand why that might occur to people but honestly it’s just that the time is right in my programme, and the level playing field this year seals it.
“Beyond that I actually haven’t driven the current DTM car so wouldn’t be the best to ask about a comparison!”
You tweeted a picture (http://instagram.com/p/kEvJXJBL2h/) from Fuji that saw the track covered in snow but added that you actually ran! How?
“The guys there are just so efficient, the snow wasn’t deep and the track guys had road cars running round all day clearing up the track – We finally got out on track the following day, it was a bit wet but the sun came out and gave us a hand and we all got some good running in.
Tell us about the team?
“It really came about because when I was driving Formula Three, I was team mate to Hiroaki Ashiura. He’s been driving with the SARD team for a couple of years now and I guess he was my foot in the door. He recommended me to the team.
“My first opportunity to meet the team was the test and they seem to be absolutely top class. I’m finding my way around any language issues.
“As for the car. I love it! It’s a straight four cylinder 2 litre turbo and it’s a lot of fun. When the turbo kicks in it’s a lot of power. You really need to adjust to driving a car like that.
“The really great thing out there though is the tyre war! Michelin, Bridgestone, Hankook, Yokohama, Dunlop. It’s a real tyre war and that leads to a lot of development that you just don’t get in a spec tyre racing formula.”
“The team have real racing heritage, they’ve raced at Le Mans and it is still a huge thing for them, as it is for an awful lot of Japanese teams and drivers. You never know, they could go back some day!
(SARD in fact have an astonishing history – Their predecessor company Sigma was the first Japanese team to qualify a car at Le Mans back in 1973. The team competed at Le Mans until 1996 (with the Toyota MR2 based SARD MC8-R) and later scored a world first with a hybrid powered Toyota Supra, winning the Tokachi 24 Hours, the first ever race won by a hybrid powered car)
“For now though I just can’t wait to get on with it. It’s a new challenge and a big challenge. Audi have been absolutely great over this, really accommodating. They don’t have to do that of course but I’m sure they see the benefit from their drivers being in competitive cars as often as possible. Better still in Super GT there’s traffic with the GT300s so there’s real relevance to the sort of racing I do for Audi too.”
And the cars are quick too?
“Oh yes – At Fuji last year the GT500s were about a second off the pace that the Rebellion Lola Toyota was showing. They would run comfortably last year within the LMP2 class and this year we are hoping to be quicker!
“We’ll have to wait and see with the chassis. It looks like with the new DTM regulations they have lost a considerable amount of stiffness in the chassis but they have gained a lot of downforce. It should be quicker in the quick corners. I’ve yet to see about the slower corners. With the increase in downforce they have lost a bit in top speed but then you’ve got the torque advantages of the turbo. Overall it might be a second or so a lap quicker.”
All of a sudden you’ve emerged as an old fashioned sort of racing driver, turning your hands to racing in three different disciplines?
“Yes. And I think that can only be a benefit to myself, and to the teams I race for. Each of the cars give you the opportunity to learn and develop different skills and disciplines.
“For me it’s great, I’ve done some great races in America I’ve won Sebring. I’ve won Daytona. There are opportunities with Audi in Europe and now to get the chance to race on the other side of the world too is just excellent, and another string to my bow.”
We move on then to your role with the Audi Customer GT programme. Is there anything currently in place for you in 2014 beyond Daytona?
“I’m not sure. The original plan was for me to do the four (TUSCC) endurance races but unfortunately two of them clash. The team I drove with at Daytona were very keen for me to continue and were quite upset (in competitive terms) that I couldn’t. I’m keen to do as much as I can over there. It’s a completely different way of going racing. Very laid back, very friendly and I love the tracks as well.
And the Nurburgring 24 Hours?
“I don’t know yet. I really need to sit down with quattro and look at schedules. I love the Ring 24 Hours, I’ve done it twice and on both occasions I don’t think I’d had the opportunity to do enough prep there and that’s not ideal.
“To arrive and feel that you can go out and fight for pole, and attack in the race, you really have to be totally confident about the place.
“I can still do a good job without any VLN before the 24 Hours but the preparation time it gives you is a major plus.”
When we talk to Audi factory drivers you almost inevitably find the subject of records comes up – You’ve ticked the Daytona and Sebring boxes. Speaking personally which would you value most beyond that?
“Well in the LMP it’s Le Mans of course, but in the GT cars the one I’d most like to race at, and of course to win is Bathurst. That’s a race that is growing so fast in terms of the quality of the grid and the attention it is getting. But it’s the track that holds the real appeal, it just looks astonishing. It’s right up there in that regard with Spa and the Nordschliefe, incredible.
“If I had to choose to win one the reality is that I couldn’t choose between the three (Bathurst, Spa and Nurburgring).
“Finishing fourth at Spa last year, under a lap down to the Lotterer car, for us, was a huge result with the shockingly bad Balance of Performance we’d been dealt and up against fully Works crewed cars when we had more of a Pro-Am feel to our crew.”
And then there’s LMP1! You’ve been testing the new car already (the interview was conducted immediately after Audi’s early February Abu Dhabi test)?
“I did a first test towards the end of last year, in fact I was the first driver to test the 2014 car and then we have been here in Abu DHabi for a sizeable test session too.”
And what are the first impressions of the new car?
“First impressions are that it’s a fascinating car and concept. It was great to have the opportunity to try the car so early in it’s development.
“The first observation is that the new cars are extremely complex.
“The way the chassis and the car behaves it’s really an evolution of last year’s car. There are differences in terms of the much narrower tyres and that’s had a big effect but the engineer, and the way they work, they are able to compensate for a lot of that.
“The biggest difference this year though is how the hybrid systems have such an influence on the car.
“It’s going to be much more important this year and have much more effect than it has in previous years.
“The other major difference of course is that the races are going to be determined pretty much by our ability to manage fuel, lap by lap. I’ve got to say that our team, and I’m sure Toyota and Porsche too, are working flat out just to understand the rules and find the best way to squeeze the maximum possible out of the package.
“One of the fascinations is going to be the reckoning that each team has about what the right way is to achieve the very best result. And it’s clear that even with the technical solutions the three factory teams have chosen for the cars everyone is taking a very different route.
“There is a lot to take in, a lot of systems in the car to understand. That might well prove to be a key. If a particular driver really understands the very best way of going about it that could prove to be a massive advantage in a WEC campaign, and for that matter at Le Mans.
“Testing is clearly going to be important this year not only for the development of the car, but for the drivers too.
“Likewise, if any of the manufacturers have found a slightly better solution in achieving the correct fuel consumption that could translate as a very telling advantage on track. Silverstone could be very, very interesting!
“The WEC and Le Mans really do now push the boundaries of racing technology and development. The rules actively promote innovation which is lacking in so many other areas of the sport. It’s great for the engineers, but it’s good for the drivers too and it adds even further layers for the fans, particularly as they can see the relevance of these technologies to the road cars.
“More or less every major innovation that Audi have brought to the track has transferred to their road cars. There are not many series in the world that can claim that! Formula One now has very little that is actually transferred down and that’s where some of its current issues lie, a lack of direct relevance.”
And how is the new #3 car crew gelling?
“Oh very well indeed. I know Marco (Bonanomi) very well, I drove together with him in 2012 and I know Felipe (Albequerque) from my DTM days, he’s a friend, we’ve been on holiday together so there have been no issues whatsoever, we all work well together and all seem to like the same things in the car.”
