A call post Le Mans from Algarve Pro Racing boss Stewart Cox to correct a story would usually be a moment to find out how we messed up. In this instant though it was Stewart ringing to apologise that he had imparted incorrect information on the reason for the delay to Sophia Floersch’s start at Le Mans, the car (see below) stopping as the race went green with what was initially diagnosed as a gearbox actuator that had been affected by heat levels under a slow leading car.
“What actually happened was as a result of a misunderstanding in the team. After our pre-race engine change one of the guys asked me about changing the part for the race. I agreed that we should and said to fit a new one.
“In our team though ‘new’ means an unarmed part that has been proven in testing, we try very hard indeed not to fit brand new parts that have not been through a test cycle. That didn’t haven, a brand new part was put on the car, and it failed. I’m absolutely gutted, gutted at the mistake and what it cost the team, and gutted that I passed on duff information.”
That little exchange tells you a lot about Stewart, and it tells you more still that he called his customers and made his apologies there too.
Think about that for a moment. He didn’t have to do that, and if he hadn’t, who would have known?
In particular he felt as if he had let the team down, and beyond that he was particularly upset that Sophia Floersch did not get the chance to make the impact he was sure she would otherwise have done at Le Mans.
So with that firmly in mind the call was followed up with a chat between the DSC Editor and Sophia Floersch, the single seater racer who switched to sports cars three years ago and who switched from the all-female Richard Mille Racing LMP2 squad after two years to Algarve Pro racing for the 2022 ELMS season and Le Mans (read on for a full download about that).
Sophia’s journey is an interesting and potential important one, and it has progressed with some success – a pair of podiums with APR (one in the final race of 2021, the other in the ELMS season opener in 2022. As with any Pro driver though, the 21 year-old German has high expectations and standards for her own performance.
“I think we started 2022 with pretty good form in Paul Ricard. We had a pretty unlucky qualifying but in the end, we knew that we had really strong race pace, both Bent (Viscaal) and me.
“And in the end, the reason why we ended up on the podium was also thanks to the team because they just did a really good strategy call in the last one and a half hours of the race.
“Obviously, it’s the start of the season after such a tough start to the year for the whole team (a reference to the departure of G-Drive Racing) it was, I think, something really good for us as drivers, but also for the whole team for Stuart Sam, all the mechanics and engineers – it was good to start the season like this.
“At Imola we had the pace the whole time. On that weekend, just the luck was not on our side. In qually already we had some issues with with a red flag, tyres and traffic. So it wasn’t a good starting point.
“And then in the race itself we got really unlucky with the first full course yellow, and then a tyre punctured, and many things, which in the end, made us finish at P8.
“I think we had the pace, and the car, and the strategy to finish on a podium again. But yeah, sometimes racing needs more than just the pace and the car, ultimately some luck. And, on that weekend, we were just unlucky.
“But still, you know, I think for ELMS we know that we are fighting for podiums everywhere we go. It’s just about getting it together and having a clean weekend.
“I’m really curious to see how Monza is going to go. I think it will be boiling hot but I’m happy to be back with with Bent again.
“And then there was Le Mans – I was really looking forward to it as the highlight of the year. And with the package we had with Jack (Aitken) and John (Falb), it was our weekend, or it should have been our weekend.
“It was actually our weekend for 23 hours and 40 minutes, it was all going perfectly – we didn’t do any mistakes, the team didn’t do any mistakes. John did an amazing job. He was one of the quickest amateurs. I think I was second quicker silver throughout the whole race, I think Lorenzo at Prema was just one-tenth quicker, so I think that’s something we can be proud of.
“The issue we had the first 20 minutes was unlucky. I mean, that’s racing. Of course, it wasn’t nice to have that at the very start, knowing that you would be on the back foot for the rest of a 24 Hour race but…
Before we get to talking about the race, and the drive that got you guys to the end, and the emotions that went with it, let’s talk about this journey.
You are not new to the politics of gender. Tell me about that journey for you into and through the sport – in particular, into this season where you have broken through on merit to be something of a standard bearer for women in amongst the general field?
“When I started karting, I was four years old, and I just enjoyed it. For me, it was a hobby. You always dream of being a professional at some point, but when you’re that young it is still really far away.
“But obviously, over the years, especially when you step into cars, you understand that there are politics in the sport and that many people say , they all want women in the sport and that they support women and that they try to help us.
“Saying it is something different than also doing it. And that’s something that I, my management and family have learned over the past few years. There are many people saying and talking but not doing it.
“Many sides of motorsport still kind of feel like they’re still not ready for a woman at a high performing level.
“I’ve always had a dream to come really high in Formula cars. But there’s also no secret, that costs quite a bit of money to be in good teams in the junior classes which I just don’t have.
“I got the chance through Richard Mille and the path opened to endurance racing. I also did DTM last year. And I don’t know, the GT3 was cool but I just love cars with a lot of aero.
“The LMP2 is a really similar car, driving wise, to formulas. So that’s also the reason why then we decided to just focus on endurance racing and LMP2 this year.
“I did the programme with Richard Mille for the past 2 years. But, for me, it was clear that I wanted to have success and to learn and I think nowadays still, you learn a lot more in mixed teams and mixed lineups.
“I did the race with APR in Portimao last year, which was one of my first podiums in a long time, and just a really cool weekend – I enjoyed it a lot.
“We got along really well and they were also really keen on helping me out this year and trying to get a good lineup etc. and I went with them for this year, which I’m really grateful for, because I think Sam and Stewart (below), you really feel their passion for racing. That’s still really rare in motorsports. Many people are focused on money only. And I mean, obviously, for them, it’s also their business, but they still try to help you as the driver.
“The issue we had at Le Mans was a good example of this. It was, in the end, a mistake, but Stewart explained me that it could have been different.
“I think in my whole 13 years of racing, I had once maybe that a team boss called me and weekend after often saying that he blames himself or the team or whatever, and let your story for something. What happened? You know, I think that’s really rare in racing. That puts his character really high with me and so I’m really happy to be with a team with those values.
“Stewart treats me like any other driver. He doesn’t see me as a woman and to be honest, I like that because that’s what we want or that’s at least what I want. I want to be seen as a racing driver and I want to get the same success but I will also want to get the same shit if I do shit. I don’t want to be treated differently.”
There are two types of fan and fan interaction. There’s the positive was negative. Are you getting a very positive experience from the fan base in sportscar racing?
“Yeah, I do. I mean, to be honest, I obviously there’s always some people not really finding you cool, but I think the vast majority are really nice. And it’s just crazy to feel support, to be honest. It’s really nice. I love it.
“And then obviously, you try to give them some time as well. At some point, particularly ahead of a big race, it gets too much. But have you tried to be there for them as well.
“The drivers parade on Friday was my first time as well, super strange and excellent to have the fans back after two years!
“The amount of people they the amount of kids screaming and wanting stuff, incredible! I’ve never seen something like this before. And I ended up smiling all the way through. Insane! And so nice that Le Mans organised something like this.
“I think that’s important. In the end, we all do the sport for the fans as well. And we all need the fans and I think more championships should do something like this. It’s a great example. Because that makes makes everyone happy. And it’s also great fun for all of us drivers. I mean, in the end, maybe they could do it at lunchtime on Friday!
Take me through those awful moments at the start of Le Mans. What happened and when did it happen in the race?
“Warm up in the morning, was all going good. And then also the way to the grid was fine. And then also, the first half of the formation lap was going well too, no issues – it was all normal.
“We changed the engine on Friday, It was a completely new engine. And it worked out well on Saturday morning. So then we had the formation lap, we all line up pretty early, in first gear, pretty slow and so the water temperature goes up automatically and then the last corner, because I was starting P21 so it was already green when I exited the corner and I wanted to accelerate.
“I accelerated and then I wanted to shift up to second and then I didn’t have any power anymore. On my dash it went from first to neutral. I immediately went out of the racing line to the right hand side and just rolled towards the end of the pit lane.
“First of all, you look in your mirrors trying to see if everyone sees you. I went on the radio straight away. We did many power recycles. I couldn’t shift up or shift down – it wasn’t changing anything. And also went on the manual gearbox. It also didn’t change anything.
“At some point that the marshals came and pushed me back. So if you have guys in front of your car, you can’t actually drive away.
“As soon as they were actually out of the way in front of me, I tried to drive away, which in the end worked, so I think I was actually stuck in first gear, because I could drive away. And then I had to do the whole 13 kilometres in first to get back to the box. Those were very long, hard, sad minutes back in the pits. The race and all the efforts before were running through my mind.
“The team found the issue and fixing it took some minutes. I think we lost 20 minutes, and rejoined six laps down. Which is a hard one, a really hard one, particularly at the very start of a 24 Hour race!”
You’ve seen the stats that David Heinemeier Hansson put up on Twitter and there are guys around you int that table within a tenth or two that you should be justly proud to be in amongst, drivers with top Formula car experience and also with huge sportscar experience. That pace is really very impressive.
LMP2 drivers ranked by top 20 fastest laps average at #LM24. Congrats to @nyckdevries and @TDSRacing_live for the fastest run! 👏 pic.twitter.com/7P3gOX0Kbv
— DHH Racing (@dhhracing) June 13, 2022
“Thank you. That’s a positive thing to take after a tough race – to know that I have the pace and in particular that I have the pace at Le Mans I think just proves to many other people again, that I’m not just a woman, I’m a racing driver, being quick and that was important for me.
“That’s the reason why I do races like Le Mans because there are amazing drivers who did it – F1 reserve drivers who have done a lot in the sport, and others who also have a big name. To show where you’re standing and to show yourself what you still have to learn I’m not perfect, but I’m trying to get there. So I think that’s that’s important.”
There’s still a long way to go in ELMS this year. But beyond that, where’s your head in terms of what comes next? Is Le Mans unfinished business?
Is sportscars, where you want to be or are you looking to another crack at formula cars? What’s the state of the union for Sophia?
“Well, first of all, I want to finish the season on a high, to have some good fun and podiums. And then, I mean, my big goal was still to get back to Formulas but this is more depending on sponsors and progress to be honest, because I, and my family, just don’t have the money to spend millions in racing every year.
“Le Mans is still, for sure, unfinished business. I have to go back there. I cannot leave – I want this trophy so badly and the podium!
“If a switch to Formula doesn’t work for next year then I’m going to stay in endurance racing. Just because I love the car. I love the teams. The lineups, the drivers and the teams are just so high level, much more so than many people outside endurance racing understand.”
