Antoine, first of all congratulations on becoming the first French, Bentley Boy since Jean Chassagne in the 1920s!
“Yes it is a great move for me and it feels so good to have this relationship with a major manufacturer and with such a legendary history like Bentley.
I tested with them here 10 days ago and then they confirmed their interest and the deal was done. It is really fantastic because it is my objective to be a factory driver in GT racing. I am very proud to take this opportunity and to represent the Bentley GT programme.”
Bentley are a very prestigious brand, are you aware of their history, particularly in motorsport?
“Yes of course they have a history going back to the 1920’s and then they won Le Mans in 2003. So the history is super and they have a good organisation and vision for what they want to achieve in GT racing. They had a very stylish way of racing in the 1920’s and it is fascinating to look at all the old images from those days. They had a great spirit.”
What can you tell us about your team mates Duncan Tappy and Jerome D’Ambrosio?
“Well of course I know Duncan well from when we raced at ART Grand Prix together in 2012. He is a great guy and we get on well and I am really looking forward to racing with him in the Bentley team. For Jerome I don’t know him at all. He has no experience in GT racing but he has a very good resume in single-seaters so I am sure he will be very good for the team and fit in very well.”
What are the next steps in preparation for the first Blancpain round at Monza now?
“I go to Silverstone tomorrow for some testing and the shakedown for the Monza weekend. Then we will start looking ahead to the Spa 24 Hours in July. The car has proved already to be quick and reliable, so we now look at more performance but of course we have to also wait for the BOP details. But on the whole I am confident for a good year and very excited.”
SS
