Tom Kristensen was one of the big racing draws for the media to yesterday’s event to launch the opening round of the 2014 FIA WEC at Silverstone over the Easter weekend. Tom is seen here showing HRH Prince Michael of Kent over the 2013 Audi R18 e-tron quattro.
He was happy to chat, in brilliant sunshine, in front of the Orangery at Kensington Palace where ‘his’ car from 2014 was part of an eye catching photocall.
So is out good to see the old girl again?
“Of course, this was the car that we started the season in last year and so it is the car that Allan, Loic and I won the RAC Tourist Trophy with just about exactly a year ago.”
By now you’ve had plenty of time in the new 2014 car – How different a challenge is it going to be in 2014?
“You put narrower tyres on a car and it gives you more efficient aero. You have more feel (but less grip) from narrower tyres.
“Of course this year we can also use the hybrid boost from zero, rather than the 120km/h that we had to use (with a 4wd delivery system) in 2013. I can say that having driven it in that spec now it’s incredible the disadvantage that we had last year. It is a very nice way to come out of the slower corners which was definitely our Achilles heel during the endurance races last year.”
We’re being asked, in the media, not to get too obsessed with the technical details in LMP1 this season, to not forget the human factor?
“Absolutely, look there have been a lot of changes, the new cars are amazing. the technology is incredible, but the advantage to you, and to the fans, is that the difference is going to be made, as it always is, by the guys behind the steering wheel. We’ve spent a huge amount of time working with the engineers through the winter to get the car right, the values right, and the numbers right. If we have done all of that well, and I believe we have, and if the competition has done the same, and I would guess that they have, then we are in for a hell of a season.
“The difference in technical terms is massive, but I hope that the experience for the fans is a familiar one – We have the cars ready to do what they can within the rules – When the racing is on, it’s on.
“The major difference is that we’ll be looking where we stand in comparison with the competition not by regulation, as we have been used to for so long, but by energy level. With cars with different engine configuration, different hybrid packages, and in our case, different fuel technology the trick is to get the cars all evened out, but that will be over a lap time, the cars are very different from each other so different cars will have their advantages at different places around a circuit. I think it is going to be very interesting throughout the whole year.
“If they have got it right then there will be a lot of overtaking, not just of the GT Cars, but amongst the leading cars too.
“I think it will still be absolutely flat out but always with an eye towards staying within the fuel/ energy window. That’s the challenge from a drivers perspective. For you as an onlooker though you should not be able to see that difference.
Isn’t the new ruleset going to make it difficult, if not impossible, for a delayed car to catch up?
“Nobody is thinking about that at the moment, we’ve done a lot of work on getting the most out of the package in terms of performance and, of course, reliability. Strategy and reliability are always important in sportscar racing – The most important thing though is not to have the problem in the first place.
How motivated are you by a potential 10th Le Mans win?
“Of course that motivates me, but then so too does this new era for sportscar racing. I am part of it and want to stay a part of it.
“For me it would be just as important to see a talented guy like Loic Duval build towards a second Le Mans win and, let’s not forget, that if we do win then Lucas di Grassi will become the first ever Brazilian to win the race, that would be amazing. To still have Allan and Dindo around within the team if we can challenge for that would be very special.
