Endurance, from the inside

What are the main differences in race strategy between a high-speed circuit like Le Mans and maybe a shorter, more technical one?

“Adapting to Le Mans is like adapting to another track. Le Mans is definitely longer, with more turns and straights, but in the end you adapt like you do to another track… above all if you already know it. I remember the first time I raced at Le Mans how hard it was to remember all the points, but now that I know it, in my third year, it’s quite straightforward. Then we work a lot on the simulator beforehand and that helps us a lot.”

Le Mans has some endless straights; how does it feel when you take them on in the cockpit?

“They are really endless, and sometimes thoughts come into your head, because it’s so long you can lose your concentration. It’s important to reclaim attention; when the turns start, you return to your race mood, of course.”

How much can that changeability in the weather affect a race like Le Mans? When you won in 2023 during the night, the race was complicated also due to the rain.

“Yes, let’s say that the climate conditions are quite the variable at Le Mans. In the last two years we had rain conditions during the night, and that’s a tough factor to handle: you never manage to understand how much water there is on the track, how much rain is coming down, and that doesn’t help. But I recall a 2018 Le Mans that was completely dry, and that made it all easier.”

How is the car’s set-up changed to adapt it to the specific characteristics of Le Mans? What adjustments are made with respect to the suspension or aerodynamics based on the track?

“Le Mans is a strange track, where you need a car very unencumbered by aerodynamics, but not too much, because in any case you’re on a – let’s say – city circuit, so the straights aren’t short of bumps. So you can’t lower the car a lot, but you have to find the right compromise between the car’s downforce and ground clearance.”

How do you experience the pit stop, since a lot of variables are in play, especially when you enter the last stage of the race?

“In both 2023 and 2024 you had pit stops to manage in the final stint. More than anything, there are lots of pit stops and not making any mistakes has a great impact on the race, since you can lose important seconds and come out behind or ahead of an opponent. So it’s important not to make errors and decide on the right tyre.”

At Le Mans the traffic is another important variable, because there aren’t only the Hypercars, but also the LMP2s and GTs.

“That’s true, but as it’s a very long track, that lets you dilute the traffic. It’s not like Imola, for example, where you stay blocked when you find cars in front of you for 4-5 turns. At Le Mans you’ve got lots of straights for overtaking. Obviously the night is all more complex because we’re all a bit more tired, your concentration starts to drop a bit and the traffic starts getting more difficult to manage as well.”

What are your favourite tracks?

“Le Mans is definitely one of them; in Hypercar it’s definitely my favourite track together with Spa.”

What’s the best Le Mans 2023 anecdote that you remember?

“The 2023 win was unexpected, and that made it even better. No one expected to finish a 24 Hours and win, so it was all a really big surprise. I didn’t follow the race until the last hour, and when I discovered we were still first was one of the best moments. Actually, also worst, because the last hour was really long, but it was one of the best of my life.”

Among the images that we’ll never forget, including the fans, there’s you hugging James Calado while Alessandro Pier Guidi crossed the finish line. And then when you went on the track to get aboard the car; what did you feel in front of 325,000 people?

“It was a really strange sensation, but amazing. I also risked falling off at one point, because when Ale picked us up he had to do a manoeuvre to go back to the pit lane in reverse and I wasn’t expecting it. It was also incredible waiting for Ale with James on the straight before he arrived, in front of people shouting ‘Forza Ferrari’, while you saw everything red and the Italian flags: it was wonderful.”

How does the pit stop strategy vary according to the length and configuration of the track? How do the pit position and length of the pit lane influence your decisions during the race?

“The decision of when to make a pit stop obviously depends on how the race is going, the presence of the Safety Car and many other factors. There are various strategies and different pit stops: for example, with tyre change or not, with just refuelling.”

What driving techniques do you use on circuits with a lot of tight turns compared to ones with wide, fast ones? How do you handle the traffic and the overtakes on tight, twisty tracks compared to larger, faster ones?

“Here too, you need to make a distinction between one race and another, from the type of circuit. So every circuit is different from the others, even if the driving technique is always the same, more or less. I’m used to not changing a lot. I’m not talking about the track type, but to when I’m pushing it, in terms of tyre wear. It’s not easy to answer and identify a driving technique for tracks with fast turns and low speeds, because most circuits have both.”

How does fuel management change on tracks with different lengths and configurations? What strategies do you use to optimise fuel consumption on circuits with a lot of acceleration and braking?

“The way we manage the fuel also depends on how the race is going. If we need to, we push it all the way, but at other times we try to safeguard consumption. Obviously it depends on the strategy you decide to adopt, how the race evolves, how many yellow flags are displayed or if the race proceeds without interruption. To be honest, I like all these situations.”

How can the weather influence race strategy?

“As we saw last year, at Le Mans we had lots of unpredictable time stages. At one point it wasn’t raining, then started raining again. On a track like La Sarthe, which is so long, it might be raining on one stretch when other stretches are dry. So the time always has a great impact on the strategy.”

What about managing speeds and overtaking with cars in other classes, above all at Le Mans?

“There are slower sections like Arnage and  very quick ones as the exit from Indianapolis and Porsche. So generally, traffic management is important, but not as crucial as it is on other circuits.”

Fuel and energy management. Last year in Le Mans, you took on a challenging, risky situation. What did you feel?

“If the situation is repeated this year, we know we can be fast and save a lot at the same time.”

You already answered talking about your favourite circuits: Portimão, Spa and Le Mans. But at Le Mans last year, you crossed the finish line in front of 329,000 people. What feelings did you experience?

“It was incredible. But honestly, when you cross the finish line, the only thing you think about is your team, your teammates, your family, everyone who helped you get to that moment. But obviously, climbing the highest step of the podium is something I’ll always remember. That place you’ve always seen on TV is special. And then, one day, you’re finally there and you realise that you’ve done it.”

What are the main differences in race strategy between a high-speed circuit like Le Mans or a more technical one like Qatar, Bahrain or others?

"It’s true that Le Mans is a long circuit, where you’ve got a lot of high-speed turns, but you’ve got low-speed turns as well. So it’s important to have a well-balanced car for both high and low speeds. Above all, during the race the conditions really change a lot, because you start with the sun, carry on during the night and then finish with the sun. So you need to find a compromise that works for the whole 24 Hours, even if that isn’t easy sometimes."

Staying with the technical side, tyre management: how does the choice of tyres vary according to the characteristics of the track?

“The choice of tyre depends more on the temperature we get during the race or free practice than on the track characteristics. Based on the temperature, we have a working tyre range, for soft, for medium and for hard, that we try to exploit to the full in these conditions. After that, obviously, there are tracks where the front and rear axles can suffer a bit more from deterioration; so that’s our starting point for working out how to manage tyres during the stint as far as possible.”

How do the weather conditions affect your race strategy on different tracks or in different moments during the race, like during the 24 Hours of Le Mans: last year during the night for example?

“If we take Le Mans, the help of the team is essential, of the wall, because the track is so long that you never know what’s going on on the other side. Last year was a good example, and I think that at that stage we did really well, also perhaps taking risks in staying out with the slicks while it was raining at other points. But the rain didn’t last long, so we avoided making a pit stop, taking on the risk of staying out with the slicks. In that case it worked. I remember that during the night we came back in to put the rain tyres on whereas others stayed out; so in certain situation I think the help and support of the team is essential, above all on long tracks like Le Mans.”

What are the main challenges you have to face when the conditions change suddenly during the race?

"When the conditions change during the race, I try to adapt as quickly as possible, and above all I try to understand what tyre can best adapt to them. So I think the most difficult part is when you change between rain and slick, when it’s not easy to figure out the precise moment to make the switch. It all happens thanks to a feeling in the moment and to experience. Working out when it’s time to change the tyres can make a big difference sometimes."

How is the car’s set-up changed to adapt it to the specific characteristics of each track? What adjustments are made to the suspension system and aerodynamics based on the type of track?

“Normally we have a starting point that we determine in the testing before the season, and from that we make little adjustments without ever overhauling the car, also because there isn’t much time during the race weekend and we’re three drivers, so all three of us need the chance to try out the car. So we prefer to adapt ourselves to the car’s behaviour and maybe just make some minor changes. I think one thing that’s really been helping us over these two years is the work with the simulator, because we manage to achieve great consistency with the experience on the track, and also when preparing for the weekend we try out a lot of things on the simulator. Many times, above all in the latest races, the base we have on the simulator is the one we take to the track; so I think that’s a strength at the moment. We’ve invested a lot of both time and money and I think we’re seeing the results now.”

What goes through the mind of a driver in the final minutes of a race?

“It really depends whether you’re in the car or in the pits. Either way, you try to stay calm. When you’re in the pits, you’re constantly checking the time and the countdown, whereas in the car you’re focused on your driving and keeping the pace steady, trying not to make any big mistakes.”

How do you plan a strategy for a race that lasts six or even 24 hours?

“The experience you gain over the years really helps a lot with this aspect. It’s not too difficult because we’ve contested 24-hour races several times. So you already know what happens at any given moment and we stick to the same approach. It’s the best way to stay calm and tackle the race.”

What's the most challenging aspect of endurance racing, physically or mentally?

“I think it’s more mentally demanding than physically, because the tension is very high and that’s hard to manage. Still, you need to be in good shape, and your body must be ready for these efforts. But I’d say the mental side is the most important thing in this type of racing.”

Who’s the most competitive of the three of your crew?

“I think we’re all very competitive, otherwise we wouldn’t be here. We’re all competing for the same goal, so we have to give it our all together. That’s fundamental for our team.”

Do you ever play pranks on each other within the team?

“Yes, of course. That’s a classic…”

How do you mentally recover between races?

“Ever since my very first races, when getting into the car I’ve always put on my right shoe first and my left glove first. So I guess that counts as a ritual.”

How do you mentally recover between races?

“I think the best way to recover is spending time with your family. Doing different things when you’re at home. And doing sport.”

Do you have a message for the Ferrari Tifosi who support you race after race?

“You have to support us because your help is really important. Not just supporting us but also enjoying yourselves with us. On our part, we’ll keep giving it our all.”

How do you plan a strategy from the driving point of view for a race that lasts six or even 24 hours?

“We’re all professional drivers and we can race during the day, at night, in the wet. Of course, if there’s a specific situation where a driver isn’t comfortable with a condition, they can say something, but usually the engineer makes the call. The engineer decides based on the race situation and driving time, so we’re always flexible.”

Have you ever had to completely change strategy halfway through a race?

“Yes, it’s happened. It was the case in the 6 Hours of Austin last year when we had a tyre pressure issue, with Robert Kubica starting the race, and we had to use two extra tyres. This meant that during my stint we had two fewer new tyres compared to the other cars, so we were forced to run a harder compound instead of the mediums our rivals were using. The harder tyres had less grip, but the situation played to our advantage: we were able to double stint with the same tyres, maintain a strong pace, and win the race. I think sometimes there are incidents or unwanted situations, but you have to adapt quickly. In the end, every sacrifice is needed to win a race, and that’s how we managed it last year.”

What's the most challenging aspect of endurance racing, physically and mentally?

“For me, the most physically and mentally demanding race is definitely Le Mans, also because I haven’t raced in any other 24-hour event. It’s a very tough race – physically, first of all, because each driver has to do around eight hours of driving. Then you need to rest properly between one stint and the other. On top of that, you face weather conditions that can change constantly. You always have to be ready to manage the tyres and the different scenarios: if you want to take risks and push straight away, you have to accept that you could damage the car or get penalties; but if you go conservative, you need to be sure you’re still in the lead group by the second half of the morning to have a chance of winning.”

Who is the most competitive of the three of you outside the track?

“I know Robert Kubica really well as we’ve raced together for three years and when we train on the bike, he’s really competitive. A driver always wants to be first, and it’s fun when we challenge each other to see who sets the fastest time. It’s great to have these kinds of interactions between teammates, and of course we compare data and videos too – not to beat each other, but to help each other improve.”

Do you ever play pranks on the other members of the team?

“Yes, I think that’s part of the game. We have fun and mess around. It’s great to have a good team atmosphere, and especially in difficult situations, staying positive is essential.”

Do you have any pre-race requests or superstitions?

“Before the race, I always try to visualise the different scenarios that could happen in my head. For example, when I leave the pits on cold tyres, I think about where and how I’ll need to brake to defend my position from someone on warm tyres. Apart from that, I don’t do anything special.”

How do you mentally recover between one race and the next?

“When we win a race, it’s always a great feeling to enjoy after the finish line. You can spend the whole day on Instagram reading all the congratulatory messages. On the other hand, if you make a mistake or have a problem during the race, of course you’re disappointed. It’s important to keep your head up and look for solutions ahead of the next race. In the world championship, consistency is key. Winning one race isn’t enough to lead the championship, so it’s vital to stay focused, because right up until the final round of the season, you’ll never know how it’s going to end in the standings.”

Looking back to your young career, what has been the proudest moment for you so far in WEC?

“In the FIA WEC, my proudest moment was clearly the win in Austin: my first victory after joining the Prancing Horse family. It came on the same day that Charles [Leclerc, Ed.] won at Monza with Ferrari in Formula 1. On that day, the Maranello-based manufacturer could celebrate in two different world championships. Being part of that moment is definitely a huge source of pride.”