Paul-Loup Chatin: “For the moment everything is going smoothly”

Paul-Loup, what is the outcome of your week at Le Mans?

Everything is going well for now. The car is in perfect condition for the race, that's the main thing. It was very calm until yesterday, and a little less so at the end of the day on the track. We followed our plan step by step and progressed little by little. We were unlucky in qualifying because we always encountered traffic in the last sector while we were regularly in the top five in the first two sectors.

Paul-Loup Chatin and IDEC Sport already have the race in their sights © DPPI

Did a place in Hyperpole seem accessible to you?

I think we had the performance for it, even if it was random because we had a series of sessions where we performed very well and others a little less. Based on our data, we had the pace for a lap in 3'30. Traffic is part of the game for everyone, but I find it a shame not to separate GT and Protos during qualifying. This qualifications and Hyperpole system logically benefits the teams of the WEC who are used to riding with the aero kit “ Le Mans ". Coming from theELMS, we discovered this package during the test day and after an adjustment during the first free practices which did not go in the right direction we went back and found a good base. But we had already lost a little time.

Did you know the previous format and even scored a pole?

Yes, in 2018 with a lap of 3'24''852, which illustrates the decline in LMP2 performance in recent years (pole position this year went to the #31 WRT in 3'28''395 editor's note) . Even for the spectators I found the format interesting because they saw the cars driving at their maximum at nightfall, and until the last second everything remained possible. But in the end that's not the main thing for us, only the race counts.

So are you following your walking plan?

Yes, so far everything is going smoothly. We all rode well, we accumulated good data on the tires which will be important with a view to completing 3 stints. In the end, no surprises, and this relative disappointment in qualifying allowed us to immediately concentrate on the race.

Is the order of passage of the drivers fixed?

Yes, I will start followed by Patrick Pilet and Paul Lafargue. Afterwards, it’s the race that will decide…

You are now a pillar of Team IDEC Sport alongside Pierre and Paul Lafargue.

I have been with IDEC since 2017 and we have had many wonderful moments together. I am lucky to be part of this family where we understand each other immediately without needing to talk too much. After 5 years, automatisms have been created, and it is a chance to have Paul as a teammate who is a true friend while Patrick has brought us his valuable experience over the past 2 years. I think we put together a very good ensemble in the spirit of the LMP2 category with a real Silver driver, which is not easy when you look at other crews. It's our pride and we're going to fight to get a great result with a real LMP2 crew.

Besides piloting, have your activities as a TV consultant developed?

I continue with pleasure to comment on races, in particular theIMSA on Automoto la Chaîne. I recently did the 24 Hours of Nurburgring with them. For me it is above all a pleasure because these are races that I would watch if I did not comment on them. So even if you look at them, you might as well enjoy them and talk about them! I share my experience (Paul-Loup Chatin won the 24 2021 Hours of Daytona in the LMP2 category, editor's note), it's a very pleasant little extra alongside my commitments as a driver. We always learn something by watching the races about strategies, it makes us stronger in our own races (laughs).

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