Vincent Abril: “I don’t close any doors”

Vincent Abril will participate for the first time in his career in the Asian Le Mans Series in the GT category with the Ferrari n°17 of the AF Corse team. The 26-year-old driver will be accompanied in Dubai and Abu Dhabi by the Monegasque Louis Prette and the American Conrad Grunewald. “It’s another new championship that I’m going to discover, it’s giving me a new experience”, the Frenchman told us in the paddock at the Dubai Autodrome. 

New championship, but a team and a teammate he already knows. Vincent Abril and Louis Prette have already driven together, at the 24 2019 Hours of Le Mans with the Porsche 911 RSR from Proton Competition (6th in GTE Am) and in International GT Open in 2020 with AF Corse, already. “I have always felt very good at AF Corse, confirms Vincent Abril. I have a very good feeling with this car and this team. I can't wait to ride with them, but also with Louis (Prette. Editor’s note) to continue what we started at Le Mans in 2019 and at the GT Open in 2020. All challenges are always welcome. I know this car well and my driving suits it very well. It's a new championship, but we have a very competitive package with Conrad (Grunewald. Editor’s note) and the team always commits to very well figured. We will have a card to play.”

THEELMS or WEC also on the program?

The four races of the Asian Le Mans Series will be the beginnings of a new season in GT World Challenge for him Endurance, where he will ride for JP Motorsport alongside Dennis Lind and Christian Klien in a McLaren 720S GT3. “It’s a project that I really liked when it was offered to me. I needed a new challenge and a non-exclusive contract with a manufacturer. I will therefore be on a factory car, but without all the constraints behind. This gives me time to manage other things on the side, which I needed. I couldn't commit to a thirty-race program. I'm still hungry for victories, but I needed to make time for other things for my future. I still have the same approach to motorsport, but I always think about what's next and how to improve all situations. This program was perfect for what I needed.”

Over DTM this year for the Franco-Monegasque therefore. However, Vincent Abril is not closing the door to another Endurance program this season, in ELMS or WEC. “ I got offers for lots of interesting projects. I was pleasantly surprised by this. I might like to add a program this year. GT or not. I've always wanted to get to proto and the Endurance is going in a really incredible direction. I’m not closing any doors.”