Nico Pino hopes for a future in Hypercar and Formula E

Nicolas Pino discovered a new world in 2024. The 20-year-old driver competed in the World ChampionshipEndurance for the first time, in a new category for him, the GT3. 

« Overall I would say it has been a difficult season in terms of results, but very positive in terms of driver development, Nico Pino told us in an interview with AUTOhebdo at the beginning of December. I developed as an athlete, I worked with the engineers, I got to know different cars, new circuits and everything. So it's very positive from a personal point of view. Unfortunately, in endurance racing there are a lot of factors, the mechanics, the teammates, the strategy. So it's not something I can control. But every time I was on track I was performing and doing a good job. I think that was noticed by the teams and everyone there. So I would say it was a good year, even if the results didn't show it. »

« La McLaren is a very good car, He added. It’s not a typical GT car. It’s very aerodynamic. There was a lot of development to do, a lot of work throughout the season to try to catch up and be on the pace of the others. We’ve made a lot of progress. We managed to get pole position in the last race in Bahrain. At Le Mans we were leading until a technical failure (transmission problem according to United Autosports). We have made a lot of progress throughout the season, but of course it has not been easy. »

Pino wants to focus on prototypes and Formula E

Lined up in the No. 95 United Autosports car alongside Josh Caygill and Marino Sato, Nico Pino enjoyed McLaren's only podium finish in WEC this season, with a third place in the 6 Hours of São Paulo. Despite this satisfactory first season, it is not certain that the young Chilean will continue in the World Endurance Championship in 2025. We talk (with United Autosports), we are friends now, but I am not a GT driver. I still focus on prototypes and Formula E. "The 20-year-old actually grew up as a pilot of car then prototype, with in particular a place as vice-champion LM P3 in the European Le Mans Series in 2022 with Inter Europol Competition and a podium at the 24 Hours of Le Mans last year with the Duqueine team for his first appearance in Sarthe (3rd alongside René Binder and Neel Jani).

His season with the French team in ELMS, marked by a victory at the 4 Hours of Barcelona and then a second place at the 4 Hours of Castellet during the first rounds of the season, did not go unnoticed. The season was very successful, even if the final result of the championship was not up to par, rewind Pino. It opened a lot of doors for me in my career. "In particular those of Stellantis, since the person concerned was selected as a young pilot by the Italian-French-American group. 

At Stellantis, Nico Pino's work is mainly focused on Formula E with DS Penske. We started with the simulator, then we did some tests with the Gen 2 car. We started a program to develop me as a driver, to adapt to Formula E. It's a completely different philosophy. We also worked on the development of the car with a lot of time spent in the simulator. »

The young man also had the right to test sessions, with the Gen 2 single-seater, but also the Gen 3. Despite his background in Endurance, Pino has not yet been involved in the 9X8 program of Peugeot according to his words. With one foot in a manufacturer engaged on different fronts, the Chilean sees himself well " do like many drivers today, Hypercar and Formula E " in the future. Like a certain Jean-Éric Vergne for example, DS Penske driver in FE and Peugeot in WEC.

« I would like to do both, of course, adds Pino. The ideal would be to compete in both championships, especially if Chile returns to the Formula E calendar. It would be special to race in my country and also do Hypercar because these two models are completely different. They are both equally fun. I like both formats. »

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