Dumas: “We all have doubts about reliability”

Porsche does not appear more confident than Audi and Toyota on the reliability of its LMP1s 24 Hours of Le Mans. The 6 Hours of Spa (Belgium) revealed flaws in the 919 Hybrid, the Stuttgart manufacturer preferring to ensure by returning to 2015 batteries.

Romain Dumas, driver of the No. 2 Porsche provisionally on pole, welcomes this decision.

“We all have doubts about reliability, it would be pretentious to say otherwise, admits the winner of the 24 2010 Hours of Le Mans. Audis were very reliable in the past, but the situation has changed. The race will be won by staying on the track. The margin of error is narrow since we have calculated that one second of lap delay turns into two laps of delay after 24 hours. It is for this reason that we decided to go back to the old batteries. »

While Audi fears seeing its R18s encounter new problems, particularly with its interconnected suspensions, the Toyotas could also be formidable since the TS050 Hybrid closely follows the pace set by Porsche during the first qualifications.

“Toyota’s return to the forefront does not surprise us, underlines the Alésien. All manufacturers focus on Le Mans, but the TS050 Hybrid was really designed for the double clock. Our chances are reduced by going to two cars, but all the teams are at the same level. We will not change our strategies and we will continue to attack, even if some (Audi) might be forced to preserve their machines. We are no longer in the era of Pescarolo who avoided all the vibrators so as not to break his Courage. »

However, qualifying was disrupted by numerous interruptions preventing the drivers from revealing the true potential of the cars. The “slow zones” particularly seem to pose a problem for pilots.

“All you have to do is come across a driver who doesn’t understand the principle of the “slow zone” and you lose half a minute. It is also very dangerous. I had the experience yesterday of having the green flag being blocked by drivers who had not yet reaccelerated. Duval found himself in the same situation last year. The pilots are not trained enough, the simulator is not enough. It’s both too complicated for amateurs and for teams that don’t have enough staff.”, warns Romain Dumas.

Qualifying for the 24 Hours of Le Mans will resume from 19 p.m. and can be followed live with our live text.