Le Mans – David Heinemeier Hansson is no longer an extra

“Last year, I had no expectations,” recalls David Heinemeier Hansson. For his very first participation in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Danish driver took a relaxed approach. Which did not prevent him, alongside Bas Leinders and Maxime Martin, from placing the Oak Racing Morgan LMP2-Nissan at the head of its category for 12 laps.

Three weeks before his second participation, still with Oak Racing, the professional computer programmer has a much higher objective: first place in LMP2. ?It?s always exciting to go to Le Mans. Last year, for my first year, we were so good from the start, but punctures took us out of the contenders for victory, so I feel like a job to finish here?, he remembers. “This time we have a team, a car and a crew strong enough that we believe we are capable of fighting for victory! »

In four years, Heinemeier Hansson has built up solid experience in ALMS, ELMS and WEC. An undeniable plus before tackling the double clock tower in Sarthe. “In ALMS, you learn how to fight on street circuits, how to get out of traffic, which is very useful for Le Mans. In WEC you learn more about real endurance, it?s good to be fast on a lap, but if you have contact you can lose a lot because there are not as many interventions from the safety car as ?in the United States, you have to know how to calm things down. In ELMS, you learn a little from both, there are a little fewer cars than in ALMS but the races last longer on longer circuits, it's a good mix of everything”, compares the Dane. As a reminder, David Heinemeier Hansson shares the wheel of the No. 24 Oak Racing Morgan-Nissan alongside Olivier Pla and Alex Brundle.