Le Mans – Loïc Duval will play to Audi’s strengths

Title holder in Sarthe where he won last year with Tom Kristensen and Allan McNish, the Frenchman Loïc duval had won the Holy Grail of every pilotEndurance. In 2014, the current leader of the Japanese Super Formula will count on the experience and strengths of his team, which will seek a 13th victory in the double round of the clock. The Frenchman who admits, however, that pole will not be a priority for the German team given the result of the Test Day and the domination of the Toyota TS040 Hybrid. “ In terms of pure performance, we were not overly surprised by the final ranking. It matches what we expected. The only little surprise perhaps came from Porsche, which we thought we would see faster. Our car, for its part, is a real joy to drive. Especially in the fast sequences, where she seems nailed to the ground. »

Faced with the very fast Japanese who have already won twice this season in WEC, Audi and Duval have refined the small details that can make the difference at Le Mans more than anywhere else. “We really focused on our race, our consumption, our means of reducing tire wear. We have also studied extensively our possible reactions in the event of a sudden change in weather conditions, or in the event of the race being interrupted by a safety car. Because that’s where you win Le Mans first of all, " explains Duval.

The No. 18 R1 will return to the track from 16 p.m. on Wednesday for the first free practice sessions on the Le Mans circuit before the race which will start on Saturday at the 15 Hours.