Makowiecki on the Le Mans Hyperpole: “A more exciting scheme”

What is your opinion on the old qualifying system in force at the 24 Hours of Le Mans?

This system, specific to Le Mans, was very special. It was complicated to find a clear turn. We – and even more so the prototypes – could lose a lot by catching a GTE Am or even a prototype in the wrong place. But we could also be successful and benefit from an idyllic ride like Gimmi (Bruni, his teammate on the No. 91 during the last two editions. Editor's note) in 2018, who benefited from three aspirations, which allowed him to stick 1”5 to everyone. So it could be frustrating, but it was part of the game.

Is this new Hyperpole system a good thing?

We will now have a proper qualifying session during which you will have to get a time, in accordance with what we usually know. It's going to be different even if some will certainly continue to concentrate on the race and won't play the game. I'm curious to see what that will be like but, on paper, I think it's pretty good. And then if you don't do anything, you go backwards. So I think it's good to want to make things happen.

Do you think this will be more interesting for the public to follow?

People will no longer miss pole attempts because they are not in front of their screen or at the side of the track at the appropriate time. For example, in 2011, I took pole (in GTE Pro, with the Ferrari 458 GTE from Luxury Racing. Editor's note), at an unusual time, on Thursday afternoon, while the pole is generally signed in the evening, in the cool. Being in front of a screen or stationed at the side of the track for 6 hours is a lot. There, theThe intensity will increase as for a normal qualification. This is a more exciting pattern.

On the other hand, 30 minutes is short to give the three drivers an attempt…

Certainly, but not everyone did it. Some made their test plan and the one who set the time was the one who found himself behind the wheel at the right time, others designated a driver. It doesn't bother me, because I believe that the ideal plan is for each driver to be responsible for either qualifying, the start, or the finish. That leaves everyone with a somewhat special task.