Pascal Vasselon: “We have to get up”

Just one turn away, Toyota décrochait enfin un premier succès sur les 24 Hours of Le Mans, an ordeal which seems very cursed for the Japanese firm. Without a problem with the air intake pipe between the turbo and the intercooler, the TS050 Hybrid n°5 of Buemi – Nakajima – Davidson would have brought a deserved victory to Pascal Vasselon’s men.

Le directeur technique de l’équipe a accepté de répondre aux questions d’AUTOhebdo dans les jours qui ont suivi ce dénouement inattendu, offrant une 18e victoire à Porsche, la deuxième consécutive pour la marque allemande.

“We can talk about what happened for years, but it won't change the outcome. We are racing people, we are passionate, and we are lucky to have a wonderful job. You don't have to disassemble and start again. We do not have the choice, we must get back up, because this is what will allow us to better prepare for 2017. »

Concerning the breakdown that occurred on the LM P1 prototype, Pascal Vasselon assures that there was no sign of a future problem. “It happened suddenly. In 2014, the problem was brewing... There, that was clearly not the case. We monitor things like brakes, battery temperature, etc. But nothing suggests this problem. »

Find our entire interview with Pascal Vasselon in issue 2069 of AUTOhebdo, available now in digital version and on newsstands.