Jim Pla: “A little greater visibility for 2019”

Jérôme Policand has had a certain gift in recent years for highlighting GT drivers, the best example since last year being Raffaele Marciello, who in 2018 became Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup champion and Blancpain GT Series champion in the cumulative Sprint and Endurance.

Recruited this season for the return of the Rabastens team to the French Championship FFSAGT, Jim Pla did not miss the opportunity to stand out, he who is still playing for the 2018 title this weekend at Paul Ricard with his teammate Jean-Luc Beaubelique, despite their delay of 26 points on the leaders Grégory Guilvert and Fabien Michal (Saintéloc Racing).

Une seconde saison en GT4 après une première découverte avec le Porsche Cayman – Racing Technology qui demeurait une proposition intéressante pour Jim Pla, passé auparavant par la Porsche Carrera Cup après s’être révélé en car.

“Compared to what I experienced before, with the Porsche Carrera Cup... it was a good solution to do GT4 again this year, and more particularly with Jérôme's team, the native of Béziers confided to us, in the Castellet paddock.

If you want to make a career in GT, GT4 with the scale it takes, and with the involvement of the manufacturers, it gives visibility. It's not GT3, but it remains a very good category with a real level.

The goal was to do a good job and the season was really positive for us and for the whole team. This weekend remains to end well. »

The Nations Cup as an appetizer for GT3?

In addition to this Var final, Jim Pla will be aligned with AKKA-ASP at the end of November on the Mercedes-AMG GT3 – AKKA-ASP at the FIA ​​Nations Cup in Bahrain, where he will defend the colors of France.

“I have never driven this Mercedes-AMG GT3, I had tried others a few years ago, continues Pla. I will learn like I learned with the GT4. I don't ask myself too many questions, especially given the good conditions the team puts me in. I can't wait to get in this car. »

In 2019, if nothing has been decided yet, moving to GT3 seems the preferred option for Jim Pla, who could continue with Jérôme Policand if by chance the two parties find an agreement for a program.

“I have a little greater visibility for next year. The objective for 2019 is clearly to go to the next level, and with AKKA-ASP. It was a year to discover ourselves, and also with Jean-Luc Beaubelique, without whom all this could not have been possible.

We are confident to see further next year. Yes, I would like to do GT3, but why not also do GT4 in parallel, especially since in 2019 it should be better in terms of performance (the Balance of Performance should improve lap times by 1″5 to 2″ according to SRO Motorsports). Cars should be more fun.

If we can combine two championships, that would be great. But it's always a question of budget. The Sprint format suits me well, with a qualification where you can really show yourself. It's different from Endurance with the three times taken into account. I will already be happy to drive in GT3. »