Hasse-Clot: “Aston Martin was my best option”

He is the first Frenchman to join the fold Aston Martin. Last week, Valentin Hasse-Clot officially became a junior driver for the English brand. A first step for the 24-year-old driver, who hopes to have a long career with the manufacturer. He spoke to AUTOhebdo after his selection.

How did you react when you learned of your selection as an Aston Martin junior driver?

I was relieved. I've been working for this for two years on the track and behind the scenes, working for customer teams, taking care of young people in GT4... That was the goal when I started driving Astons in 2019 .

What do you think made the difference in the selection?

In 2020 a racing driver who simply turns a steering wheel cannot survive. Last year, I supported young drivers in GT4 with AGS Events and in GT3 at Garage 59. Motorsport is also above all marketing for manufacturers so you have to promote the brand. I tried hard to work on that and that's what made the difference I think, the others also knew how to drive. »

Why did you bet everything on Aston Martin?

“My ultimate goal is to 24 Hours of Le Mans in GT. I started with two years of Porsche Carrera Cup where I tried to climb the ranks, but I came across better than me with Julien Andlauer. So, I was left Ferrari but it's blocked, BMW but too many candidates, and Aston Martin which had never had a Frenchman. It was a human-sized factory, with a new car in each category, it was the best option. »

What are the objectives for the year?

“I have to learn how to compete in the ACO championships, via the Asian LMS next month with Garage 59. That's the big objective because I have a superb crew, we have every chance of having an invitation to Le Mans. We are also working to continue in GT World Challenge with them and I will do GT4 in FFSAGT with AGS Events in silver, for fun and to help the young people. »