Jérôme Policand (AKKA-ASP): “It remains a great season”

You end the Blancpain GT World Challenge Europe season on a positive note. The performance of Mercedes in Hungary surprised you?

Since 2016, we knew that the car was performing well on this track, but what is impressive is the gap created (in race 2). What is surprising is that at the Nürburgring, it was much more complicated, and three days later, on a circuit which is not completely the opposite either, we find ourselves dominating.

We didn't expect this. On Friday in practice, we were good, in the mix. The conclusion to this is that tire exploitation is paramount. When you're in the window, it's really good. Otherwise, we become a little more ordinary. There we were.

And all our cars worked. We have again seen that in GT, the driver factor is extremely important. The championship has moved up a notch, in a series where performance is the purest.

In 2018, when we missed out, we still managed to be 7th or 8th in qualifying. There, you are 15th or 17th. (More than 20 cars in the same second in Q2)

Considering your end of the championship, do you have any regrets regarding the Drivers' title?

Yes, definitely a little. We had four poles, three victories with Raffaele Marciello – Vincent Abril plus that of Nico Bastian – Thomas Neubauer at Brands Hatch. In terms of the Teams championship, it's a close call, but we had the performance. There is a certain logic.

At Driver level, with three blank results, in a championship, it is not possible. The technical problem at Brands Hatch, the blunder at Misano and the collision at the Nürburgring… It's over. When we see that Black Falcon, by scoring in all the races, cannot win… They were consistent and efficient.

You still managed to bounce back after a complicated start to the season...

We had a complicated period between Spa and the Nürburgring, and it's good to end on a positive note. The satisfaction is that we have won the Teams title after the 2018 Drivers title, while being 3rd among the Drivers, which is not so bad.

Plus Silver crowns in World Challenge Europe. And then 2018 was so good that it's complicated to continue at the same absolute level. It remains a great season. Jim Pla can still win the aggregate in Pro-Am.

Today, everyone is good in the stands, the means to make a difference are reduced.