Yannick Willocx, Loeb engineer in the Azores: “I felt useless…”

How did your test session go?

I didn't know how Sébastien drove, but based on the data we had, we defined a set-up. After one run, he just had a comment about understeer on entry if he brakes a little late. What surprised me the most was that at the end of his analysis, he told me “ I adapt ". I don't know of another pilot who has done this. The most widespread discourse is rather “ I have to adapt the car to my style ". If there is a problem, it is always the car and never the way of driving. Sébastien has an opposite approach to what most of his colleagues do and I really liked it. In the Azores, I felt useless… It was a very positive experience for me. It may be less good for the competitors with whom I will work in the future. (Laughs)

Yannick Willocx in discussion with Sébastien Loeb in the Azores (Photo: Loïc Rocci / AUTOhebdo)

Is it because he quickly finds the limits of a car?

I think the connection between his eyes, his brain, his hands and his feet is better than many people. He sees the grip and the things that can disrupt the behavior of the car. From the reconnaissance, he was already able to tell what it was going to be like in the race.

When you compare his data with other drivers, what does that tell you?

We have certain well-established theories about grip or how to slow down, and in my opinion Sébastien has a completely different way of using the accelerator pedal. He almost never uses accelerator + brake at the same time. While the others pass a corner using their left foot, he does so by “playing” with the accelerator. Seb hardly touches the brakes. It brakes with very low pressures, which involves very little wheel locking where others push the pedal as if they want to bend it in half, locking the wheels hard. He knows exactly where he needs to brake, and even with lower pressure, he manages to do it later than his rivals.

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