Learning and fun in a Hypercar for Lilou Wadoux

The opportunity was perfect, and the young woman from Amiens didn't hide her pleasure at getting back behind the wheel of the Classic Ferrari for sale 499P #51, the one driven by world champions Alessandro Pier Guidi, Antonio Giovinazzi and James Calado, in Bahrain. Lilou Wadoux was making her third test run behind the wheel of a Hypercar on this occasion, after the 2022 Rookie Tests (with Toyota) and 2023 (already with Ferrari).

For the Ferrari GT factory driver, the opportunity to drive a Hypercar combined both pleasure and learning. At 24, Wadoux hasn't lost sight of the Hypercar, even if she sees this test more as a reward for her work in Japan, the United States, and Europe, rather than a true evaluation for a very near future in Hypercar racing.

“It was great, it’s nice to be back in a prototype after a full year in GT. It’s incredible to be here anyway, I’m taking this day for fun, and the opportunity to rack up some mileage in the car, which I don’t actually know that well! I enjoyed the day while learning things, because compared to GT, there are more things to manage, especially here in Bahrain with the tire degradation. It’s a learning day. I think it’s more of a reward for the past year rather than an evaluation for the future.”

Before driving on Sunday's Sakhir circuit, which is particularly demanding on tires, Lilou Wadoux spent the weekend in the garages, both with the Hypercar team and in GT. This provided her with a different perspective, which can only enhance her feel for the cars she drives once behind the wheel.

“It’s always good to be a spectator from time to time, to get a different perspective on things. When you’re in the car, you sometimes get frustrated or happy about something when you shouldn’t, for example. It allows me to see the race differently and appreciate things. For instance, I was able to tell myself all weekend that my turn to get in the car was approaching. You also see things from the outside that you don’t have time to see while driving. Over the years, I’ve learned things, and I still learn every day, really.”

“I was able to see in more detail how things work on the Hypercar side, for example. In LMGT3, it’s very close to what I usually do, whereas in Hypercar, there are many more settings to change, just on the car itself. There’s a lot more work to do on the data to find the right balance, the best settings with all the technology in the car. These are things that are new compared to what I saw two years ago. With the experience I have now, I can focus much more on the small details. Having done development work in Japan helps me have a better feel for things and be able to say more constructive things.”

Like several of her peers who participated in the Rookie Test having had limited or even no experience with Hypercars, the Frenchwoman was quick to point out that a first drive in a Hypercar is always a shocking experience! “To be honest, getting back into a car like this is a bit of a wake-up call! It’s very different from a GT, and even though I did LMP2 last year, I still spent a whole year doing only GT. I still have a good feeling and I’m enjoying myself, so that’s the main thing.”

Interview by Valentin Glo, in Sakhir (Bahrain)

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