Sacha Fenestraz: "It was time to take my first steps in prototype development."

Dressed entirely in black, Sacha Fenestraz slipped into the Toyota GR010 Hybrid, Sunday, November 9th. For the Annecy native, it was a first to take his place in the cockpit of a prototype. At 26, I had never driven a prototype before, so it was the right time to take that first step. " he explained on the terrace of the Toyota Gazoo Racing villa.

« It's definitely completely different from what I'm used to. the 26-year-old driver told AUTOhebdo during his lunch break. This is the first time I've driven a prototype, and also the first time I've experienced traction control; I've never had it before. So there was quite a bit to take in: the track, which I didn't know, the car, the systems… But so far, it's going pretty well. »

Competing in Super GT and Super Formula, Fenestraz discovered a car very different from what he was already familiar with. It's very interesting. The driving style remains quite similar to Super GT, even though the aerodynamic load changes a lot. It's really fun, a great experience. »

Fenestraz benefited from his Formula E experience

Ultimately, it was his time in another world championship that proved most beneficial to him before this trial. The experience in Formula E It helped me a lot, especially with everything related to hybrid systems, energy recovery, steering wheel settings, etc. What I found most useful was the multifunction display: driving while listening to the engineer asking you to change certain parameters. Formula E definitely gave me a good foundation for handling this type of highly technical car. »

A newcomer to prototype racing, having never even competed in LMP2 before, unlike his teammate Ben Barnicoat, Fenestraz only had half a day in the simulator in Cologne, Germany, two weeks before heading to Bahrain. He listened to the advice of more experienced drivers, like Pechito. López, now a reserve for TGR, was therefore valuable, as was being present with the team from Free Practice 3.

« It was very interesting for me to observe how it all works: listening to the radio, the debriefs, understanding tire management. Here, tire degradation is particularly high, so it's one of the keys to long stints. Fenestraz confides. It was very instructive to see how they handle it. »

When asked what his biggest challenge was with the Hypercar, the former Nissan Formula E driver replied Without hesitation, braking. "" The aerodynamic load under braking is enormous, and it's quite difficult to get a good feel for it at first. then elaborated on our interlocutor. You feel a bit like a passenger at first. After that, the rest—the driving style, the racing lines—is more familiar. What's more technical are the settings: the braking and acceleration curves, the system management. That's where I'll talk to the engineers to fully understand how it all works. »

Can Fenestraz envision a future in the Hypercar category after this appearance at the Rookie Test? In the short term, securing a seat will be difficult, but in the future, it's a great option. It's a world championship, and racing for a brand like Toyota would be a dream. For now, I'm focused on my work in Japan, but I'm here today to prepare for that possibility in the years to come. »

It is certain that this will not happen as early as 2026, as Toyota has already confirmed that its driver lineups will not change for the next season. WEC.

ALSO READ > Back in WEC with Alpine, António Félix da Costa will benefit from his experience in Formula E