Anthony Davidson 'can't wait to win Le Mans'

Anthony, first of all, how are you?

My accident at Le Mans took place on June 16 and, when I arrived in the pit Toyota Racing yesterday, it was January 16th. It had been exactly seven months. My back feels much stronger and I'm OK to ride again. Seven months is not that long to recover from such an injury. I have to say that I am happy with my speed of recovery. It?s a fantastic feeling to be back in the car after such a long time. Sometimes I no longer felt like a racing driver. Now I'm a racing driver again and it's cool!

What was your first feeling when you found the cockpit of the TS030 Hybrid?

I did a little go-karting during my recovery. At Daytona, for the test day, it was my first time in a racing car since my accident. It was nice to feel the speed and the downforce. A DP has quite a bit of power, but you can't compare it to the TS030 Hybrid. This is a completely new story. Physically, I feel more stress on my body, but I haven't had any problems and I'm really happy with this. After seven months you forget how strong this car is. But I can say that during the first laps, on the long straight at Paul Ricard, I had a very big smile on my face!

So you liked it?

Yes ! A lot of sensations returned and the impression of speed seemed better than I remembered. Perhaps this is due to the development on the car. Perhaps it is also because of the weather, which means that I have somewhat forgotten the exact speed of the car. At first, it was a little strange, but I felt good physically so, as I said, I found a lot of sensations. I think it's also good on a mental level. It?s good to forget Le Mans 2012 because it remained my last memory with the TS030 Hybrid. Now I can't wait to be back racing!

What was it like to reunite with the team?

I've been in the simulator before so I've met quite a few people at TMG, but it's good to be back on track. It’s actually quite funny. I feel a lot more emotion within the team. We spent so much together. It helps strengthen bonds between people. We emerge stronger from difficult times.

What state of mind are you in for 2013?

I really enjoyed the team?s success during the second half of the 2012 season. I was at Silverstone to see the team and Toyota Racing was close to victory. I knew at that moment that she would come quickly. Brazil was exactly what the team needed. Today I can see more confidence and better speed of work. Everything is going better. Only this type of victory gives this confidence. I'm impressed by how quickly the team has progressed and I'm looking forward to trying to win Le Mans. Technically, we have a chance. 13 is not a lucky number in general, but as I have been unlucky at Le Mans in recent years, I hope that will change this time!