Reshad de Gerus: "Toyota welcomed me very well" at the Rookie Test

Reshad, how did this first outing in a Hypercar go during the Rookie Test of WEC with Toyota ?

It went very well. Toyota welcomed me really well, that's nice. We prepared things well, because they allowed me to do the simulator, to mold my seat, before Bahrain. I thank them for all the work we did beforehand. It was important to do this test, to discover the Hypercar. I had the chance to drive in the champion car among the manufacturers. I wanted to be there, knowing that it's a totally different car from what I know in LM P2 with a lot more systems to understand. Learning the basics before arriving in Bahrain was an advantage. I covered a little more than the minimum 30 laps (31). 

What are the differences with a LM P2?

It is very comfortable in terms of position and sensations compared to an LM P2. I quickly felt at ease. The adaptation was easy and quick. To get the five tenths that are missing compared to the professionals in this category, it requires more experience than thirty laps. It is also a different philosophy. The Hypercar is much more powerful, heavier, so the driving technique is different. What impressed me most was the technology inside the car. It is very complex, there are many parameters that we can change when we are behind the wheel. It is the most complicated in this category. 

You had the opportunity to do simulator work with Toyota before Bahrain. How much did that help you in the process of adapting to the car?

It would have been more complicated if I hadn't done a simulator before. It helped me a lot and allowed me to arrive more serenely. It was the first time I tested a simulator as developed as the one at Toyota. The sensations were exactly the same as those I had in reality. It really surprised me. I had already started working with the engineers who were with me in Bahrain when I went to the simulator. I already knew them a little. It was easier to know what they expected. I was also lucky to have Mike conway in the car. I was able to talk to him about his experience with the car. It was interesting. I really appreciated the character and his way of helping me. He was open to answering my questions. It was really pleasant, I had a great day with the team.

What advice did Mike give you?

I had a lot of questions about everything that was a bit new to me: the energy deployment, the battery recharge, the way the traction control works, which is much more developed than what we have in LM P2. He guided me well. At the beginning I had a little lack of feeling, it's a car that doesn't forgive anything. If you brake a metre too late, you can end up five metres from the apex. It was difficult to find the limit. He gave me good advice on how to drive. That was beneficial for the day. It was also reassuring to have the same technical feedback as Mike. That gives you confidence. 

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